George's mother was very poor. Instead of having bright,blazing fires in winter,
乔治的妈妈非常贫穷，冬天里见不到明亮、闪烁的炉火，家里没有木柴生火取暖，
she had nothing to burn but dry sticks, which George picked up from under the trees and hedges.
她只能利用乔治从树下或篱笆边拣来的干树枝取暖。
One fine day in July, she sent George to the woods, which were about two miles from the village in which she lived.
七月的一天，她让乔治到森林中去拣木头，那个地方离他们住的村子大概两英里远。
Hewas to stay there all day, to get as much wood as he could collect.
乔治在森林里逛了一整天，以尽量多收集一点能用的木头。
It was a bright, sunny day, and George worked very hard;
这是一个洒满阳光的日子，乔治很辛苦地拣拾着木头。
so that by the time the sun was high, he was hot, and wished for a cool place where he might rest and eat his dinner.
等到太阳高高在上时，他已经非常热了，希望能找个凉快的地方吃点东西，好好休息一下。
While he hunted about the bank he saw among the mosssome fine, wild strawberries, which were a bright scarlet with ripeness.
他一路搜寻到岸边，在苔藓丛中发现了一些外形诱人的野生草莓，散发着明亮的猩红色，一副圆圆的熟透了的样子。
"How good these will be with my bread and butter!"thought George;
“用这些草莓来充当我的面包和奶油，多好呀！”乔治心里这样想着。
and lining his little cap with leaves, he set to work eagerly to gather all he could find, and then seated himself by the brook.
他将树叶铺在自己的小帽子里，开始迫不及待地去摘那些刚刚发现的草莓，随后，他就在小溪边坐下来。
It was a pleasant place, and George felt happy and contented.
这是一个很舒适的地方，乔治既高兴又满足。
He thought how much his mother would like to see him there, and to be there herself, instead of in her dark, close room in the village.
他心想，要是妈妈看到自己坐在这里该多么高兴，她该多么想到这里来坐坐呀，而不是整天待在村中那个黑暗、封闭的小屋里。
George thought of all this, and just as he was lifting the first strawberry to his mouth,
乔治一边想着，一边拿起一个草莓准备放入口中，
he said to himself, "How much mother would like these;"
就在这时，他自言自语地说：“妈妈该多么喜欢这些草莓呀。”
and he stopped, and put thest rawberry back again.
接着，他的手停下来，又把草莓放回原处。
"Shall I save them for her?" said he, thinking how muchthey would refresh her, yet still looking at them with a longing eye.
“我应该把草莓留给她吗？”他说，心里一边想着这些草莓能给妈妈补充多少营养，一边又带着渴望的眼神看着它们。
