Lazy Jack 懒惰的杰克

Shelly Morris

Once upon a time in a small village， a lazy boy called Jack lived with his mother. He was so lazy that he did nothing all the day. His mother worked as a servant maid1 in town and made money for herself and her son. People started to call him Lazy Jack and Jacks mother was irritated2 and worried about her son.

从前，在一个小村庄里，一个叫杰克的懒惰男孩和他的母親住在一起。他太懒了，整天什么事都不干。他的母亲在镇上做女佣，为自己和儿子赚钱。人们开始叫他“懒惰的杰克”，杰克的母亲很生气，她很担心儿子。

One day， she fell sick and had a high fever3. She was in bed for two days and could not go to work. She asked her son to make money for them or there wont be anything to eat.

一天，她病了，发着高烧在床上躺了两天，不能上班。她让儿子为他们挣点钱，否则就没有吃的了。

Lazy Jack understood her mothers health and their poverty4 at last. He promised5 her mother to bring something and went on to look for a job. A farmer offered6 him work in his land and paid two pennies for Jacks work. Jack thanked him and ran to home with the pennies in hand. As he was running to home， he did not notice the pennies rolled7 down from his hand. He could not find the coins and reached home with unhappy face. He told it to his mom. She told him， “Dear Jack， next time， you put them in your pocket， so that they wont be lost！”

懒惰的杰克终于明白了母亲的健康情况和他们的贫穷现状。他答应妈妈会带点东西回家，然后继续找工作。一个农民让杰克在自己的土地上干活，并为他的工作付了两便士。杰克谢过了他，手里拿着钱跑回了家。当他跑回家时，没有注意到硬币从他手中滚了下来。他找不到硬币，一脸愁容回到家。他告诉了妈妈发生的事，她告诉他：“亲爱的杰克，下次你把它们放在口袋里，这样就不会丢了！”

The next day， a milkman offered Jack a job. Jack was offered a jar of milk as wages8 for his work. As told by his mother， he poured9 the milk into his pocket and ran to his mom. His mom found out what had happened after seeing Jacks clothes. She told him， “Jack， you should have carried the milk jar on your head. Dont worry. But be careful next time！”

第二天，一个送奶工给了杰克一份工作。杰克得到一罐牛奶作为工资。按妈妈之前告诉他的那样，他把牛奶倒进了口袋，然后跑去找妈妈。妈妈看到杰克的衣服后发现了事情的真相。她告诉他：“杰克，你应该把牛奶罐顶在头上。别担心，但下次要小心点！”

Next time also Jack worked for the milkman and he went to the milkmans farm early in the morning. The work got finished before the noon and Jack was paid a piece of cheese10 for his work. Jack was happy and as told by his mother， he carried the cheese on his head. Since it was a sunny day and very hot in the noon， the cheese melted11 away.

下一次，杰克还为送奶工工作，他一大早就去了送奶工的农场。工作在中午前完成了，杰克得到了一块奶酪作为他工作的报酬。杰克很高兴，按妈妈告诉他的那样，他把奶酪顶在头上。因为那是一个大晴天，中午又很热，奶酪都融化了。

Jack told his mom that the cheese melted. His mother told that he should have carried the cheese in his hands and asked him to do it right next time.

杰克告诉妈妈奶酪都融化了。妈妈告诉他应该把奶酪拿在手上，让他下次要做对。

Jack went to nearby town for work and came back home after a week. For his hard work， he got a dog as a gift and he carried the dog in his hands on his way home.

杰克去附近的城镇工作，一周后回家。由于他努力工作，他得到了一只狗作为礼物，回家路上他把狗拿在手上。

A young girl around 8 years of age who saw Jack carrying a dog in his hands started to laugh and she laughed for long time. Her dad， who was the richest person in the town， was so happy. He thanked Jack as he made his daughter laugh after 5 years.

一個8岁左右的小女孩看到杰克手里拿着一条狗，不由大笑起来，笑了很久。她父亲是镇上最富有的人，感到非常高兴。他很感谢杰克，因为他让他女儿五年来第一次笑。

Jack realized12 his mistakes13 and foolishness14 he done then and before. But at the same time his foolishness made that rich mans daughter laugh. He took the rich man and his daughter to his home. The rich man offered them work and room in his house. After that， he tried to do everything right without any mistakes and foolishness and they lived happily ever after！

杰克意识到他刚才和过去犯了很多错，做了很多蠢事。但同时，他的愚蠢也让那个有钱人的女儿笑了。他把富人和他的女儿请回家做客。这个有钱人在自己的房子里给他们提供了工作和房间。从那以后，他试着把每件事都做好，没有犯任何错误，或做蠢事，从此他们过着幸福的生活！

（英语原文选自：kidsworldfun.com）

游余 选译

1. servant maid女仆

2. irritated [           ] adj. 恼怒的，生气的

3. fever [       ] n. 发烧，发热

4. poverty [] n. 贫困;困难

5. promise [] vt. 允诺，许诺

6. offer [] vt. 提供

7. roll [    ] v. 滚动;翻身;（眼睛）转动;在原地打滚

8. wage [       ] n. 工资;报酬

9. pour [     ] v. 灌，倒;倾泻

10. cheese [] n. [食品]奶酪;干酪

11. melt [] vi. 熔化，溶解

12. realize [          ] vt. 实现;认识到;了解

13. mistake [          ] n. 错误;误会;过失

14. foolishness [           ] n. 愚蠢;可笑