介绍： 公 众号：MT英语（ID:mtkouyu)
专辑：【英文原版童话故事】
朗诵：【台】Yale
编辑： Shawn
核对：Doris Tang

主播简介
Yale，中文名杨子逸，美国迈阿密大学硕士，曾经担任英语教科书编辑。他从小在美国长大，目前在国内的职业是广告导演和制片。他拍摄的短片《赫克特的时光机器》获2014年金鸡百花短片电影节提名。

Cat and Mouse i...

介绍： 公 众号：MT英语（ID:mtkouyu)
专辑：【英文原版童话故事】
朗诵：【台】Yale
编辑： Shawn
核对：Doris Tang

主播简介
Yale，中文名杨子逸，美国迈阿密大学硕士，曾经担任英语教科书编辑。他从小在美国长大，目前在国内的职业是广告导演和制片。他拍摄的短片《赫克特的时光机器》获2014年金鸡百花短片电影节提名。

Cat and Mouse in Partnership 《猫和老鼠做朋友》

A certain cat had made the acquaintance of (与...相识，结识)a mouse, and had said so much to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at length (最后，最终)the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house together.
有一只猫认识了一只老鼠，便对它大谈特谈自己是多么喜欢老鼠，原意和它交朋友，最后老鼠同意和猫住在一起，共同生活。

"But we must make a provision（准备）for winter, or else（否则）we shall suffer from hunger," said the cat, "and you, little mouse, cannot venture anywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day（总有一天）." The good advice was followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where to put it.
“我们得准备过冬的东西了，不然我们到冬天会挨饿的，”猫说，“至于你嘛，我的小老鼠，哪里也不要去，我真怕你某天会被什么老鼠夹子夹住。”老鼠接受了猫的好建议，于是它们买来了一罐猪油，然而两个人都不知道该把猪油放在什么地方。

At length, after much consideration, the cat said, "I know no place where it will be better stored up than in the church, for no one dares(敢) take anything away from there. We will set it beneath the altar（祭坛）, and not touch it until we are really in need of it."
它们左思考右思考，最后猫说：“我觉得这猪油放在教堂里是再合适不过的了，因为谁也不敢偷教堂里的东西。我们把猪油藏在祭坛下，不到万不得已的时候决不动它。”

So the pot was placed in safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great yearning for（渴望）it, and said to the mouse, "I want to tell you something, little mouse; my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has asked me to be godmother（教母）; he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold him over the font（洗礼盆）at the christening（基督教的洗礼仪式）. Let me go out today, and you look after the house by yourself."
猪油罐就这样被放到了安全的地方。可是没过多久，猫开始想吃猪油了，便对老鼠说：“小老鼠，我想跟你说点事。我的表姐刚刚生了一个小宝宝，还请我当小宝贝的教母。那小宝贝全身雪白，带着一些褐色的斑点。我要抱着它去接受洗礼，所以今天要出去一下，你一个人在家看家，好吗？”

"Yes, yes," answered the mouse, "by all means（想尽一切办法）go, and if you get anything very good, think of me, I should like a drop of sweet red christening wine too."
“好，好“老鼠说，“你尽管去吧。要是有什么好吃的东西，千万要记着我。我很想尝一点洗礼时用的红葡萄酒。”

At this, however, was untrue; the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to be godmother. She went straight to the church, stole the pot of fat, began to lick（舔）at it, and licked the top of the fat off.
这一切当然都不是真的，因为猫并没有表姐，也没有被请去当教母。它直接去了教堂，偷偷爬到猪油罐那里，开始舔呀舔，把顶上一层猪油舔得精光。

Then she took a walk upon the roofs of the town, looked out for opportunities（look out 意思是注意，在此处是look out短语+for的用法表达的是寻找机会的意思）, and stretched herself （stretch oneself 伸展身体，尽某人最大的努力） in the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought of the pot of fat, and not until it was evening did she return home.
然后，它在城里的屋顶上散了散步，想碰碰别的运气；接着便躺下来晒太阳。每当想起那罐猪油，它都情不自禁地舔舔自己的嘴唇。它一直等到天黑才回家。

"Well, here you are again," said the mouse, "no doubt you have had a merry（愉快的）day.". "All went off well," answered the cat. "What name did they give the child?" "Top off!" said the cat quite coolly.
“啊，你终于回来了，”老鼠说，“这一天肯定过得很开心吧？”“一切顺利。”猫答道。“你们给那孩子起了什么名字？”“没了顶层！”猫冷淡地说。

"Top off? " cried the mouse, "that is a very odd (古怪的)and uncommon name, is it a usual one in your family?" "What does it signify(表示，意味)," said the cat, "it is no worse than Crumb-stealer, as your god-children are called."
“没了顶层！”老鼠叫了起来，“这个古怪的名字可不多见。你们家常取这样的名字吗？”“那有什么？”猫说，“不比你的那些教子叫什么'偷面包屑的'更糟吧？”

Before long（不久以后）the cat was seize by another fit of longing. She said to the mouse, "You must do me a favour, and once more manage the house for a day alone. I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the child has a white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse."
没过多久，猫又想吃猪油了。它对老鼠说：“你得帮我一个忙，再一个人看一次家。又有人请我当教母了，而且这个孩子的脖子上有一道白圈，我实在无法推辞。”

