The Beginning of the Armadillos

This, O Best Beloved, is another story of the High and Far-Off Times. In the very middle of those times was a Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating shelly snails and things. And he had a friend, a Slow-Solid Tortoise, who lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating green lettuces and things. And so that was all right, Best Beloved. Do you see?

我的宝贝，这是另一个发生在那高远古时候的故事。就在那段岁月的正中央，有一只浑身是刺的刺猬，住在浑浊的亚马逊河岸边，靠吃带壳的蜗牛之类的东西过活。他还有一个朋友，一只行动迟缓、结结实实的乌龟，也住在浑浊的亚马逊河岸边，靠吃青翠的生菜之类的东西过活。所以这一切都好好的，我的宝贝。你明白了吗？

But also, and at the same time, in those High and Far-Off Times, there was a Painted Jaguar, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon too; and he ate everything that he could catch. When he could not catch deer or monkeys he would eat frogs and beetles; and when he could not catch frogs and beetles he went to his Mother Jaguar, and she told him how to eat hedgehogs and tortoises.

不过与此同时，就在那高远的古时候，还有一只花斑美洲豹，他也住在浑浊的亚马逊河岸边；他逮到什么就吃什么。逮不到鹿或猴子的时候，他就吃青蛙和甲虫；连青蛙和甲虫都逮不到的时候，他就去找他的豹妈妈，豹妈妈便教他怎么吃刺猬和乌龟。

She said to him ever so many times, graciously waving her tail, ‘My son, when you find a Hedgehog you must drop him into the water and then he will uncoil, and when you catch a Tortoise you must scoop him out of his shell with your paw.’ And so that was all right, Best Beloved.

她一遍又一遍地对他说，一边优雅地摇着尾巴："我的孩子，你遇见刺猬的时候，得把他扔进水里，这样他就会展开身子；你抓到乌龟的时候，得用爪子把他从壳里挖出来。"所以这一切都好好的，我的宝贝。

One beautiful night on the banks of the turbid Amazon, Painted Jaguar found Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog and Slow-Solid Tortoise sitting under the trunk of a fallen tree. They could not run away, and so Stickly-Prickly curled himself up into a ball, because he was a Hedgehog, and Slow-Solid Tortoise drew in his head and feet into his shell as far as they would go, because he was a Tortoise; and so that was all right, Best Beloved. Do you see?

在浑浊的亚马逊河岸边，一个美丽的夜晚，花斑美洲豹发现浑身是刺的刺猬和迟缓结实的乌龟正坐在一根倒下的树干下面。他们跑不掉，于是浑身是刺的刺猬便蜷成了一个球，因为他是只刺猬；迟缓结实的乌龟也把脑袋和四肢尽可能地缩进了壳里，因为他是只乌龟；所以这一切都好好的，我的宝贝。你明白了吗？

‘Now attend to me,’ said Painted Jaguar, ‘because this is very important. My mother said that when I meet a Hedgehog I am to drop him into the water and then he will uncoil, and when I meet a Tortoise I am to scoop him out of his shell with my paw. Now which of you is Hedgehog and which is Tortoise? because, to save my spots, I can’t tell.’

"现在给我听好了，"花斑美洲豹说道，"因为这事很重要。我妈妈说，我遇见刺猬的时候，得把他扔进水里，这样他就会展开身子；我遇见乌龟的时候，得用爪子把他从壳里挖出来。那么你们俩谁是刺猬，谁是乌龟？因为，我敢拿我身上的斑点起誓，我实在分辨不出来。"

‘Are you sure of what your Mummy told you?’ said Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog. ‘Are you quite sure? Perhaps she said that when you uncoil a Tortoise you must shell him out the water with a scoop, and when you paw a Hedgehog you must drop him on the shell.’

"你确定你妈妈是这么跟你说的吗？"浑身是刺的刺猬说道。"你真的确定吗？说不定她说的是，你展开一只乌龟的时候，得用一个勺子把他从水里挖出壳来；而你用爪子摸一只刺猬的时候，得把他扔到壳上去。"

‘Are you sure of what your Mummy told you?’ said Slow-and-Solid Tortoise. ‘Are you quite sure? Perhaps she said that when you water a Hedgehog you must drop him into your paw, and when you meet a Tortoise you must shell him till he uncoils.’

