LESSON 24 THE PET BIRD

第二十四课 宠物鸟

Jane had a bird that she kept in a cage.

简有一只养在笼子里的鸟。

It was so tame that it would come to be fed from her hand.

它如此的驯良，以至于会来到她的手上吃食。

Now and then she would let it out; and it would sit on the top of the cage or fly round the room.

偶尔她会把它放出笼子，它就会站在笼子的顶部，或在屋子里飞来飞去。

As she liked best to feed it, no one else fed the bird but her.

因为她最喜欢喂鸟，除了她没有别人喂过这只鸟。

One day her aunt sent her a box of new toys. She was so pleased with them, that she played all day with them. That day Jane did not feed her bird.

有一天她的阿姨寄给她一个装着玩具的盒子。她如此地喜爱那些玩具，以至于整天都在拿着它们玩。那一天简没有喂她的鸟吃东西。

Next day a friend came to see Jane, and once more the poor bird got no food.

第二天一位朋友来看简，于是又一次，这只可怜的鸟儿没有食物可吃。

Jane and her friend played all day with the box of toys.

简和她的朋友一整天都在玩盒子里的那些玩具。

On the third day Jane did not care so much for the toys, and she went once more to play with her bird.

第三天，简不那么喜欢玩玩具了，于是就又来陪鸟儿玩。

She went up to the cage with some nice seed to give to it.

她走到笼子旁边，将尚好的种子喂给它吃。

But the poor bird lay dead in the cage. It had died for want of food.

但是可怜的小鸟躺在笼子里已经死了。它死在对于食物的渴望之中。

Oh, what pain it must have felt!

哦，那该是多么痛苦的感受啊！

Boys and girls, keep this sad tale in your minds, and be kind to your pets.

孩子们，请记住这个伤感的故事，善待你的宠物吧。