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很久很久以前，在一个叫作书番的小村庄里，有一个小女孩，她是个孤儿，与姑妈生活在一起。 姑妈对自己的孩子宠爱有加，对小女孩却非常苛刻。她让女孩捡柴火，下地干活，修补家里的泥瓦墙，照看火鸡，从日出一直忙到日落。 每天清晨女孩就把火鸡从鸡笼赶到溪谷去觅食。 每天晚上她又回到溪谷去把火鸡唤回家，小鸡们会围着她跟她回到鸡笼里。村庄里的每个人，包括她的兄弟姊妹们，都叫她火鸡女孩。 她经常吃不上早饭就被派去放鸡，很多时候晚上都是饿着肚子上床睡觉。 火鸡女孩辛辛苦苦地劳作了很多年，从没有人关心过她。但她对火鸡们非常好，细心地照料他们。火鸡们也很爱她，每当晚上女孩来唤他们回家时，他们会立即围拢过来。 火鸡女孩慢慢长成了一位少女。但她干那么辛苦的活，看起来总是又脏又累，头发缠绕在一起，乱蓬蓬的；衣服是表姊妹们穿完后给她的，打着补丁，破烂不堪。 一天，有消息说村里四天后将举办盛大的舞会，每个人都兴高采烈的。火鸡女孩的表姊妹们开始为舞会缝制新外套和礼服，她们边缝边有说有笑地谈论着自己在舞会上会多么漂亮。 火鸡女孩知道自己不会受到邀请，即使有人邀请她，她也没有衣服穿。大家都会嘲笑她那又脏又破的衣服。 接下来的三天，每当火鸡女孩赶着火鸡往溪谷走时，她都会一边叹气一边对火鸡们诉说关于舞会的事情。 “要是能去参加舞会该有多棒啊！"她叹息道。火鸡们往前走着。 "但那不可能，即使我能去也没有一件像样的衣服穿，大家都会嘲笑我的。’’她对火鸡们说道。火鸡们继续走着。 第四天，当火鸡女孩边说边想着关于舞会的事情时，没有注意到火鸡们已经把带她到了溪谷的深处，以前她从没有来过。火鸡们停下来围住她。 最老的火鸡拍打着翅膀，昂首向她走过来，说道："我们可以帮你参加舞会" 火鸡女孩瞪着老火鸡张大了嘴巴，说不出话来。 最后她尖叫道：“你对我说话了，你真的对我说话啦！哇噢！我的火鸡会说话啦！” “是的，当我们想说话的时侯就能说话，”老火鸡说，“不要害怕。” "好吧，会说话的火鸡！我没事啦。"火鸡女孩说，“你刚才说舞会怎么了？’’ 老火鸡说：“如果你相信我们并照我们说的做，我们就能帮你去参加舞会。’’ “但除了这些旧衣服，我没什么可穿的，何况我的身上也很脏。”女孩哭了起来。 火鸡们瞅着她一句话也没说。 “好吧，我相信你们，"火鸡女孩说，“你们是我这么多年来唯一的朋友。” 老火鸡让她脱掉衣服放在地上。随后他阔步在上面前前后后地走来走去，又是用嘴巴啄，又是用翅膀拍打。 其他的火鸡们围着火鸡女孩，用翅膀给她擦洗身子，用嘴巴给她梳理头发，直到她的皮肤又干净又光滑，长长的卷曲的黑头发闪亮动人。 火鸡们退下后，老火鸡站在那儿，嘴里叼着一件美丽的刺绣白礼服，火鸡女孩穿上了它。 一只大火鸡抬起翅膀，掉下来一双精美无比的白色鹿皮鞋。 另一只火鸡咳嗽了一下，咳出一条闪闪发光的贝壳项链。 火鸡女孩穿上了新衣服，脸上容光焕发，看起来漂亮极了。 她感谢了火鸡们，转身要离开溪谷去参加舞会。 "你走之前，”老火鸡说道，“必须保证不会忘了我们在溪谷里，要在天黑前回来带我们回鸡舍。” “我保证！”女孩一边喊一边转身朝村庄跑去，“你们可以相信我！” 当火鸡女孩到达村里时，没人认出身着华丽新装的她。 所有的年轻人都爱慕地看着她，想知道这位漂亮的少女是谁，所有的女孩都热情地问候她。最初火鸡女孩有点羞涩，羞于开口讲话，但慢慢地她融入了跳舞的人群中。 她越放松，就玩得越高兴。她跳啊跳啊，忘记了火鸡们。直到注意到太阳落山时投下的长影子，火鸡女孩才记起了火鸡们。她从村子里狂奔出来，完全不顾她的新朋友们在后面喊她。当她到达溪谷中她离开火鸡们的地方时，天已经黑了，火鸡们不见了。 火鸡女孩在溪谷和山川间奔跑着，呼喊着。她喊啊喊啊，但没有火鸡答应她。她追得越快，火鸡们跑得也越快。灌木丛和荆棘划破了她的新衣服，衣服沾满了灰尘和泥土，漂亮的项链也断了，贝壳遗失在黑暗中。 最后，火鸡女孩不再追赶火鸡了，她抽泣着，浑身脏兮兮地回到了村子里。她知道没有了自己的好朋友火鸡们，日子会更加难过。 这就是现在野火鸡分散在溪谷和山里的原因。 由于火鸡女孩没有遵守诺言，火鸡再也不相信人类，一旦有人走近，他们就会跑得远远的。 A very long time ago in the village of Shufinne, a young orphan girl lived with her aunt. The aunt spoilt her own children but was very mean to the little girl. She made her work from sunrise to sunset gathering wood, working in the fields, patching the mud walls of their house and looking after the turkeys. Each morning the girl would let the turkeys out of their cages and take them into the canyons to let them search for food. Each night she would go up into the canyons and call the turkeys to come home They would gather round her and follow her back to their cages. Everyone in the village including her cousins, called her Turkey Girl. She was often sent off with the turkeys without any breakfast, and many times sh went to bed hungry at night. Turkey Girl worked hard for years. No one showed her any kindness. But she was very kind and caring to the turkeys. They loved her in return and came immediately she called them at night to lead them back to their cages. Gradually Turkey Girl grew into a young woman. But she always looked dirty and tired from all the hard work she did. Her hair was a tangled, untidy mess and her clothes were patched and tattered hand downs from her cousins. One day it was announced there would be a big dance in the village in four days time. Everyone was excited. Turkey Girl’s cousins began sewing new mantas or dresses for the dance. They laughed as they sewed, and talked about how wonderful they would look at the dance. Turkey Girl knew she was not invited and even if she was, she had nothing to wear. Everyone would laugh at her dirty and patched clothes. For the next three days as Turkey Girl walked with her turkeys into the canyons, she sighed and talked to the birds about the dance. “It would be so cool to go to that dance.” she sighed. The turkeys kept walking. “But it’s never going to happen. And even if