"你确定你妈妈是这么跟你说的吗？"迟缓结实的乌龟说道。"你真的确定吗？说不定她说的是，你给刺猬浇水的时候，得把他扔进你的爪子里；而你遇见乌龟的时候，得给他剥壳，直到他展开身子。"

‘I don’t think it was at all like that,’ said Painted Jaguar, but he felt a little puzzled; ‘but, please, say it again more distinctly.’

"我觉得根本不是那么回事，"花斑美洲豹说道，可他心里也有些糊涂了；"不过，请你再说一遍，说得清楚一点。"

‘When you scoop water with your paw you uncoil it with a Hedgehog,’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘Remember that, because it’s important.’

"你用爪子舀水的时候，就是在给一只刺猬展开身子，"浑身是刺的刺猬说道。"记住这一点，因为这很重要。"

‘But,’ said the Tortoise, ‘when you paw your meat you drop it into a Tortoise with a scoop. Why can’t you understand?’

"可是，"乌龟说道，"你用爪子摸你的肉的时候，得用勺子把它扔进一只乌龟里去。你怎么就是不明白呢？"

‘You are making my spots ache,’ said Painted Jaguar; ‘and besides, I didn’t want your advice at all. I only wanted to know which of you is Hedgehog and which is Tortoise.’

"你说得我浑身的斑点都疼了，"花斑美洲豹说道；"再说了，我根本就不想要你们的建议。我只想知道你们俩谁是刺猬，谁是乌龟。"

‘I shan’t tell you,’ said Stickly-Prickly, ‘but you can scoop me out of my shell if you like.’

"我可不告诉你，"浑身是刺的刺猬说道，"不过你要是愿意的话，倒是可以把我从壳里挖出来试试看。"

‘Aha!’ said Painted Jaguar. ‘Now I know you’re Tortoise. You thought I wouldn’t! Now I will.’ Painted Jaguar darted out his paddy-paw just as Stickly-Prickly curled himself up, and of course Jaguar’s paddy-paw was just filled with prickles. Worse than that, he knocked Stickly-Prickly away and away into the woods and the bushes, where it was too dark to find him. Then he put his paddy-paw into his mouth, and of course the prickles hurt him worse than ever. As soon as he could speak he said, ‘Now I know he isn’t Tortoise at all. But’—and then he scratched his head with his un-prickly paw—‘how do I know that this other is Tortoise?’

"哈！"花斑美洲豹说道。"这下我知道你是乌龟了。你还以为我不敢呢！这就来。"花斑美洲豹一把伸出他那笨拙的爪子，正好赶上浑身是刺的刺猬蜷成一团，于是美洲豹那笨拙的爪子上顿时扎满了刺。更糟的是，他还把浑身是刺的刺猬一下子拍飞，飞进了树林和灌木丛深处，天色太黑，怎么也找不到他了。接着他把那只笨拙的爪子塞进嘴里，那些刺自然更加疼得厉害了。他刚能开口说话，就说道："这下我知道他根本不是乌龟了。可是"——说着他用另一只没扎刺的爪子挠了挠脑袋——"我又怎么知道另外那个就是乌龟呢？"

‘But I am Tortoise,’ said Slow-and-Solid. ‘Your mother was quite right. She said that you were to scoop me out of my shell with your paw. Begin.’

"可我就是乌龟啊，"迟缓结实的乌龟说道。"你妈妈说得完全没错。她说的是，你要用爪子把我从壳里挖出来。开始吧。"

‘You didn’t say she said that a minute ago,’ said Painted Jaguar, sucking the prickles out of his paddy-paw. ‘You said she said something quite different.’

"你刚才可不是这么说她说的，"花斑美洲豹一边说，一边从笨拙的爪子里吸出那些刺来。"你刚才说的是她说了完全不一样的话。"

‘Well, suppose you say that I said that she said something quite different, I don’t see that it makes any difference; because if she said what you said I said she said, it’s just the same as if I said what she said she said. On the other hand, if you think she said that you were to uncoil me with a scoop, instead of pawing me into drops with a shell, I can’t help that, can I?’

