Tom Sawyer Paints The Fence
汤姆·索亚粉刷栅栏
Jenny wanted to encourage students to read more famous books,
珍妮想鼓励同学们看更多的名著，
and so she decieded to include in the school newspaper this funny story from a book called The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.
所以她决定在校报上刊登这则有趣的故事，节选自马克·吐温的《汤姆·索亚历险记》。
Saturday morning came, and everything was bright and fresh.
星期六的早上，一切都是明亮而新鲜的。
Every boy in town was happy, except Tom Sawyer.
除了汤姆·索亚，镇上的男孩们都很高兴。
Tom stood on the sidewalk with a bucket of white paint and a brush with a long handle.
汤姆站在便道上，拎着一桶白油漆和一把长柄刷子。
He looked at the fence that his aunt had told him to paint and felt very depressed.
他看着姑妈吩咐他刷的栅栏，感到十分沮丧。
It was thirty yards long, and three yards high!
它足有三十码长，三码高！
He dipped his brush in the paint and painted a corner of the fence.
他在油漆里蘸了蘸刷子，刷了栅栏的一角。
Then he stood back and looked at it. The section he had painted was so small, and the unpainted section was so huge!
然后他站回去看着它。只刷了一点儿，还有很大部分没刷呢！
He sat down under a tree to have a rest.
他坐在树下休息。
He began to think of the games which he had planned for the day.
他开始琢磨本来打算白天玩的游戏。
Soon the boys who were free would come along and make fun of him.
很快那些空闲的男孩子们就要过来取笑他了。
But just then, he had a wonderful idea. He picked up his brush and went back to work.
不过就在这时，他有了一个绝妙的主意。他捡起刷子重新回去工作。
Ben Rogers came along the road, singing happily and carrying an apple.
本·罗杰斯从路上过来了，他欢快地唱着歌，还拿着一个苹果。
He stopped and looked at Tom. Tom went on painting and ignored Ben.
他停下来看着汤姆。汤姆继续刷栅栏没理睬本。
'I'm going swimming,' said Ben. 'Do you want to go swimming, Tom? But I guess you can't. You have to stay and work, don't you?'
“我要去游泳，”本说。“汤姆，你愿意去游泳吗？不过我猜你去不了。你得待在这儿干活，是不是？”
Tom went on painting.
汤姆继续刷。
'Work?' he said.
“干活？”他说。
'This isn't work. I'm enjoying myself.
“这不是干活。我是在享受乐趣。
Does a boy get a chance to paint a fence like this every day?'
哪个男孩能天天得到刷栅栏的机会呢？”
Ben thought about this. Tom went on painting, carefully.
本想着这件事。汤姆继续刷，非常认真。
Sometimes he stopped and stood back to look at the fence, and then added a bit more paint in just the right place.
有时他停下来，站回去看看栅栏，然后在适当的地方多加些油漆。
Ben was watching every move.He was getting more and more interested.
本观察每个动作。他越来越感兴趣。
After a while, he said, 'Tom, will you let me do some painting?'
过了一会儿，他说：“汤姆，能不能让我刷刷？”
Tom thought about it, but said, 'No, Ben, I can't.
汤姆想了想，说：“不行，本，我不能。
You see, Aunt Polly wants it to be done properly. I'm the only one who can do it right.'
你知道，波丽姑妈想让它顺利刷完。我是唯一可以把这件事做好的人。”
'Oh, please, Tom,' begged Ben. 'I can do it.
“哦，请让我来吧，汤姆，”本央求汤姆。“我可以做好的。
I'll be really careful. Just let me try. I'll give you half of my apple. I'll give you all of it!'
我真的会很小心的。就让我试试吧。我给你半个苹果。我把一整个苹果都给你！”
'Well, all right, Ben,' said Tom. 'But you must be careful.'
“呃，那好吧，本，”汤姆说。“不过你一定要仔细刷。”
He gave Ben his brush with worry on his face but joy in his heart.
他把刷子递给本，脸上不情愿可是心里乐开了花。
He sat down again under the tree, and started to eat the apple that Ben had given him.
他重新坐在树下，开始吃本给他的苹果。
All day, boys came to make fun, but they stayed to paint.
一整天，男孩们本来都是过来取笑他的，最后却都呆着刷油漆了。
When Ben got tired, Billy Fisher was waiting. He gave Tom a kite for a chance to paint.
本累了，比利·费希尔在等着。为了能有刷栅栏的机会，他把风筝给了汤姆。
Then Johnny Miller offered him twelve marbles, and so on.
然后约翰尼·米勒给了他12个弹球，等等。
By the afternoon Tom had gained all sorts of toys, and the fence had gained three coats of paint.
到了下午晚些时候，汤姆已经得到了各种各样的玩具，而且栅栏被粉刷了三回。
Later Aunt Polly came to look at Tom's work.
稍后波丽姑妈来检查汤姆的工作。
She was so pleased when she saw the painted fence that she gave Tom a large cake!
看到刷好的栅栏她非常高兴，给了汤姆一块大蛋糕！