I could go I don’t have a nice dress to wear. Everyone would laugh at me.” she said to the turkeys. The turkeys kept walking. On the fourth day as Turkey Girl talked and thought about the dance she didn’t notice that the turkeys had led her further into the canyons than she had ever been before. The turkeys stopped and circled her. The oldest turkey flapped his wings, strutted up to her and said “We can help you go to the dance.” Turkey Girl stared at the old turkey with her mouth wide open, unable to speak. Finally she screamed, “You spoke to me, you really spoke to me! Wow! My turkeys can talk!” “Yes we can talk when we want to.” said the old turkey. “Now get over it!” “Ok，talking turkeys! I’m cool with that.” said Turkey Girl. “Now what were you saying about the dance?” The old turkey said, “If you trust us and do what we say, we can help you go to the dance.” “But I’ve got nothing to wear except these old clothes, and I’m dirty.” cried the girl. The turkeys stared at her without saying a word. “Ok, I trust you.” said Turkey Girl. “You’ve been my only friends all these years.” The old turkey told her to take off her dress and put it on the ground. He then strutted back and forth on it, picking at it with his beak and beating it with his wings. The other turkeys circled around Turkey Girl, brushing her with their wings and combing her hair with their beaks until her skin was clean and smooth and her long black hair was shining and wavy. When the turkeys stepped away from her, the old turkey stood there, holding a beautifully embroidered white dress in his beak. Turkey Girl put it on. A large turkey lifted his wing and out fell a pair of the finest white moccasins. Another turkey coughed and out came a sparkling shell necklace. Dressed in her new clothes and with her glowing face, Turkey Girl looked truly beautiful. She thanked the turkeys and turned to leave the canyon to go to the dance. “Before you go,” said the old turkey “You must promise not to forget us here in the canyon and come back before it is dark, to take us back to our cages.” “I promise!” shouted Turkey Girl, as she turned and ran towards the village. “You can trust me.” When Turkey Girl reached the village no one recognized her in her gorgeous new clothes. All the young men looked at her admiringly, wondering who this beautiful young woman was. All the young women greeted her warmly. At first Turkey Girl was a bit shy and found it hard to talk but gradually she joined in the dancing. The more she relaxed, the more she enjoyed herself and danced and danced, forgetting about the turkeys. It wasn’t until she noticed the long shadows cast by the sun as it sank behind the mountains, that she remembered the turkeys. Turkey Girl ran from the village, ignoring all her new friends who called after her. When she reached the canyon where she had left the turkeys it was dark and all the turkeys had gone. Turkey Girl ran through the canyons and mountains calling out to the turkeys. She called and called but the turkeys would not answer her. The faster she chased them the faster the turkeys ran away from her. Brush and thorns ripped her new clothes and they became covered in dust and dirt. The beautiful necklace broke and the shells were lost in the dark. Finally Turkey Girl stopped chasing the turkeys and walked back to the village, sobbing and dirty. She knew life would be much harder now without her good friends the turkeys. That is why to this day wild turkeys are scattered throughout the canyons and mountains. And because of Turkey Girl’s broken promise turkeys no longer trust humans and run away whenever we come near. |
