the water-babies-第11节

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　times　as　long　as　herself；　and　said；　〃Hurrah！　my　sister　has　a　tail；　and　I'll　have　one　too；〃　and　she　stuck　it　on　her　back；　and　marched　about　with　it　quite　proud；　though　it　was　very　inconvenient　indeed。　And；　at　that；　tails　became　all　the　fashion　among　the　caddis…baits　in　that　pool；　as　they　were　at　the　end　of　the　Long　Pond　last　May；　and　they　all　toddled　about　with　long　straws　sticking　out　behind；　getting　between　each　other's　legs；　and　tumbling　over　each　other；　and　looking　so　ridiculous；　that　Tom　laughed　at　them　till　he　cried；　as　we　did。　　But　they　were　quite　right；　you　know；　for　people　must　always　follow　the　fashion；　even　if　it　be　spoon…bonnets。

Then　sometimes　he　came　to　a　deep　still　reach；　and　there　he　saw　the　water…forests。　　They　would　have　looked　to　you　only　little　weeds：　but　Tom；　you　must　remember；　was　so　little　that　everything　looked　a　hundred　times　as　big　to　him　as　it　does　to　you；　just　as　things　do　to　a　minnow；　who　sees　and　catches　the　little　water…creatures　which　you　can　only　see　in　a　microscope。

And　in　the　water…forest　he　saw　the　water…monkeys　and　water…　squirrels　（they　had　all　six　legs；　though；　everything　almost　has　six　legs　in　the　water；　except　efts　and　water…babies）；　and　nimbly　enough　they　ran　among　the　branches。　　There　were　water…flowers　there　too；　in　thousands；　and　Tom　tried　to　pick　them：　　but　as　soon　as　he　touched　them；　they　drew　themselves　in　and　turned　into　knots　of　jelly；　and　then　Tom　saw　that　they　were　all　alive　…　bells；　and　stars；　and　wheels；　and　flowers；　of　all　beautiful　shapes　and　colours；　and　all　alive　and　busy；　just　as　Tom　was。　　So　now　he　found　that　there　was　a　great　deal　more　in　the　world　than　he　had　fancied　at　first　sight。

There　was　one　wonderful　little　fellow；　too；　who　peeped　out　of　the　top　of　a　house　built　of　round　bricks。　　He　had　two　big　wheels；　and　one　little　one；　all　over　teeth；　spinning　round　and　round　like　the　wheels　in　a　thrashing…machine；　and　Tom　stood　and　stared　at　him；　to　see　what　he　was　going　to　make　with　his　machinery。　　And　what　do　you　think　he　was　doing？　　Brick…making。　　With　his　two　big　wheels　he　swept　together　all　the　mud　which　floated　in　the　water：　　all　that　was　nice　in　it　he　put　into　his　stomach　and　ate；　and　all　the　mud　he　put　into　the　little　wheel　on　his　breast；　which　really　was　a　round　hole　set　with　teeth；　and　there　he　spun　it　into　a　neat　hard　round　brick；　and　then　he　took　it　and　stuck　it　on　the　top　of　his　house…　wall；　and　set　to　work　to　make　another。　Now　was　not　he　a　clever　little　fellow？

Tom　thought　so：　　but　when　he　wanted　to　talk　to　him　the　brick…maker　was　much　too　busy　and　proud　of　his　work　to　take　notice　of　him。

Now　you　must　know　that　all　the　things　under　the　water　talk；　only　not　such　a　language　as　ours；　but　such　as　horses；　and　dogs；　and　cows；　and　birds　talk　to　each　other；　and　Tom　soon　learned　to　understand　them　and　talk　to　them；　so　that　he　might　have　had　very　pleasant　company　if　he　had　only　been　a　good　boy。　　But　I　am　sorry　to　say；　he　was　too　like　some　other　little　boys；　very　fond　of　hunting　and　tormenting　creatures　for　mere　sport。　　Some　people　say　that　boys　cannot　help　it；　that　it　is　nature；　and　only　a　proof　that　we　are　all　originally　descended　from　beasts　of　prey。　　But　whether　it　is　nature　or　not；　little　boys　can　help　it；　and　must　help　it。　　For　if　they　have　naughty；　low；　mischievous　tricks　in　their　nature；　as　monkeys　have；　that　is　no　reason　why　they　should　give　way　to　those　tricks　like　monkeys；　who　know　no　better。　　And　therefore　they　must　not　torment　dumb　creatures；　for　if　they　do；　a　certain　old　lady　who　is　coming　will　surely　give　them　exactly　what　they　deserve。

