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大家都知道，古时候，兔子阿布雷格穆克是伟大的神格鲁斯凯普所在的森林里的向导，给在森林里迷路的旅行者带路。然而随着时间的推移，印第安人和动物们学会了在森林里寻找道路,不再经常需要兔子的帮助了。阿布雷格穆克变得又肥又懒。简单而愉快的事情，他就做；但困难而又让人厌烦的事情，他根本不干。这样家里根本不可能储备下食物，和他住在一起的奶奶，可怜的老奶奶就不得不经常自己去寻找食物，不然他们就要饿肚子了。不论奶奶怎么责备他，阿布雷格穆克就是不改。 格鲁斯凯普在远在布鲁美登山上的家里，看到兔子正在变成一个彻头彻尾没用的东西，觉得必须警告兔子一下，让他知道懒惰的危险后果。格鲁斯凯普一刻也不耽误，从他的木屋下来，只用三大步就到了沙滩。他跳上独木舟，划着桨穿过芬迪湾，来到兔子家附近的岸边。 这是一个阳光明媚的早上，沿海诸省像往常一样，凉爽的空气中夹杂着一股咸咸的气味。这时，兔子蹦蹦跳跳地过来了，兴高采烈地唱着： 多么美好的一天。真悠闲呀，真悠闲！从早玩到晚！ 他根本不注意那些可以采回去做晚餐的美味树叶和浆果，对观看别人劳动更感兴趣。松鼠米克一下子跳上一棵高大的枫树，嘴里塞满了坚果，两个腿撑得鼓鼓的，他只停留了一下，责备阿布雷格穆克离他的储藏室太近了。大黄蜂麦琪彻穆克正在金色的花蕊上忙碌，为蜂巢采集花蜜。还有蓝松鸦媞媞正把虫子衔回大松树上的家。一切都如此有趣，阿布雷格穆克在一棵高大挺拔的冷杉旁停下来欣赏这热闹的场面。突然他听到身后传来一个声音。 ‘‘阿布雷格穆克，小心点儿！” 兔子跳起来，转身四下打量，但是一个人影儿也没有。声音又一次响了起来,好像是从他的头顶上传来的。 "当心，阿布雷格穆克，否则你的懒惰会给你带来痛苦和悲伤。” 兔子抬起头来，看到冷杉摇动起来，就像暴风雨中的一片树叶，但实际上却一丝儿风都没有。他吓傻了，撒腿跑了起来 ，不停地狂奔，直到安全地回了家。 回到家后，兔子把发生的事情告诉了奶奶。 "那是格鲁斯凯普给你的警告，”奶奶说，“一定要照他说的做，孩子，不然你会后悔的。” 兔子的腿因为惊吓和疲惫不停地打颤，他立即保证将来一定会当心，会改掉懒惰的毛病。确实，一段时间里，他真的忙着四处收集食物，把小屋里储满了食物。但是，当秋天来临的时候，他又懒惰了，又变回了他的老样子，对什么事都漠不关心。 多么美好的一天！真悠闲呀，真悠闲！从早玩到晚！ 阿布雷格穆克一边唱着，一边在景色壮观的秋天的树林中闲逛。无论老奶奶是苦口婆心的劝说恳求也好，斥责也罢，阿布雷格穆克还是把更多的时间花在到邻居家玩上，根本不去收集食物。冬天降临大地了，一天，兔子来到水獭库尼克家。库尼克礼貌地邀请他吃饭，兔子马上就答应了。于是库尼克转身用印第安人惯常的方式对他的老管家说：“奶奶，准备做饭吧。" 然后他就拿着鱼钩出门了。兔子一蹦一跳地跟在他身后，好奇地要看看他要干什么。库尼克在白雪覆盖的河岸上坐了下来，然后沿着一条结了冰的小路滑进了河里。过了一会儿，当他再次出现时，手里拎着一串鳗鱼。他把鳗鱼给了奶奶，奶奶马上用它们来准备晚餐了。 “天哪！”阿布雷格穆克心想，"这可真是一个养家糊口的简单办法呀，我也可以和库尼克做得一样好。"于是他邀请水獭第二天到他家做客，就匆匆回家了。 ‘‘快，"他对奶奶说我们要把家搬到河边去。"不管奶奶说什么，他都坚持要搬家。奶奶提醒他家里一点儿吃的都没有了，他应该出去寻找食物。但是阿布雷格穆克根本听不进去。他正忙着做一个像库尼克一样的滑道。天气很冷，所以他只需往冰雪覆盖的河岸上泼水就可以了。泼了水的地方很快结冰了，成了他钓鱼的滑道。第二天一大早，客人就到了。到了吃饭的时候，阿布雷格穆克对他的奶奶说： “奶奶.准备做饭吧。” “没有东西可做啊。”奶奶悲伤地说。 "啊，我会负责找食物的。”兔子自信地笑着说。然后，他走到滑道的顶端准备去钓鱼了。然而当他要滑下去的时候，才发现根本没那么容易。他的毛又粗糙又干燥，不像水獭的毛那么顺滑。兔子只能用脚后跟慢慢挪动着往前蹭，直到最后滑下去，一头扎进水里。