"好吧，就算你说我说了她说了别的话，我看这也没什么分别；因为要是她说的正是你说我说她说的那样，那不就跟我说的是她说的一样了吗。反过来说，要是你以为她说的是要你用勺子把我展开，而不是用爪子把我拍成一滴滴的壳，那我可就没办法了，不是吗？"

‘But you said you wanted to be scooped out of your shell with my paw,’ said Painted Jaguar.

"可你刚才说你想让我用爪子把你从壳里挖出来，"花斑美洲豹说道。

‘If you’ll think again you’ll find that I didn’t say anything of the kind. I said that your mother said that you were to scoop me out of my shell,’ said Slow-and-Solid.

"你要是再想想，就会发现我根本没说过那样的话。我说的是，你妈妈说了你该用爪子把我从壳里挖出来，"迟缓结实的说道。

‘What will happen if I do?’ said the Jaguar most sniffily and most cautious.

"要是我照做了会怎么样？"美洲豹十分谨慎、疑神疑鬼地问道。

‘I don’t know, because I’ve never been scooped out of my shell before; but I tell you truly, if you want to see me swim away you’ve only got to drop me into the water.’

"我不知道，因为我以前从没被人从壳里挖出来过；不过我实话告诉你，你要是想看我游走，只管把我扔进水里就是了。"

‘I don’t believe it,’ said Painted Jaguar. ‘You’ve mixed up all the things my mother told me to do with the things that you asked me whether I was sure that she didn’t say, till I don’t know whether I’m on my head or my painted tail; and now you come and tell me something I can understand, and it makes me more mixy than before. My mother told me that I was to drop one of you two into the water, and as you seem so anxious to be dropped I think you don’t want to be dropped. So jump into the turbid Amazon and be quick about it.’

"我才不信呢，"花斑美洲豹说道。"你把我妈妈教我做的那些事，跟你问我是不是确定她没说过的那些事，全都混在一起了，弄得我都不知道自己是头朝下还是花尾巴朝下了；如今你又过来跟我说些我能听懂的话，反倒让我更糊涂了。我妈妈跟我说，要把你们俩当中的一个扔进水里，既然你这么迫不及待地想被扔下去，我看你其实是不想被扔下去的。所以赶紧跳进浑浊的亚马逊河里去吧，快点。"

‘I warn you that your Mummy won’t be pleased. Don’t tell her I didn’t tell you,’ said Slow-Solid.

"我警告你，你亲爱的妈妈可不会高兴的。可别跟她说我没告诉过你，"迟缓结实的说道。

‘If you say another word about what my mother said—’ the Jaguar answered, but he had not finished the sentence before Slow-and-Solid quietly dived into the turbid Amazon, swam under water for a long way, and came out on the bank where Stickly-Prickly was waiting for him.

"你要是再提一句我妈妈说了什么——"美洲豹话还没说完，迟缓结实的便悄悄一头扎进了浑浊的亚马逊河，在水下游出老远，游到浑身是刺的刺猬正等着他的那片河岸上冒了出来。

‘That was a very narrow escape,’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘I don’t rib Painted Jaguar. What did you tell him that you were?’

"真是好险哪，"浑身是刺的刺猬说道。"我可不是要取笑花斑美洲豹。你跟他说你是什么了？"

‘I told him truthfully that I was a truthful Tortoise, but he wouldn’t believe it, and he made me jump into the river to see if I was, and I was, and he is surprised. Now he’s gone to tell his Mummy. Listen to him!’

"我如实告诉他，我是一只诚实的乌龟，可他不肯相信，非要我跳进河里试试是真是假，结果确实是真的，他这下惊呆了。现在他去告诉他妈妈了。你听！"

They could hear Painted Jaguar roaring up and down among the trees and the bushes by the side of the turbid Amazon, till his Mummy came.

他们能听见花斑美洲豹在浑浊的亚马逊河边的树林和灌木丛间来回咆哮，一直闹到他妈妈来了为止。

‘Son, son!’ said his mother ever so many times, graciously waving her tail, ‘what have you been doing that you shouldn’t have done?’