But　Tom　did　not　know　that；　and　he　pecked　and　howked　the　poor　water…　things　about　sadly；　till　they　were　all　afraid　of　him；　and　got　out　of　his　way；　or　crept　into　their　shells；　so　he　had　no　one　to　speak　to　or　play　with。

The　water…fairies；　of　course；　were　very　sorry　to　see　him　so　unhappy；　and　longed　to　take　him；　and　tell　him　how　naughty　he　was；　and　teach　him　to　be　good；　and　to　play　and　romp　with　him　too：　　but　they　had　been　forbidden　to　do　that。　　Tom　had　to　learn　his　lesson　for　himself　by　sound　and　sharp　experience；　as　many　another　foolish　person　has　to　do；　though　there　may　be　many　a　kind　heart　yearning　over　them　all　the　while；　and　longing　to　teach　them　what　they　can　only　teach　themselves。

At　last　one　day　he　found　a　caddis；　and　wanted　it　to　peep　out　of　its　house：　　but　its　house…door　was　shut。　　He　had　never　seen　a　caddis　with　a　house…door　before：　　so　what　must　he　do；　the　meddlesome　little　fellow；　but　pull　it　open；　to　see　what　the　poor　lady　was　doing　inside。　　What　a　shame！　　How　should　you　like　to　have　any　one　breaking　your　bedroom…door　in；　to　see　how　you　looked　when　you　where　in　bed？　　So　Tom　broke　to　pieces　the　door；　which　was　the　prettiest　little　grating　of　silk；　stuck　all　over　with　shining　bits　of　crystal；　and　when　he　looked　in；　the　caddis　poked　out　her　head；　and　it　had　turned　into　just　the　shape　of　a　bird's。　　But　when　Tom　spoke　to　her　she　could　not　answer；　for　her　mouth　and　face　were　tight　tied　up　in　a　new　night…cap　of　neat　pink　skin。　　However；　if　she　didn't　answer；　all　the　other　caddises　did；　for　they　held　up　their　hands　and　shrieked　like　the　cats　in　Struwelpeter：　　〃Oh；　you　nasty　horrid　boy；　there　you　are　at　it　again！　　And　she　had　just　laid　herself　up　for　a　fortnight's　sleep；　and　then　she　would　have　come　out　with　such　beautiful　wings；　and　flown　about；　and　laid　such　lots　of　eggs：　　and　now　you　have　broken　her　door；　and　she　can't　mend　it　because　her　mouth　is　tied　up　for　a　fortnight；　and　she　will　die。　　Who　sent　you　here　to　worry　us　out　of　our　lives？〃

So　Tom　swam　away。　　He　was　very　much　ashamed　of　himself；　and　felt　all　the　naughtier；　as　little　boys　do　when　they　have　done　wrong　and　won't　say　so。

Then　he　came　to　a　pool　full　of　little　trout；　and　began　tormenting　them；　and　trying　to　catch　them：　　but　they　slipped　through　his　fingers；　and　jumped　clean　out　of　water　in　their　fright。　　But　as　Tom　chased　them；　he　came　close　to　a　great　dark　hover　under　an　alder　root；　and　out　floushed　a　huge　old　brown　trout　ten　times　as　big　as　he　was；　and　ran　right　against　him；　and　knocked　all　the　breath　out　of　his　body；　and　I　don't　know　which　was　the　more　frightened　of　the　two。

Then　he　went　on　sulky　and　lonely；　as　he　deserved　to　be；　and　under　a　bank　he　saw　a　very　ugly　dirty　creature　sitting；　about　half　as　big　as　himself；　which　had　six　legs；　and　a　big　stomach；　and　a　most　ridiculous　head　with　two　great　eyes　and　a　face　just　like　a　donkey's。

