THE Velveteen Rabbit.docx
- 文档编号:10047611
- 上传时间:2023-02-08
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:15
- 大小:460.79KB
THE Velveteen Rabbit.docx
《THE Velveteen Rabbit.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《THE Velveteen Rabbit.docx(15页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
THEVelveteenRabbit
THE
VelveteenRabbit
OR
HOWTOYSBECOMEREAL
byMargeryWilliams
IllustrationsbyWilliamNicholson
DOUBLEDAY&COMPANY,INC.
GardenCity NewYork
ToFrancescoBianco
from
TheVelveteenRabbit
ListofIllustrations
ChristmasMorning
TheSkinHorseTellsHisStory
SpringTime
SummerDays
AnxiousTimes
TheFairyFlower
AtLast!
AtLast!
HEREwasonceavelveteenrabbit,andinthebeginninghewasreallysplendid.Hewasfatandbunchy,asarabbitshouldbe;hiscoatwasspottedbrownandwhite,hehadrealthreadwhiskers,andhisearswerelinedwithpinksateen.OnChristmasmorning,whenhesatwedgedinthetopoftheBoy'sstocking,withasprigofhollybetweenhispaws,theeffectwascharming.
Therewereotherthingsinthestocking,nutsandorangesandatoyengine,andchocolatealmondsandaclockworkmouse,buttheRabbitwasquitethebestofall.ForatleasttwohourstheBoylovedhim,andthenAuntsandUnclescametodinner,andtherewasagreatrustlingoftissuepaperandunwrappingofparcels,andintheexcitementoflookingatallthenewpresentstheVelveteenRabbitwasforgotten.
ChristmasMorning
Foralongtimehelivedinthetoycupboardoronthenurseryfloor,andnoonethoughtverymuchabouthim.Hewasnaturallyshy,andbeingonlymadeofvelveteen,someofthemoreexpensivetoysquitesnubbedhim.Themechanicaltoyswereverysuperior,andlookeddownuponeveryoneelse;theywerefullofmodernideas,andpretendedtheywerereal.Themodelboat,whohadlivedthroughtwoseasonsandlostmostofhispaint,caughtthetonefromthemandnevermissedanopportunityofreferringtohisriggingintechnicalterms.TheRabbitcouldnotclaimtobeamodelofanything,forhedidn'tknowthatrealrabbitsexisted;hethoughttheywereallstuffedwithsawdustlikehimself,andheunderstoodthatsawdustwasquiteout-of-dateandshouldneverbementionedinmoderncircles.EvenTimothy,thejointedwoodenlion,whowasmadebythedisabledsoldiers,andshouldhavehadbroaderviews,putonairsandpretendedhewasconnectedwithGovernment.BetweenthemallthepoorlittleRabbitwasmadetofeelhimselfveryinsignificantandcommonplace,andtheonlypersonwhowaskindtohimatallwastheSkinHorse.
TheSkinHorsehadlivedlongerinthenurserythananyoftheothers.Hewassooldthathisbrowncoatwasbaldinpatchesandshowedtheseamsunderneath,andmostofthehairsinhistailhadbeenpulledouttostringbeadnecklaces.Hewaswise,forhehadseenalongsuccessionofmechanicaltoysarrivetoboastandswagger,andby-and-bybreaktheirmainspringsandpassaway,andheknewthattheywereonlytoys,andwouldneverturnintoanythingelse.Fornurserymagicisverystrangeandwonderful,andonlythoseplaythingsthatareoldandwiseandexperiencedliketheSkinHorseunderstandallaboutit.
"WhatisREAL?
"askedtheRabbitoneday,whentheywerelyingsidebysidenearthenurseryfender,beforeNanacametotidytheroom."Doesitmeanhavingthingsthatbuzzinsideyouandastick-outhandle?
"
"Realisn'thowyouaremade,"saidtheSkinHorse."It'sathingthathappenstoyou.Whenachildlovesyouforalong,longtime,notjusttoplaywith,butREALLYlovesyou,thenyoubecomeReal."
"Doesithurt?
"askedtheRabbit.
"Sometimes,"saidtheSkinHorse,forhewasalwaystruthful."WhenyouareRealyoudon'tmindbeinghurt."
"Doesithappenallatonce,likebeingwoundup,"heasked,"orbitbybit?
"
"Itdoesn'thappenallatonce,"saidtheSkinHorse."Youbecome.Ittakesalongtime.That'swhyitdoesn'thappenoftentopeoplewhobreakeasily,orhavesharpedges,orwhohavetobecarefullykept.Generally,bythetimeyouareReal,mostofyourhairhasbeenlovedoff,andyoureyesdropoutandyougetlooseinthejointsandveryshabby.Butthesethingsdon'tmatteratall,becauseonceyouareRealyoucan'tbeugly,excepttopeoplewhodon'tunderstand."
"Isupposeyouarereal?
"saidtheRabbit.Andthenhewishedhehadnotsaidit,forhethoughttheSkinHorsemightbesensitive.ButtheSkinHorseonlysmiled.
TheSkinHorseTellsHisStory
"TheBoy'sUnclemademeReal,"hesaid."Thatwasagreatmanyyearsago;butonceyouareRealyoucan'tbecomeunrealagain.Itlastsforalways."
TheRabbitsighed.HethoughtitwouldbealongtimebeforethismagiccalledRealhappenedtohim.HelongedtobecomeReal,toknowwhatitfeltlike;andyettheideaofgrowingshabbyandlosinghiseyesandwhiskerswasrathersad.Hewishedthathecouldbecomeitwithouttheseuncomfortablethingshappeningtohim.