"孩子，孩子啊！"他妈妈一遍又一遍地说着，优雅地摇着尾巴，"你到底做了什么不该做的事？"

‘I tried to scoop something that said it wanted to be scooped out of its shell with my paw, and my paw is full of prickles,’ said Painted Jaguar.

"我想把一个自称想让我用爪子把他从壳里挖出来的东西挖出来，结果我的爪子全扎满了刺，"花斑美洲豹说道。

‘Son, son!’ said his mother ever so many times, graciously waving her tail, ‘by the prickles in your paddy-paw I see that that must have been a Hedgehog. You should have dropped him into the water.’

"孩子，孩子啊！"他妈妈一遍又一遍地说着，优雅地摇着尾巴，"从你那笨拙爪子上的刺来看，那一定是只刺猬。你该把他扔进水里才对。"

‘I did that to the other thing; and he said he was a Tortoise, and I didn’t believe him, and it was quite true, and he has dived under the turbid Amazon, and he won’t come up again, and I haven’t anything at all to eat, and I think we had better find lodgings somewhere else. They are too clever on the turbid Amazon for poor me!’

"我对另一个东西正是这么做的；他说他是只乌龟，我不信他，结果却是真的，他一头扎进浑浊的亚马逊河里，再也没上来，我现在什么吃的都没有了，我看我们最好换个地方住吧。浑浊的亚马逊河边这些家伙对我这个可怜虫来说，实在太精明了！"

‘Son, son!’ said his mother ever so many times, graciously waving her tail, ‘now attend to me and remember what I say. A Hedgehog curls himself up into a ball and his prickles stick out every which way at once. By this you may know the Hedgehog.’

"孩子，孩子啊！"他妈妈一遍又一遍地说着，优雅地摇着尾巴，"现在给我仔细听好了，记住我说的话。刺猬就是把自己蜷成一个球，浑身的刺一下子朝四面八方竖起来。凭这个你就能认出刺猬。"

‘I don’t like this old lady one little bit,’ said Stickly-Prickly, under the shadow of a large leaf. ‘I wonder what else she knows?’

"我一点也不喜欢这位老太太，"浑身是刺的刺猬躲在一片大叶子的阴影下说道。"不知道她还知道些什么？"

‘A Tortoise can’t curl himself up,’ Mother Jaguar went on, ever so many times, graciously waving her tail. ‘He only draws his head and legs into his shell. By this you may know the tortoise.’

"乌龟不会把自己蜷起来，"豹妈妈继续说着，一遍又一遍，优雅地摇着尾巴。"他只会把脑袋和腿缩进壳里。凭这个你就能认出乌龟。"

‘I don’t like this old lady at all—at all,’ said Slow-and-Solid Tortoise. ‘Even Painted Jaguar can’t forget those directions. It’s a great pity that you can’t swim, Stickly-Prickly.’

"我一点也——一点也不喜欢这位老太太，"迟缓结实的乌龟说道。"就连花斑美洲豹都记不住这些指示，真是可惜了。浑身是刺的，你不会游泳，真是太遗憾了。"

‘Don’t talk to me,’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘Just think how much better it would be if you could curl up. This is a mess! Listen to Painted Jaguar.’

"别跟我提这个，"浑身是刺的刺猬说道。"你想想看，你要是能蜷起来该有多好。这下可乱套了！你听听花斑美洲豹的声音。"

Painted Jaguar was sitting on the banks of the turbid Amazon sucking prickles out of his Paws and saying to himself—

花斑美洲豹正坐在浑浊的亚马逊河岸边，从爪子里吸出刺来，一边自言自语道——

‘Can’t curl, but can swim— Slow-Solid, that’s him! Curls up, but can’t swim— Stickly-Prickly, that’s him!’

不会蜷缩，却会游水—— 那便是迟缓结实的那位！ 会蜷成球，却不会游水—— 那便是浑身是刺的那位！

‘He’ll never forget that this month of Sundays,’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘Hold up my chin, Slow-and-Solid. I’m going to try to learn to swim. It may be useful.’

