"How big the world is to be sure!" said all the young ones;

“这个世界真够大！”这些年轻的小家伙说。

for they certainly had ever so much more room to move about than when they were inside the egg-shell.

的确，比起他们在蛋壳里的时候，现在的天地真是大不相同了。

"Do you imagine this is the whole world?" said the mother.

“你们可别以为这就是整个世界！”妈妈说。

"It stretches a long way on the other side of the garden, right into the parson's field; but I have never been as far as that!

“这世界一直延伸到花园的另一边，直到牧师的田里去，连我自己都没去过！

I suppose youmare all here now?" and she got up.

你们都在这儿吧？”她站起来。

"No! I declare I have not got youmall yet! The biggest egg is still there;

“呀！我还没有把你们都孵出来呢！这只最大的蛋还没有动静。

how long is it going to last?" and then she settled herself on the nest again.

它还得躺多久呢？我真是有些累了。”于是她又坐下来。

"Well, how are you getting on?" said an old duck who had come to pay her a visit.

“唔，孩子们都顺利出生了吗？”一只来拜访她的老鸭子问。

"This one egg is taking such a long time," answered the sitting duck,

“这么久了也不见这个蛋有什么动静！”鸭妈妈说。

"the shell will not crack; but now you must look at the others;

“它一直没破壳。你看看其他这些小鸭子吧。

They are the finest ducklings I have ever seen! they are all exactly like their father, the rascal! he never comes to see me."

他们真是太惹人爱了！一个比一个像他们的爸爸——可这个坏东西从来没有来看过我一次！”

"Let me look at the egg which won't crack," said the old duck.

“让我瞧瞧这个一直不破壳的蛋，”老鸭子又说，

"You may be sure that it is a turkey's egg! I have been cheated like that once,

“这肯定是一只火鸡的蛋。我受过一样的骗，

and I had no end of trouble and worry with the creatures, for I may tell you that they are afraid of the water.

你不知道那些小家伙给我惹了多少麻烦，他们没一个敢游泳。

I could not get them into it; I quacked and snapped at them, but it was no good.

连叫他们下水里试一试都不行。我好说歹说都没用！

Let me see the egg! Yes, it is a turkey's egg!

我来瞧瞧这只蛋吧。哎呀！这确实是一只火鸡的蛋！