节约的鸟

　　One day in spring four men were riding on horseback along a country road. These men were lawyers, and they were going to the next town to attend court.

　　在一个春天，四个人骑着马走在乡村小路上。这些人是律师，他们去到下一个镇子参加诉讼。

　　There had been a rain, and the ground was very soft. Water was dripping from the trees, and the grass was wet.

　　有雨，和地面很软。水从树上滴下来，而草地是湿的。

　　The four lawyers rode along, one behind another; for the pathway was narrow, and the mud on each side of it was deep. They rode slowly, and talked and laughed and were very jolly.

　　四律师骑着马，一个接一个的途径;是狭隘的，在每一边的泥很深。他们骑得很慢，而且很开心地说着笑着。

　　As they were passing through a grove of small trees, they heard a great flutterin(振抖) over their heads and a feeble chirping in the grass by the roadside.

　　当他们穿过一片小树林，他们听到一个巨大的flutterin(振抖)在他们的头上，一个微弱的鸣叫在路边的草地。

　　"Stith! stith! stith!" came from the leafy branches above them.

　　“史提斯!斯蒂斯!斯蒂斯!来自上方的树枝。

　　"Cheep! cheep! cheep!" came from the wet grass.

　　“吱吱!廉价的!吱吱!来自潮湿的草地。

　　"What is the matter here?" asked the first lawyer, whose name was Speed. "Oh, it's only some old robins!" said the second lawyer, whose name was Hardin. "The storm has blown two of the little ones out of the nest. They are too young to fly, and the mother bird is making a great fuss about it."

　　“这里发生了什么事?第一个律师问道，他的名字是速度。哦，这只是一些旧的罗宾斯!第二律师说，他的名字是哈丁。风暴已经吹两个小孩子出巢。他们太年轻，飞，和母鸟正在对此大惊小怪。

　　"What a pity! They'll die down there in the grass," said the third lawyer, whose name I forget.

　　“真可惜!他们会在草丛中死去，第三个律师说，他的名字我忘了。

　　"Oh, well! They're nothing but birds," said Mr. Hardin. "Why should we bother?"

　　“哦，好的!他们只是鸟，哈丁先生说。我们为什么要担心呢?

　　"Yes, why should we?" said Mr. Speed.

　　“是的，我们为什么要这样做呢?先生说，速度。

　　The three men, as they passed, looked down and saw the little birds fluttering in the cold, wet grass. They saw the mother robin flying about, and crying to her mate.

　　三名男子，他们经过的时候，看见小鸟在冰冷潮湿的草丛中飞舞。他们看到母亲知更鸟飞，向她的伴侣哭诉。

　　Then they rode on, talking and laughing as before. In a few minutes they had forgotten about the birds.

　　然后他们骑上，有说有笑之前。几分钟后，他们已经忘记了的鸟。

　　But the fourth lawyer, whose name was Abraham Lincoln, stopped. He got down from his horse and very gently took the little ones up in his big warm hands.

　　但第四的律师，他的名字是亚伯拉罕林肯，停止。他从马上下来，轻轻地把小的在他温暖的大手。

　　They did not seem frightened, but chirped softly, as if they knew they were safe.

　　他们似乎并不害怕，但轻声地鸣叫，仿佛他们知道他们是安全的。

　　"Never mind, my little fellows," said Mr. Lincoln "I will put you in your own cozy little bed."

　　“没关系，我的小家伙，林肯说“我会把你放在自己舒适的小床上。

　　Then he looked up to find the nest from which they had fallen. It was high, much higher than he could reach.

　　然后他抬头一看，发现她们原来所在的巢。这是比他高，能达到更高。

　　But Mr. Lincoln could climb. He had climbed many a tree when he was a boy. He put the birds softly, one by one, into their warm little home. Two other baby birds were there, that had not fallen out. All cuddled down together and were very happy.

　　但林肯先生爬。他爬上一棵树，许多小时候。他把小鸟轻轻地，一个接一个，为自己的温暖的小家。另外两个小宝宝鸟在那里，没有掉出来了。所有在一起很快乐。

　　Soon the three lawyers who had ridden ahead stopped at a spring to give their horses water.

　　很快，三个骑在前面的律师停在一个春天给他们的马水。

　　"Where is Lincoln?" asked one.

　　林肯在哪里一个问。

　　All were surprised to find that he was not with them.

　　我惊讶地发现他不在那里。

　　"Do you remember those birds?" said Mr. Speed. "Very likely he has stopped to take care of them."

　　“你还记得那些鸟吗?先生说的速度。很可能他已经停止照顾他们。

　　In a few minutes Mr. Lincoln joined them. His shoes were covered with mud; he had torn his coat on the thorny tree.

　　几分钟后，林肯先生加入他们。他的鞋上满是泥;他把他的外套在多刺的树。

　　"Hello, Abraham!" said Mr. Hardin. "Where have you been?"

　　您好!亚伯拉罕。哈丁先生说。你去哪儿了。

　　"I stopped a minute to give those birds to their mother," he answered.

　　“我停了一会儿，给那些鸟妈妈，他回答。

　　"Well, we always thought you were a hero," said Mr. Speed. "Now we know it."

　　“嗯，我们一直认为你是个英雄，先生说：速度。现在我们知道了它。

　　Then all three of them laughed heartily. They thought it so foolish that a strong man should take so much trouble just for some worthless young birds.

　　然后，他们三个都开怀大笑。他们认为这很愚蠢，一个坚强的人应该采取了这么多的麻烦只是一些无用的小鸟。

　　"Gentlemen," said Mr. Lincoln, "I could not have slept to-night, if I had left those helpless little robins to perish in the wet grass."

　　“先生们，林肯说，“我不可能睡得晚，如果我把那些无助的小罗宾斯死在湿草。

　　Abraham Lincoln afterwards became very famous as a lawyer and statesman. He was elected president. Next to Washington he was the greatest American.

　　亚伯拉罕林肯后来成为有名的律师和政治家。他被选为总统。在华盛顿他是美国最伟大的。