"这个月的每个星期天他都忘不掉这个了，"浑身是刺的刺猬说道。"扶住我的下巴，迟缓结实的。我要试着学游泳。说不定用得着。"

‘Excellent!’ said Slow-and-Solid; and he held up Stickly-Prickly’s chin, while Stickly-Prickly kicked in the waters of the turbid Amazon.

"太好了！"迟缓结实的说道；他扶住浑身是刺的刺猬的下巴，浑身是刺的刺猬便在浑浊的亚马逊河水里扑腾起来。

‘You’ll make a fine swimmer yet,’ said Slow-and-Solid. ‘Now, if you can unlace my back-plates a little, I’ll see what I can do towards curling up. It may be useful.’

"你以后准能成为个游泳好手，"迟缓结实的说道。"现在，你要是能帮我把背甲的接缝松一松，我倒想试试能不能蜷起来。说不定用得着。"

Stickly-Prickly helped to unlace Tortoise’s back-plates, so that by twisting and straining Slow-and-Solid actually managed to curl up a tiddy wee bit.

浑身是刺的刺猬便帮忙松开了乌龟的背甲，于是迟缓结实的又扭又挣，居然真的成功蜷起了一丁点儿。

‘Excellent!’ said Stickly-Prickly; ‘but I shouldn’t do any more just now. It’s making you black in the face. Kindly lead me into the water once again and I’ll practice that side-stroke which you say is so easy.’ And so Stickly-Prickly practiced, and Slow-Solid swam alongside.

"太好了！"浑身是刺的刺猬说道；"不过我看现在先别再蜷了。你都憋得脸发黑了。劳驾再带我下水去一次，我想再练练你说的那种很简单的侧泳。"于是浑身是刺的便练习起来，迟缓结实的在一旁陪着游。

‘Excellent!’ said Slow-and-Solid. ‘A little more practice will make you a regular whale. Now, if I may trouble you to unlace my back and front plates two holes more, I’ll try that fascinating bend that you say is so easy. Won’t Painted Jaguar be surprised!’

"太好了！"迟缓结实的说道。"再练一练，你就能变成一条正儿八经的鲸鱼了。现在，要是不嫌麻烦，能不能再帮我把背甲和前甲的接缝多松两个孔，我想试试你说的那种很简单又很有意思的弯曲动作。花斑美洲豹见了准会大吃一惊！"

‘Excellent!’ said Stickly-Prickly, all wet from the turbid Amazon. ‘I declare, I shouldn’t know you from one of my own family. Two holes, I think, you said? A little more expression, please, and don’t grunt quite so much, or Painted Jaguar may hear us. When you’ve finished, I want to try that long dive which you say is so easy. Won’t Painted Jaguar be surprised!’

"太好了！"浑身是刺的说道，浑身都被浑浊的亚马逊河水打湿了。"我敢说，我都快认不出你是我们家族的一员了。你刚才说的是两个孔吧？请再多用点表情，别哼哼得太响，不然花斑美洲豹会听见我们的。你弄完之后，我想试试你说的那种很简单的长距离潜水。花斑美洲豹见了准会大吃一惊！"

And so Stickly-Prickly dived, and Slow-and-Solid dived alongside.

于是浑身是刺的潜了下去，迟缓结实的也在一旁陪着潜。

‘Excellent!’ said Slow-and-Solid. ‘A leetle more attention to holding your breath and you will be able to keep house at the bottom of the turbid Amazon. Now I’ll try that exercise of putting my hind legs round my ears which you say is so peculiarly comfortable. Won’t Painted Jaguar be surprised!’

"太好了！"迟缓结实的说道。"再多留点心憋气，你就能在浑浊的亚马逊河底安家落户了。现在我想试试把后腿绕到耳朵上那个你说特别舒服的动作。花斑美洲豹见了准会大吃一惊！"

‘Excellent!’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘But it’s straining your back-plates a little. They are all overlapping now, instead of lying side by side.’

"太好了！"浑身是刺的说道。"不过这有点扯着你的背甲了。它们现在全都叠在一起，不再像从前那样并排排列了。"

‘Oh, that’s the result of exercise,’ said Slow-and-Solid. ‘I’ve noticed that your prickles seem to be melting into one another, and that you’re growing to look rather more like a pinecone, and less like a chestnut-burr, than you used to.’

