兔子医生接到一个电话

张恒

Doctor Rabbit lived in the very biggest tree in the Big Green Woods. He looked after all the other rabbits when they were ill and he doctored quite a number of the other little creatures of the Big Woods too， when they did not feel well. He was so jolly and cheerful， always trying so hard to help others， that he had a great many friends.

兔子醫生住在绿色大森林里最大的那颗树上。当其它兔子生病时，它照看它们；它也给大森林里许多其他生病的小动物治病。它快乐开朗，总是努力帮助别人，所以有很多朋友。

Doctor Rabbit said when he came to live in the Big Green Woods he didnt have the least idea that he would have so many adventures. “But then，” he said one day as he curled his mustache， “its a good thing I have so many adventures. They make me take plenty of exercise， and thats fine for my constitution1.” What he meant by this was that exercise kept him in good health.

兔子医生说，当它来到绿色大森林里生活时，它完全不知道会有这么多冒险的事。“但是，”有一天它卷起胡子说：“幸亏我有那么多冒险经历，才能多做运动，这有利于提高我的体质。”它这么说的意思是运动使它保持健康。

Doctor Rabbit looked after some of the other creatures when they were ill. But there were some he did not dare go near. For instance， there was Ki-yi Coyote2， who lived out on the Wide Prairie3 just outside the Big Green Woods. No， Doctor Rabbit never went near Ki-yi Coyote. And if old Ki-yi had been ill and if all his relatives had been so ill they never again would be able to get out of bed， Doctor Rabbit would not have cared at all. No indeed， he would have been glad of it， because Ki-yi Coyote and all his relatives， who lived far away， were ready any time to gobble4 up Doctor Rabbit.

兔子医生在其他动物生病时会照顾它们，但有一些它不敢靠近。比如，有一只叫凯伊的土狼，它就住在绿色大森林外的大草原上。不，兔子医生从来没有接近过土狼凯伊。如果老凯伊生病了，如果它所有的亲戚都病得如此厉害，以至于再也无法起床，兔子医生也根本不会在乎的。不会的，它会很高兴，因为土狼凯伊和它所有住在远方的亲戚随时准备吞掉兔子医生。

In one fine morning in spring Doctor Rabbit began to have trouble with Ki-yi. On this morning Doctor Rabbit arose from his bed very early and prepared a fine breakfast for himself. He cooked some nice new potatoes and green peas he had found in Farmer Roes garden. After he had eaten his breakfast he had to wash the dishes because there wasnt anybody else to do it. Then he put on his second best pair of glasses and went out in his front yard to get some fresh air and see if his neighbor， Blue Jay， was up.

在一个晴朗春天的早晨，兔子医生惹上了凯伊。这天早上，兔子医生很早就起床，并为自己准备了一顿丰盛的早餐。它煮了一些从农夫罗伊的花园里找来的漂亮的新鲜土豆和青豆。吃完早饭后它只好自己洗碗，因为没有别人来洗。然后它戴上第二好的那副眼镜，走到前院去呼吸新鲜空气，看看邻居蓝松鸡是否起床了。

There was a very good reason why he wanted to know whether Blue Jay was up. Just now Doctor Rabbit was greatly troubled. Now， what do you suppose he was troubled about？ Word had been brought the night before that Billy Rabbit， the small son of Jack and Mrs. Jack Rabbit， who lived far out on the Wide Prairie， was ill. Blue Jay had come flying in to tell the news. He said Mrs. Jack Rabbit told him if Billy was not better by morning Doctor Rabbit would simply have to cross the Wide Prairie even if it was dangerous.

它想知道藍松鸡是不是起来了是有充分理由的。刚才兔子医生非常烦恼。你认为它有什么烦恼？就在前一天晚上，它听说住在遥远大草原上的兔子杰克和杰克太太的小儿子兔子比利病了。蓝松鸡飞过来告诉它这个消息，它说兔子杰克夫人告诉它，如果比利早上没有好转，兔子医生就得穿过大草原，即使这样很危险。

Now Doctor Rabbit was a cottontail rabbit， so of course he couldnt run faster than any other cottontail. So Doctor Rabbit was greatly troubled this morning. He could not sit still， but kept walking slowly round and round in his front yard. As he walked round and round he said to himself， “Ive never been so far out on the open Wide Prairie as Jack Rabbits. Suppose I should go away out there to see little sick Billy and Ki-yi Coyote should get after me！Goodness gracious！He would be almost sure to catch me.” Doctor Rabbit trembled a little and looked all around even though he was right in his own dooryard. He very much hoped he would not be called to go so far out on the Wide Prairie.

兔子医生是只棉尾兔，所以它当然不可能跑得比其他的棉尾兔快。所以兔子医生今天早上非常烦恼。它没法安静坐下来，而是在前院里慢慢地走来走去。它一边走来走去，一边自言自语道：“我从来没去过像广阔大草原那么远的兔子杰克家。我该出去看看生病的小比利，但是土狼凯伊会追上我！天哪！它一定会抓住我。”兔子医生颤抖了一下，尽管就在自己家门口，它还是环顾了一下四周。它非常不希望被叫到广阔的草原上。

But what he feared happened. Very soon Jack Rabbit came running fast， and flying right along with him came Blue Jay. Busy Blue Jay generally knows everything that is happening.

但它担心的事情发生了。不久，兔子杰克飞快跑来，和它一起飞来的是蓝松鸡。忙碌的蓝松鸡通常知道所有正在发生的事。

Jack Rabbit walked straight up to Doctor Rabbit and， bowing politely， said， “Im so glad I found you at home， Doctor. My son Billy is no better. In fact， he is much worse， and we are troubled about him. Cant you run over and see him right now？”

兔子杰克径直走向兔子医生，彬彬有礼地鞠躬说道：“我很高兴在您家里找到您，医生。我儿子比利没有好转。事实上，它的情况变得更糟了，我们很担心它。你现在不能跑过去给它看病吗？”

For a moment Doctor Rabbit did not know what to say. He feared Ki-yi Coyote， but at the same time he hated to think of Billy Rabbits being so ill with no one there to make him well. He thought and thought. Finally he said： “Of course， Friend Jack Rabbit， I shall try to get over to see your son. But as you know， its very dangerous for me because I cant run more than half as fast as you can. Now what could we do if old Ki-yi Coyote should happen to get after us？”

兔子医生有一会儿不知道该说什么。它害怕土狼凯伊，但同时一想到兔子比利病得这么厉害，没有一个人能治好它，就觉得难受。它想了又想，终于说道：“当然可以，朋友兔子杰克，我会设法去给你儿子看病的。但是你知道，这对我来说非常危险，因为我跑得不及你一半快。如果老土狼凯伊碰巧追上我们，我们该怎么办？”

Friend Jack Rabbit scratched his head and said he hadnt thought about that. It was a very serious matter， too. For suppose Ki-yi Coyote should gobble up good Doctor Rabbit！Then what would the woods creatures do？ They must certainly plan some means of going in safety.