Why Anansi Has Eight Thin Legs為什么阿南西有八條細(xì)腿

楊舟

Once upon a time， a long time ago，there lived a spider named Anansi.Anansi’s wife was a very good cook. Butalways， Anansi loved to taste the food thatothers in the village made for themselvesand for their families.

One day， he stopped by Rabbit’s house.Rabbit was his good friend.

“There are greens in your pot，”criedAnansi excitedly. Anansi loved greens.

“They are not quite done，”said Rabbit.“But they will be soon. Stay and eat with me.”

“I would love to， Rabbit， but I havesome things to do，”Anansi said hurriedly. Ifhe waited at Rabbit’s house， Rabbit wouldcertainly give him jobs to do.

“I know，”said Anansi. “I’ll spin1 aweb. I’ll tie one end around my leg and oneend to your pot. When the greens are done，tug on the web， and I’ll come running！ ”

Rabbit thought that was a great idea.And so it was done.

“I smell beans，” Anansi sniffed2excitedly as he ambled3 along.“Deliciousbeans， cooking in a pot.”

“Come eat our beans with us，”criedthe monkeys.“They are almost done.”

And again， Anansi suggested he spina web， with one end tied around his leg，and one end tied to the big bean pot.

The monkeys thought that was a greatidea. And so it was done.

“I smell sweet potatoes，” Anansisniffed happily as he ambled along.“Sweetpotatoes and honey， I do believe！ ”

“Anansi，” called his friend Hog4.“My pot is full of sweet potatoes andhoney！ Come share my food with me.”

“I would love to，”said Anansi. Andagain， Anansi suggested he spin a web，with one end tied around his leg， and oneend tied to the sweet potato pot.

His friend Hog thought that was agreat idea. And so it was done.

By the time Anansi arrived at theriver， he had one web tied to each of hiseight legs.

“This was a wonderful idea，”Anansitold himself proudly. “I wonder whose potwill be ready first？”

Just then， Anansi felt a tug5 at his leg.“Ah，”said Anansi.“That isthe web string6 tied to Rabbit’s greens pot.”He felt another. Andanother. Anansi was pulled three ways at once.

“Oh dear，” said Anansias he felt the fourth webstring pull.

Just then， he felt the fifthweb string tug. And the sixth.And the seventh. And the eighth.Anansi was pulled this way andthat way， as everyone pulled onthe web strings at once. His legswere pulled thinner and thinner.Anansi rolled and tugged himselfinto the river. When all the webshad washed away， Anansi pulledhimself painfully up on shore.

“Oh my， oh my，”sighed7Anansi. “Perhaps that was notsuch a good idea after all.

To this day， Anansi theSpider has eight very thin legs.And he never got any food thatday at all.

很久很久以前，有一只蜘蛛叫阿南西。阿南西的妻子是個(gè)很好的廚師。但阿南西總是喜歡品嘗村里其他人為他們自己和家人做的食物。

一天，他路過(guò)兔子的家。兔子是他的好朋友。

“你的鍋里有青菜?！卑⒛衔骷?dòng)地喊道。阿南西喜歡青菜。

“它們還沒(méi)有煮好?！蓖米诱f(shuō)，“但就快好了。留下來(lái)和我一起吃飯吧。”

“我很愿意，兔子，但我有一些事情要做?！卑⒛衔骷泵φf(shuō)道。

如果他在兔子家等著，兔子肯定會(huì)給他安排點(diǎn)事兒做。

“我知道?！卑⒛衔髡f(shuō)，“我會(huì)織一張網(wǎng)。我會(huì)把網(wǎng)的一端綁在我的腿上，另一端綁在你的鍋上。當(dāng)青菜做好后，你拽一下網(wǎng)，我就會(huì)跑過(guò)來(lái)！”

兔子認(rèn)為這是個(gè)好主意。于是他們就這樣做了。

“我聞到了豆子的味道。”阿南西慢吞吞地走著，興奮地嗅了嗅，“美味的豆子，正在鍋里煮著?！?/p>

“來(lái)和我們一起吃豆子吧?！焙镒觽兒暗溃八鼈儾畈欢嘀蠛昧??！?/p>

阿南西再次建議他結(jié)一張網(wǎng)，一端綁在他的腿上，另一端綁在煮豆子的鍋上。

猴子們認(rèn)為這是個(gè)好主意。于是他們就這樣做了。

“我聞到了甘薯的味道?！卑⒛衔饔崎e地走著，高興地嗅了嗅，“我相信是甘薯和蜂蜜！”

“阿南西，”他的朋友野豬喊道，“我的鍋里裝滿了甘薯和蜂蜜！

來(lái)和我分享我的食物吧。”

“我很樂(lè)意?！卑⒛衔髡f(shuō)。阿南西再次提議他結(jié)一張網(wǎng)，一端綁在他的腿上，另一端綁在甘薯鍋上。

他的朋友野豬認(rèn)為這是個(gè)好主意。于是他們就這樣做了。

當(dāng)阿南西到達(dá)河邊時(shí)，他的八條腿上各綁了一張網(wǎng)。

“這是個(gè)好主意?！?/p>

阿南西自豪地對(duì)自己說(shuō)，“我想知道誰(shuí)的鍋會(huì)先準(zhǔn)備好呢？”

就在這時(shí)，阿南西感到有人在拽他的腿?！鞍　！卑⒛衔髡f(shuō)，“那是綁在兔子青菜鍋上的網(wǎng)繩?！彼杏X(jué)到了另一個(gè)方向的拉拽。然后又一個(gè)。

阿南西同時(shí)被拉拽向三個(gè)方向。

“哦，天吶?！碑?dāng)感覺(jué)到第四根網(wǎng)繩被拉住時(shí)，阿南西說(shuō)。

就在這時(shí)，他感覺(jué)到了第五根網(wǎng)繩的拉扯。然后是第六根、第七根、第八根。阿南西被拽來(lái)拽去，因?yàn)槊總€(gè)人都同時(shí)拉著網(wǎng)繩。他的腿被拉得越來(lái)越細(xì)。阿南西翻滾著，把自己拖到河里。當(dāng)所有的網(wǎng)都被沖走后，阿南西痛苦地爬上了岸。

“噢，我的天吶，噢，我的天吶。”

阿南西嘆了口氣，“也許這終究不是個(gè)好主意?！?/p>

時(shí)至今日，蜘蛛阿南西有八條非常細(xì)的腿。那天他一點(diǎn)食物都沒(méi)有得到。

Notes

1. spin 吐（絲），結(jié)（網(wǎng)）

2. sniff 以鼻吸氣；嗅，聞

3. amble 從容漫步

4. hog 豬

5. tug 猛拉，拽

6. string 線，細(xì)繩