"哦，这是锻炼的结果，"迟缓结实的说道。"我倒是注意到你的刺似乎正一根根融合在一起，你现在看起来越来越像个松果，不像从前那样像个板栗刺球了。"

‘Am I?’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘That comes from my soaking in the water. Oh, won’t Painted Jaguar be surprised!’

"是吗？"浑身是刺的说道。"那是我泡在水里泡的。哦，花斑美洲豹见了准会大吃一惊！"

They went on with their exercises, each helping the other, till morning came; and when the sun was high they rested and dried themselves. Then they saw that they were both of them quite different from what they had been.

他们就这样继续练习下去，你帮我，我帮你，一直练到天亮；等太阳升高了，他们便歇下来把身子晒干。这时他们才发现，两个人都跟从前完全不一样了。

‘Stickly-Prickly,’ said Tortoise after breakfast, ‘I am not what I was yesterday; but I think that I may yet amuse Painted Jaguar.’

"浑身是刺的，"乌龟吃过早饭后说道，"我已经不是昨天的我了；不过我想我还是能逗一逗花斑美洲豹的。"

‘That was the very thing I was thinking just now,’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘I think scales are a tremendous improvement on prickles—to say nothing of being able to swim. Oh, won’t Painted Jaguar be surprised! Let’s go and find him.’

"我刚才也正是这么想的，"浑身是刺的说道。"我觉得鳞片比刺可强多了——更别提还能游泳了。哦，花斑美洲豹见了准会大吃一惊！我们去找他吧。"

By and by they found Painted Jaguar, still nursing his paddy-paw that had been hurt the night before. He was so astonished that he fell three times backward over his own painted tail without stopping.

不多时，他们找到了花斑美洲豹，他还在护理着头天夜里受伤的那只笨拙的爪子。他大吃一惊，接连三次仰面朝天地摔倒在自己那条花斑尾巴上，一次接一次，怎么也停不下来。

‘Good morning!’ said Stickly-Prickly. ‘And how is your dear gracious Mummy this morning?’

"早上好！"浑身是刺的说道。"你亲爱又高贵的妈妈今天怎么样啊？"

‘She is quite well, thank you,’ said Painted Jaguar; ‘but you must forgive me if I do not at this precise moment recall your name.’

"她很好，谢谢你，"花斑美洲豹说道；"不过你得原谅我，我这会儿实在想不起你的名字来。"

‘That’s unkind of you,’ said Stickly-Prickly, ‘seeing that this time yesterday you tried to scoop me out of my shell with your paw.’

"你这可不厚道，"浑身是刺的说道，"要知道昨天这个时候，你还想用爪子把我从壳里挖出来呢。"

‘But you hadn’t any shell. It was all prickles,’ said Painted Jaguar. ‘I know it was. Just look at my paw!’

"可你当时根本没有壳。全身都是刺，"花斑美洲豹说道。"我很清楚。你瞧瞧我的爪子！"

‘You told me to drop into the turbid Amazon and be drowned,’ said Slow-Solid. ‘Why are you so rude and forgetful to-day?’

"你还让我跳进浑浊的亚马逊河里淹死呢，"迟缓结实的说道。"你今天怎么这么无礼，又这么健忘？"

‘Don’t you remember what your mother told you?’ said Stickly-Prickly,—

"你不记得你妈妈跟你说的话了吗？"浑身是刺的说道——

‘Can’t curl, but can swim— Stickly-Prickly, that’s him! Curls up, but can’t swim— Slow-Solid, that’s him!’

不会蜷缩，却会游水—— 那便是浑身是刺的那位！ 会蜷成球，却不会游水—— 那便是迟缓结实的那位！

Then they both curled themselves up and rolled round and round Painted Jaguar till his eyes turned truly cart-wheels in his head.

说着他们俩都蜷起身子，绕着花斑美洲豹一圈又一圈地滚来滚去，滚得他脑袋里的眼珠子都真真切切地转起了车轮。

Then he went to fetch his mother.