TherewasapersoncalledNanawhoruledthenursery.Sometimesshetooknonoticeoftheplaythingslyingabout,andsometimes,fornoreasonwhatever,shewentswoopingaboutlikeagreatwindandhustledthemawayincupboards.Shecalledthis"tidyingup,"andtheplaythingsallhatedit,especiallythetinones.TheRabbitdidn'tminditsomuch,forwhereverhewasthrownhecamedownsoft.
Oneevening,whentheBoywasgoingtobed,hecouldn'tfindthechinadogthatalwayssleptwithhim.Nanawasinahurry,anditwastoomuchtroubletohuntforchinadogsatbedtime,soshesimplylookedabouther,andseeingthatthetoycupboarddoorstoodopen,shemadeaswoop.
"Here,"shesaid,"takeyouroldBunny!
He'lldotosleepwithyou!
"AndshedraggedtheRabbitoutbyoneear,andputhimintotheBoy'sarms.
Thatnight,andformanynightsafter,theVelveteenRabbitsleptintheBoy'sbed.Atfirsthefounditratheruncomfortable,fortheBoyhuggedhimverytight,andsometimesherolledoveronhim,andsometimeshepushedhimsofarunderthepillowthattheRabbitcouldscarcelybreathe.Andhemissed,too,thoselongmoonlighthoursinthenursery,whenallthehousewassilent,andhistalkswiththeSkinHorse.Butverysoonhegrewtolikeit,fortheBoyusedtotalktohim,andmadenicetunnelsforhimunderthebedclothesthathesaidwereliketheburrowstherealrabbitslivedin.Andtheyhadsplendidgamestogether,inwhispers,whenNanahadgoneawaytohersupperandleftthenight-lightburningonthemantelpiece.AndwhentheBoydroppedofftosleep,theRabbitwouldsnuggledowncloseunderhislittlewarmchinanddream,withtheBoy'shandsclaspedcloseroundhimallnightlong.
Andsotimewenton,andthelittleRabbitwasveryhappy–sohappythathenevernoticedhowhisbeautifulvelveteenfurwasgettingshabbierandshabbier,andhistailbecomingunsewn,andallthepinkrubbedoffhisnosewheretheBoyhadkissedhim.
Springcame,andtheyhadlongdaysinthegarden,forwherevertheBoywenttheRabbitwenttoo.Hehadridesinthewheelbarrow,andpicnicsonthegrass,andlovelyfairyhutsbuiltforhimundertheraspberrycanesbehindtheflowerborder.Andonce,whentheBoywascalledawaysuddenlytogoouttotea,theRabbitwasleftoutonthelawnuntillongafterdusk,andNanahadtocomeandlookforhimwiththecandlebecausetheBoycouldn'tgotosleepunlesshewasthere.HewaswetthroughwiththedewandquiteearthyfromdivingintotheburrowstheBoyhadmadeforhimintheflowerbed,andNanagrumbledassherubbedhimoffwithacornerofherapron.
SpringTime
"YoumusthaveyouroldBunny!
"shesaid."Fancyallthatfussforatoy!
"
TheBoysatupinbedandstretchedouthishands.
"GivememyBunny!
"hesaid."Youmustn'tsaythat.Heisn'tatoy.He'sREAL!
"
WhenthelittleRabbitheardthathewashappy,forheknewthatwhattheSkinHorsehadsaidwastrueatlast.Thenurserymagichadhappenedtohim,andhewasatoynolonger.HewasReal.TheBoyhimselfhadsaidit.
Thatnighthewasalmosttoohappytosleep,andsomuchlovestirredinhislittlesawdustheartthatitalmostburst.Andintohisboot-buttoneyes,thathadlongagolosttheirpolish,therecamealookofwisdomandbeauty,sothatevenNananoticeditnextmorningwhenshepickedhimup,andsaid,"IdeclareifthatoldBunnyhasn'tgotquiteaknowingexpression!
"
ThatwasawonderfulSummer!
Nearthehousewheretheylivedtherewasawood,andinthelongJuneeveningstheBoylikedtogothereafterteatoplay.HetooktheVelveteenRabbitwithhim,andbeforehewanderedofftopickflowers,orplayatbrigandsamongthetrees,healwaysmadetheRabbitalittlenestsomewhereamongthebracken,wherehewouldbequitecosy,forhewasakind-heartedlittleboyandhelikedBunnytobecomfortable.Oneevening,whiletheRabbitwaslyingtherealone,watchingtheantsthatrantoandfrobetweenhisvelvetpawsinthegrass,hesawtwostrangebeingscreepoutofthetallbrackennearhim.
Theywererabbitslikehimself,butquitefurryandbrand-new.Theymusthavebeenverywellmade,fortheirseamsdidn'tshowatall,andtheychangedshapeinaqueerwaywhentheymoved;oneminutetheywerelongandthinandthenextminutefatandbunchy,insteadofalwaysstayingthesamelikehedid.Theirfeetpaddedsoftlyontheground,andtheycreptquiteclosetohim,twitchingtheirnoses,whiletheRabbitstaredhardtoseewhichsidetheclockworkstuckout,forheknewthatpeoplewhojumpgenerallyhavesomethingtowindthemup.Buthecouldn'tseeit.Theywereevidentlyanewkindofrabbitaltogether.
SummerDays
Theystaredathim,andthelittleRabbitstaredback.Andallthetimetheirnosestwitched.
"Whydon'tyougetupandplaywithus?
"oneofthemasked.
"Idon'tfeellikeit,"saidtheRabbit,forhedidn'twanttoexplainthathehadnoclockwork.
"Ho!
"saidthefurryrabbit."It'saseasyasanything,"Andhegaveabighopsidewaysandstoodonhishindlegs.
"Idon'tb
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- THE Velveteen Rabbit