6 Toad' s adventures 
　  
　　For weeks Toad refused to eat. He lay on the floor of his prison and cried and cried. ' This is the end of every-thing, ' he said miserably, ' I shall never again be a popular and good-looking Toad, a rich and important Toad, a free and happy Toad. All my friends will forget even the name of Toad! ' 
　　But the keeper of the prison had a daughter, and she had a very kind heart. She often came to visit Toad, bringing him nice things to eat, and hot drinks. She asked him questions about his home and his old life, and because Toad loved to talk about himself, it wasn' t long before he began to sit up and answer her questions. He also realized how hungry he was, and so he ate and drank the things that she brought. And after a few days of this kindness, Toad was as loud and boastful as he had always been.  
　　One morning the girl seemed very serious. ' Listen, Toad, 'she said, ' I have an aunt who is a washerwoman. ' 
　　' You mustn' t worry about it, ' said the Toad kindly. ' I have several aunts who ought to be washerwomen. ' 
　　' Don' t talk so much, Toad, ' said the girl. 'Now listen, I think I have a plan. ' And here she whispered in the Toad' s ear.  
　　' What? ' cried Toad. ' Me—dress as an old washer woman? Impossible! ' 
　　'All right then, ' said the girl crossly. ' You can stay in prison for the next twenty years, you ungrateful animal! ' 
　　'No, no, 'said Toad quickly. 'You are a good , kind, clever girl, and I am just a stupid toad. I shall be very happy indeed to meet your excellent aunt. ' 
　　The next evening a little business was done in the Toad's prison. Several gold coins left the Toad's pocket and disappeared into the washerwoman's purse. Soon afterwards Toad began to climb up the stairs towards the castle entrance. He was wearing an old cotton dress and a black bonnet, and carrying a large basket of washing. And his heart was beating very fast indeed.  
　　He passed the guards, who called out a friendly 'good night' to him, and soon Toad was walking through the streets of the town. He was free! Wild with excitement, he found his way to the railway station—and then came the first problem. He had no money to buy a ticket. His wallet, his keys, his watch-everything was in the pockets of his coat, lying on the prison floor.  
　　He had to get away from this town as quickly as he could. But how could he do it? He walked along beside one of the trains until he came to the engine. Then he stood there, crying and looking up at the engine-driver.  
　　'Hey! ' called the driver. 'What's the matter, old lady?' 
　　'Oh, sir! ' said Toad. ' I'm a poor unhappy washerwoman, and I've lost all my money, and I must get home tonight. ' ' Come on, then, ' said the engine-driver kindly. 'Jump up, and you can have a free ride. But don't tell anyone! ' 
　　So far everything was going well for Toad. The train hurried through the night, taking him away from the hateful prison. But Toad's luck didn't last for long.  
　　There came a moment when the engine-driver put his head out of the window and looked back.  
　　'That's strange, ' he said. 'There's a train behind us, coming up very fast. I can see it in the moonlight. I think they're chasing us! I wonder what…' And then the engine-driver gave Toad a long hard look.  
　　So Toad had to tell the true story of his crime and his escape. The engine-driver looked very serious. He thought for a bit, then said, 'I don't like policemen telling me what to do. And I don' t like to see an animal crying. So cheer up, Toad! This is what we' ll do. In a mile or two the train goes through a wood. I'll slow down there, and you'll be able to jump off the train and get away in the dark. ' 
　　Half an hour later both trains had disappeared into the night, and Toad was hiding under some dead leaves in the middle of a strange wood. There, he fell asleep and didn't open his eyes again until early morning. He woke up cold and hungry-but still free!  
　　His next adventure was with a barge on a canal. He had walked out of the wood and found a road, which after a while began to run along the side of a canal. Toad liked the idea of getting a free ride, so when he saw the barge coming along the canal, he quickly jumped from the canal bank on to the end of the barge. Then the barge-woman turned and saw him. Toad was ready with his story.  
　　'I'm a poor unhappy washerwoman, ' he began.  
　　But the barge-woman, Toad quickly discovered, was a most unpleasant person. She came up to Toad and looked hard at his face under his bonnet. ' Washerwoman indeed! You' re a fat lazy little toad, that' s what you are! ' she said rudely. 'Get off my barge! ' And she actually pushed Toad off the barge into the canal.  
　　Toad swam to the bank and climbed out. He was wildly angry. How could he punish this rude and terrible person? Then he saw the horse which was pulling the barge, and an idea came to him.  
　　Two minutes later he was riding the horse across the fields away from the canal. Behind him, the barge-woman was shouting and screaming angrily. Toad rode on, laughing at his own great cleverness.  
　　Later that morning he met a man with a caravan, who was cooking over a fire in a field. Toad sold him the barge-woman's horse for a good price and a hot breakfast. He ate and ate until he was almost too full to move . But he still had a long way to go to get home, so he got up and went on. The sun was shining brightly, his clothes were dry again, and the new coins made a pleasant sound in his pocket. He took off the bonnet, which was too hot, and began to think about all his adventures and escapes.  