于是他便去找他妈妈了。

‘Mother,’ he said, ‘there are two new animals in the woods to-day, and the one that you said couldn’t swim, swims, and the one that you said couldn’t curl up, curls; and they’ve gone shares in their prickles, I think, because both of them are scaly all over, instead of one being smooth and the other very prickly; and, besides that, they are rolling round and round in circles, and I don’t feel comfy.’

"妈妈，"他说道，"树林里今天来了两只新的动物，你说不会游水的那只，居然会游水了；你说不会蜷起来的那只，居然会蜷起来了；我看他们大概是把身上的刺分了一分，因为他们俩现在浑身都长满了鳞片，不再是一个光滑一个满身是刺了；除此之外，他们还一圈一圈地滚来滚去，弄得我很不舒服。"

‘Son, son!’ said Mother Jaguar ever so many times, graciously waving her tail, ‘a Hedgehog is a Hedgehog, and can’t be anything but a Hedgehog; and a Tortoise is a Tortoise, and can never be anything else.’

"孩子，孩子啊！"豹妈妈一遍又一遍地说着，优雅地摇着尾巴，"刺猬就是刺猬，除了刺猬什么都不是；乌龟就是乌龟，永远也不可能是别的什么。"

‘But it isn’t a Hedgehog, and it isn’t a Tortoise. It’s a little bit of both, and I don’t know its proper name.’

"可它既不是刺猬，也不是乌龟。它是两者各占一点，我都不知道该给它取个什么正经名字才好。"

‘Nonsense!’ said Mother Jaguar. ‘Everything has its proper name. I should call it “Armadillo” till I found out the real one. And I should leave it alone.’

"胡说！"豹妈妈说道。"什么东西都有它自己的正经名字。在我查出它真正的名字之前，我就叫它'犰狳'吧。而且我还是离他们远远的比较好。"

So Painted Jaguar did as he was told, especially about leaving them alone; but the curious thing is that from that day to this, O Best Beloved, no one on the banks of the turbid Amazon has ever called Stickly-Prickly and Slow-Solid anything except Armadillo. There are Hedgehogs and Tortoises in other places, of course (there are some in my garden); but the real old and clever kind, with their scales lying lippety-lappety one over the other, like pine-cone scales, that lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon in the High and Far-Off Days, are always called Armadillos, because they were so clever.

于是花斑美洲豹便照她说的做了，尤其是离他们远远的这一点；不过奇怪的是，我的宝贝，从那天起直到今天，浑浊的亚马逊河岸边再没有人管浑身是刺的和迟缓结实的叫别的名字，都只叫他们犰狳。当然，别的地方也有刺猬和乌龟（我的花园里就有几只）；可是那种古老而聪明的、鳞片像松果的鳞片那样一片叠一片、层层相叠的真正老品种，那种当年在那高远古时候住在浑浊的亚马逊河岸边的家伙，如今始终都被叫作犰狳，因为他们实在是太聪明了。

So that was all right, Best Beloved. Do you see?

所以这一切都好好的，我的宝贝。你明白了吗？

I’ve never sailed the Amazon, I’ve never reached Brazil; But the Don and Magdelana, They can go there when they will!

我从未航行过亚马逊河， 也从未到过巴西； 可是那"顿号"和"马格达莱纳号"， 它们想去随时都能去！

Yes, weekly from Southampton, Great steamers, white and gold, Go rolling down to Rio (Roll down—roll down to Rio!) And I’d like to roll to Rio Some day before I’m old!

是啊，从南安普顿出发，每周都有 一艘艘白金相间的巨轮， 一路滚滚驶向里约 （滚下去——滚下去，滚向里约！） 我也真想有朝一日 在我老去之前，滚一趟里约！

I’ve never seen a Jaguar, Nor yet an Armadill O dilloing in his armour, And I s’pose I never will,

我从未见过美洲豹， 也从未见过一只犰狳 裹着他的铠甲滚来滚去， 我想我大概永远也见不着了，

Unless I go to Rio These wonders to behold— Roll down—roll down to Rio— Roll really down to Rio! Oh, I’d love to roll to Rio Some day before I’m old!

除非我去一趟里约 亲眼见识这些奇景—— 滚下去——滚下去，滚向里约—— 真真切切地滚向里约！ 哦，我真想去滚一趟里约， 趁我还没老去的时候！