〃Oh；〃　said　Tom；　〃you　are　an　ugly　fellow　to　be　sure！〃　and　he　began　making　faces　at　him；　and　put　his　nose　close　to　him；　and　halloed　at　him；　like　a　very　rude　boy。

When；　hey　presto；　all　the　thing's　donkey…face　came　off　in　a　moment；　and　out　popped　a　long　arm　with　a　pair　of　pincers　at　the　end　of　it；　and　caught　Tom　by　the　nose。　　It　did　not　hurt　him　much；　but　it　held　him　quite　tight。

〃Yah；　ah！　　Oh；　let　me　go！〃　cried　Tom。

〃Then　let　me　go；〃　said　the　creature。　　〃I　want　to　be　quiet。　　I　want　to　split。〃

Tom　promised　to　let　him　alone；　and　he　let　go。

〃Why　do　you　want　to　split？〃　said　Tom。

〃Because　my　brothers　and　sisters　have　all　split；　and　turned　into　beautiful　creatures　with　wings；　and　I　want　to　split　too。　　Don't　speak　to　me。　　I　am　sure　I　shall　split。　　I　will　split！〃

Tom　stood　still；　and　watched　him。　　And　he　swelled　himself；　and　puffed；　and　stretched　himself　out　stiff；　and　at　last　…　crack；　puff；　bang　…　he　opened　all　down　his　back；　and　then　up　to　the　top　of　his　head。

And　out　of　his　inside　came　the　most　slender；　elegant；　soft　creature；　as　soft　and　smooth　as　Tom：　　but　very　pale　and　weak；　like　a　little　child　who　has　been　ill　a　long　time　in　a　dark　room。　　It　moved　its　legs　very　feebly；　and　looked　about　it　half　ashamed；　like　a　girl　when　she　goes　for　the　first　time　into　a　ballroom；　and　then　it　began　walking　slowly　up　a　grass　stem　to　the　top　of　the　water。

Tom　was　so　astonished　that　he　never　said　a　word　but　he　stared　with　all　his　eyes。　　And　he　went　up　to　the　top　of　the　water　too；　and　peeped　out　to　see　what　would　happen。

And　as　the　creature　sat　in　the　warm　bright　sun；　a　wonderful　change　came　over　it。　　It　grew　strong　and　firm；　the　most　lovely　colours　began　to　show　on　its　body；　blue　and　yellow　and　black；　spots　and　bars　and　rings；　out　of　its　back　rose　four　great　wings　of　bright　brown　gauze；　and　its　eyes　grew　so　large　that　they　filled　all　its　head；　and　shone　like　ten　thousand　diamonds。

〃Oh；　you　beautiful　creature！〃　said　Tom；　and　he　put　out　his　hand　to　catch　it。

But　the　thing　whirred　up　into　the　air；　and　hung　poised　on　its　wings　a　moment；　and　then　settled　down　again　by　Tom　quite　fearless。

〃No！〃　it　said；　〃you　cannot　catch　me。　　I　am　a　dragon…fly　now；　the　king　of　all　the　flies；　and　I　shall　dance　in　the　sunshine；　and　hawk　over　the　river；　and　catch　gnats；　and　have　a　beautiful　wife　like　myself。　　I　know　what　I　shall　do。　　Hurrah！〃　　And　he　flew　away　into　the　air；　and　began　catching　gnats。

〃Oh！　come　back；　come　back；〃　cried　Tom；　〃you　beautiful　creature。　　I　have　no　one　to　play　with；　and　I　am　so　lonely　here。　　If　you　will　but　come　back　I　will　never　try　to　catch　you。〃

〃I　don't　care　whether　you　do　or　not；〃　said　the　dragon…fly；　〃for　you　can't。　　But　when　I　have　had　my　dinner；　and　looked　a　little　about　this　pretty　place；　I　will　come　back；　and　have　a　little　chat　about　all　I　have　seen　in　my　travels。　　Why；　wha