　　'Ho, ho! ' he said to himself. 'What a clever Toad I am! How brave! How intelligent! No problem is too difficult for Toad! ' He began to sing a song about himself as he walked along, although there was no one to hear it. It was perhaps the most boastful song that any animal ever sang.  
If there's a need the world to save,  
Then send for Mr Toad!  
There's none so clever, none so brave,  
As famous Mr Toad!  
　　There was a lot more of it, and it got more and more boastful as it went on.  
　　He came to a road and began to walk along it, hoping for an-other free ride. After a time he saw a small cloud of dust coming up the road behind him, and he heard the noise, that beautiful noise, of a motor-car. He stood in the middle of the road and when the car saw him, it began to slow down.  
　　And then a terrible thing happened. Toad recognized the car and the people in it. And what is worse, the people recognized Toad.  
　　'It's the car thief! ' they shouted. 'The criminal who has escaped from prison! Stop him! Catch him! ' 
　　Toad turned and ran. He picked up his skirts and ran faster than he had ever run in his life. But the people from the car were now running after him, shouting and screaming at him to stop. They chased him through a wood, across fields, up a hill, and down into a valley. Once Toad looked back and saw that two policemen had joined the chase. He tried to run even faster, but he was a fat animal and his legs were short, and the people were catching up with him.  
　　On and on he ran. He was now among tall trees, and again he looked behind him. At that moment the land disappeared beneath his feet, and, splash! he found himself in deep water, cold water, fast-moving water. In his terror, he had run straight into a river!  
　　And away the river took him, pushing him along, first on one side, then on the other. The cotton dress tied itself round his legs, trying to pull him under, and Toad had to fight to keep his head above water.  
　　'Oh my! ' cried poor Toad. ' I'll never look at another motorcar for the rest of my life! ' 
　　At last he managed to catch hold of some water plants by the river bank. He held on, too tired to pull himself out of the water. Then he saw something bright in a dark hole in the bank. It moved towards him, and became a face.  
　　Brown and small, with whiskers.  
　　It was the Water Rat! 
　 
6 癞蛤蟆地冒险经历 
　  
　　癞蛤蟆绝食了几星期。他躺在监狱的地板上哭个不停。“一切都完了，”他悲惨地说。“我再也不是受人注目，英俊潇洒的蛤蟆了，我不再富有，不再重要了，不再有自由和幸福了。所有的朋友甚至将忘记蛤蟆这个名字！” 