The good mouse consented（同意）, but the cat crept（匍匐前进，creep的过去式）behind the town walls to the church, and devoured（吞食）half of the pot of fat. "Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to oneself," said she, and was quite satisfied with her day's work.
好心的老鼠同意了。猫从城墙后面溜进教堂，一口气吃掉了半罐猪油。“什么东西也没有比吃到自己的嘴里更好，”它说，心里对这一天的收获感到很满意。

When she went home the mouse inquired, "And what was this child christened(给命名)?" "Half-done," answered the cat. "Half-done? What are you saying? I never heard the name in my life, I'll wager(打赌) anything it is not in the calendar!"
等它到家时，老鼠问道：“这个孩子起的什么名字呀？”“吃了一半，”猫回答。“吃了一半！你在说什么呀？我长这么大了还从来没有听说过这样的名字。我敢打赌，就是年历上也不会有这样的名字！”

The cat's mouth soon began to water for some more licking. "All good things go in threes," said she, "I am asked to stand godmother again. The child is quite black, only it has white paws(爪子), but with that exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body; this only happens once every few years, you will let me go, won't you?"
不久，猫的嘴巴又开始流口水了，想再去舔一舔猪油。“好事成三嘛，”它说，“又有人请我去当教母了。这个孩子除了爪子是白色的，浑身黑黝黝的，连一根白毛都没有。这是好几年才会碰上的事情，你当然会同意我去的，是吗？”

"Top-off! Half-done!" answered the mouse, "they are such odd names, they make me very thoughtful." "You sit at home," said the cat, "in your dark grey fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies(花式织物), that's because you do not go out in the daytime."
“没了顶层！吃了一半！”老鼠回答，“这些名字真怪！我实在弄不明白。”“你白天又不出门，”猫说，“整天穿着深灰色的皮袄，拖着长长的尾巴，坐在家里胡思乱想，当然弄不明白啦！”

During the cat's absence（缺席）the mouse cleaned the house, and put it in order but the greedy cat entirely emptied the pot of fat. "When everything is eaten up one has some peace," she said to herself, well filled and fat she did not return home untill night.
趁着猫不在家，老鼠把屋子打扫了一下，把东西放得整整齐齐。可是那只馋猫把剩下的猪油吃得干干净净。“人只有把东西吃得干干净净才能放心，”它自言自语地说。它吃得饱饱的，直到天黑了才挺着圆圆的肚子回家。

The mouse at once asked what name had been given to the third child. "It will not please you more than the others," said the cat, "He is called All-gone."
老鼠看到它回来，立刻问它这第三个孩子起的什么名字。“你也不会喜欢这个名字，”猫说，“它叫'吃得精光'。 ”

"All-gone?" cried the mouse, "that is the most suspicious(可疑的) name of all! I have never seen it in print. All-gone,what can that mean?" and she shook her head, curled（卷曲，环绕）herself up, and lay（lie的过去式）down to sleep.
“吃得精光！”老鼠叫了起来，“这个名字太令人费解了！我从来没有在书上见过。吃得精光！这是什么意思呢？”它摇摇头，蜷缩起身子，躺下睡着了。

From this time forth（自…以后）no one invited the cat to be god-mother, but when the winter had come and there was no longer anything to be found outside, the mouse thought of their provision, and said, "Come cat, we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves ,we shall enjoy that."
从此，猫再也没有被邀请去当教母。可是冬天来到了，外面再也找不到任何吃的东西。老鼠想到了它们准备的过冬的东西，便说：“走吧，猫！我们去取储存的猪油吧。我们可以美美吃上一顿。”

"Yes," answered the cat, "you will enjoy it as much as you would enjoy sticking that dainty（美味的）tongue（舌头）of yours out of the window."
“是的，”猫回答，“那准会把你美得就像把你那尖尖的舌头伸到窗外去喝西北风一样。”

They set out（出发）on their way, but when they arrived, the pot of fat certainly was still in its place, but it was empty.
它们动身去教堂，可它们到达那里后，看到猪油罐倒是还在那里，里面却是空的。

"Alas（表悲伤，遗憾的感叹词）!" said the mouse, "now I see what has happened, now it comes to light! You are certainly a true friend!
“天哪！”老鼠说，“我现在终于明白是怎么回事了！你可真是个好朋友！

You have devoured all when you were standing godmother. First top off, then half done, then --." "Will you hold your tongue," cried the cat, "one word more and I will eat you too."
你在去当什么教母的时候，把这猪油全吃光了！先是吃了顶上一层，然后吃了一半，最后……”“你给我住嘴！”猫嚷道，“你要是再罗嗦，我连你也吃了！”

"All gone" was already on the poor mouse's lips; scarcely had she spoken it before the cat sprang(弹起，跳跃) on her, seized her, and swallowed her down. Verily（真正的）, that is the way of the world.
“……吃得精光，”可怜的老鼠脱口而出。 它刚把话说完，猫就扑到了它的身上，抓住它，把它吞进了肚子。 这世界就是这样！

重点词汇：
1. made the acquaintance of
与…相识，结识
eg. I make the acquaintance of tom when on holiday in Spain.
我是在西班牙度假时结识汤姆的。

2. at length
最后，最终
eg. Her mother at length agreed to this arrangement.
他的母亲最后同意了这种安排。

3.make a provision for
做准备
eg. You should save up money to make provision for the future.
你们应该存些钱，为将来做些准备。

4.dare [deə]
vt.敢冒；不惧
eg. How dare you speak to me like that?
你怎么敢那样对我说话?

5.yearn for
渴望
eg.Yet we all yearn for that deep connection with others.
然而，我们都渴望与别人深入的交往