　　不过监狱的看守有个女儿，她的心肠很好。她时常来看他，带给他好东西吃，热饮料喝。她问起他的家和他过去的生活，因为癞蛤蟆极爱谈论他自己，不久他便开始坐起来回答她的问题。他也感觉到好饿，于是便拿起她的东西又吃又喝。这样受惠了几天后，癞蛤蟆又变得像过去那样好招摇，好吹牛了。 
　　一天早上，女孩非常正经地说：“听着，癞蛤蟆，我有一个姑妈，她是洗衣婆。” 
　　“你不必为此忧虑，”癞蛤蟆友善地说，“我有几个姑妈，她们本应该是洗衣婆。” 
　　“少说点，癞蛤蟆，你听着，我想我有个计划。”然后她对癞蛤蟆耳语了一番。 
　　“什么？”癞蛤蟆叫起来，“我——装扮成老洗衣婆？不可能！” 
　　“那么好吧，”女孩生气地说，“你就在监狱里呆够二十年吧，你这个不知好歹的东西！” 
　　“不，不，”癞蛤蟆赶快说，“你是一个善良聪明的女孩，我只是傻乎乎的癞蛤蟆，我的确应该非常乐意见你那了不起的姑妈。” 
　　第二天晚上，在癞蛤蟆的牢房里进行了一次小小的交易。几个金币离开了癞蛤蟆的口袋落入了洗衣婆的钱包。不久，癞蛤蟆开始向城堡的出口处爬去。他穿一件旧旧的棉外套，戴顶黑色的无边帽，挎着一大篮衣物，他的心跳得飞快。 
　　他经过卫兵时，卫兵还友好地对他道“晚安”，很快他就走在了城镇的街道上。他自由了！他激动得要命，找到去火车站的路——这时第一个问题出现了，他没有钱买票。他的钱包、钥匙、表统统都装在上衣口袋里，而他把上衣扔在了监狱的地板上。 
　　他得尽快离开这个城镇。该怎么办呢？他沿着一辆停靠着的火车向前走，走到了车头。他站在那儿，边哭边看着火车司机。 
　　“嘿！”司机叫道，“你怎么啦！老婆婆？” 
　　“哦，先生！”癞蛤蟆说，“我是可怜的不走运的洗衣婆，我把所有的钱都弄丢了，但我今晚必须回家。” 
　　“那么上来吧，”好心的司机说道，“跳上来，你可以搭个便车，但不要告诉任何人！” 
　　到目前为止，一切都很顺利。火车穿过黑夜向前奔驰，带他远离了这可憎的牢狱。但癞蛤蟆的好运没有维持多久。 
　　有那么一会儿，司机将他的头伸出窗外，向后看了看。 
　　“这很奇怪，”他说，“我们后面有辆火车，开得飞快。我能借着月光看见它，我想他们是在追赶我们！我想知道……”然后司机把不解的眼光盯在癞蛤蟆的脸上。 
　　癞蛤蟆不得不告诉他自己是怎样犯罪的，又是怎样逃出来的。司机看起来很严肃，他略想了一下，然后说：“我不喜欢警察告诉我该怎么做。我也不喜欢看动物哭。振作起来，癞蛤螟！这才是我们该做的。过一、二英里，火车要经过一片树林。到那儿我会把速度放慢，你就可以跳下火车趁天黑逃走。” 
　　半小时后，两辆火车都消失在夜幕里。癞蛤蟆藏在一片陌生树林中的一些落叶下面。他躺在那儿不知不觉就睡着了，直到第二天清晨才睁开眼睛。他又冷又饿——但仍是自由的！ 
　　他的下一个冒险经历是在运河的一条驳船上。他走出树林看见了一条路，这条路延伸到一条运河边，他便沿着运河向前跑着。癞蛤蟆喜欢上了搭便车，因此当他看见一条驳船沿河开来时，他毫不犹豫地从河岸跳到船尾。刚巧船婆转过身看见了他，癞蛤蟆又开始讲他的故事。 
　　“我是个可怜的不走运的洗衣婆，”他开始讲道。 
　　但他很快发现，这个女人是世界上最不友善的人。她走到蛤蟆跟前，死死盯着无边帽下蛤蟆的脸。“好一个洗衣婆！你是一只又肥又懒的小癞蛤蟆，这才是你的真面目！”她粗暴地说着。“滚出我的船！”同时她就真地把癞蛤蟆推入了运河。 
　　癞蛤蟆游到岸边爬了上来。他气得要发疯。怎样才能治治这个粗鲁可恶的老妇人？后来他看见了那只正拉着驳船的马，立刻计上心头。 
　　两分钟后，他骑在马上穿过田野离开了运河。船婆在他身后气愤地又喊又叫。癞蛤蟆骑着向前，为他自己伟大的聪明之举开怀大笑。 
　　那天早上，他还遇见了一位驾大篷车的人，他正在野地火堆上烧东西吃。癞蛤蟆开了一个好价把老妇人的马卖给他并享受了一顿热乎乎的早餐。他吃呀吃呀直到撑得几乎不能动。但他想到仍有很长的路要赶，便站起来又出发了。太阳明晃晃地照着，他的衣服又干了，新得的硬币在他口袋里发出令人愉悦的声音。他觉得太热便摘下了帽子，开始回顾着他所有冒险和逃跑的经历。 
　　“嚯，嚯”他自言自语道：“我是多么聪明的蛤蟆！多么勇敢！多么机智！没有什么事能难倒我蛤蟆！”尽管没有谁能听到，他还是边走边唱着赞美自己的歌。这也许是所有动物曾唱过的最最自夸的歌： 
　　如果世界需要人拯救， 
　　那么去找蛤蟆先生！ 
　　没有谁如此聪明，如此勇敢， 
　　像著名的蛤蟆先生！ 
　　还有许多诸如此类的歌词，反正是吹得越来越离谱。 
　　他上了公路并沿着路向前走，希望再次搭个便车。过不多久，他看见身后有一团尘雾卷来，而且还听到了那种声音，那种美妙的引擎之声。他站在公路中间，司机看见他便开始减速。 
　　然后一件可怕的事发生了。癞蛤蟆认出了汽车和车里的人。更糟糕的是，这些人也认出了他。 
　　“那是汽车盗贼！”他们叫道，“是刚从监狱里逃出来的犯人！截住他！抓住他！” 
　　癞蛤蟆转身就跑。他提着裙摆以他一生中最快的速度向前跑。但是车上的人穷追不舍，在他身后喊着叫着喝令他站住。他们追着他跑过树林，穿过田野，越过山峦，又追进了山谷。有次癞蛤蟆回头瞥了一眼，看见又有两名警察加入这次追捕。他想跑得更快些，但是可怜他身材矮胖双腿短小，根本无法甩开他们 。 
　　他跑呀跑，跑进一片高高的树林里，他又回头看了看。一瞬间他感到双脚悬空，紧接着，啪地一声，他发现自己已在深水里，冰冷、湍急的水里。惊恐中，他直接跑进了一条河里！ 
　　河水带着他向前流，一会儿把他推到这边，一会儿又推到那边。棉布外套裹住了他的腿，将他向下拽，他不得不挣扎着让头浮在水面上。 
　　“哎呀！”可怜的癞蛤蟆哭喊道，“我下半生再也不想见到汽车了！” 
　　最后他好不容易抓住了河边的一些水草。他坚持着，但是他太累了，不能将自己拉上岸。这时，他看见河岸边一个黑洞里有个亮亮的东西向他凑过来，然后他看见了一张脸。 
　　小小的，褐色的，还有胡须。 
　　是水鼠！ 
　　　    


 