冰冷的河水差点儿使他背过气去，他这才想起自己不会游泳。兔子在水中挣扎着、尖叫着，现在他心里想的不再是钓鱼了，而是他就要被淹死了。 “他到底怎么了？”库尼克问兔子的奶奶。 “我想他肯定是看别人这么做过，”奶奶叹了口气说，“于是他就认为自己也能做到。”库尼克把已经冻僵的、淹得半死的兔子从水里救了上来。因为没有可吃的，所以水獭只好空着肚子，满心不快地回家了。 你真的认为阿布雷格穆克被冰冷的河水泡过之后就真心悔过了吗？丝毫没有。就在第二天，他又无所事事地穿过森林，来到一群雌啄木鸟的家里。这些啄木鸟邀请他吃饭的时候，他心里别提多高兴了。 兔子迫不及待地想看看他们是怎样觅食的。 一只啄木鸟拿着一个盘子，来到一棵山毛榉树旁边，迅速啄出很多虫子来做食物，虫子被炒好了放在兔子面前。 “哎呀，我的天啊！”阿布雷格穆克心想，“有些人过个曰子可真容易呀。凭什么我就不能这么做呢？"于是他告诉啄木鸟们，让他们一定要到家里来吃饭。 第二天，啄木鸟们来到兔子家里，阿布雷格穆克很有权威地对奶奶说： “奶奶，准备做饭吧。" "你这个蠢货，’她说，‘‘我们没有东西可做。” “快生火吧，"兔子愉快地说，"剩下的我会准备。” 于是，他把捉鳗鱼用的鱼叉上面的石头尖拿下来，扎在头上模仿啄木鸟的喙， 然后爬上一棵树，用头上的石头尖敲击起树干来。不一会儿，他的头就撞伤了，开始流血，紧接着他的手没有抓牢，掉到地上狠狠地摔了一跤，啄木鸟们忍不住大笑起来。 “上帝啊，他到底在上面干什么？ ” “我猜他肯定是看到别人这么做过。”奶奶摇着头说，“于是就以为他也能做到。" 奶奶建议琢木鸟们回家去，因为没有食物可以招待他们。 现在兔子浑身疼痛，你肯定以为这一次他会接受教训了。但是，一两天之后， 他又开始像往常一样在树林里溜达了。他碰上了小熊穆尼，小熊邀请他一起吃饭。 熊准备食物的方式给他留下了非常深刻的印象。穆尼只是拿起一把锋利的刀子，从脚底往下切一小片一小片的肉，然后把肉放进火上的一个水壶里。不一会儿，他们就享受了一顿美餐。 "这肯定是准备饭菜的最简单的方法了。”阿布雷格穆克觉得很不可思议，他邀请小熊第二天到家里吃饭。可兔子根本不知道熊提前在脚上储存了食物，原来他们用爪子踩压成熟的浆果，等浆果干了之后就会像蛋糕一样粘在脚掌上，可以小块小块地切下来吃。愚蠢的兔子竟然认为穆尼真的把脚掌上的肉切下来吃。 到了吃饭时间，阿布雷格穆克命令奶奶准备做饭。奶奶说没有东西可做，他便让奶奶把水壶放到火上，剩下的事情交给他。然后，他拿起一把石刀，像他看到小熊做的那样，开始用刀割自己的脚。但是，噢，天哪，太疼了，简直疼死了！眼泪从他的脸颊上滚落下来，可他还是割呀割呀，开始时割这一只脚，然后换成另一只。小熊穆尼看得目瞪口呆。 “这个家伙到底想干什么？ ”他问。 奶奶忧伤地摇着头。“又是老一套，他肯定是看到别人这么做过。” “好吧！ ”穆尼火冒三丈地说：“被请来吃饭,却什么都吃不到，这可真是奇耻大辱。这个家伙的问题是太懒了！ ”说完怒气冲冲地回家了。 最后，阿布雷格穆克护着自己疼痛难忍的脚，想起了格鲁斯凯普说的话，他一下子意识到自己是多么愚蠢。 “噢，天啊！ ”他说，"我获得食物的方式很难，但是别人的更难。以后我要坚持我自己的方式。”后来他就改变了自己的行为。 从那以后，阿布雷格穆克和他奶奶的小屋里从冬到夏一直都储存着满满的食物。尽管他还是唱歌，但他的歌词已经改了 ： 多么明智的事情！忙碌碌啊，忙碌碌！从早忙到晚！ 在遥远的布鲁美登山上，格鲁斯凯普看到愚蠢的兔子最终改邪归正，便点上烟斗，满意地抽了起来。 In the Old Time, as you know, Ableegumooch was Glooscap’s1 forest guide and helped wayfarers2 lost in the forest. However, as time went on, Indians and animals learned to find their own way through the trees and did not need the rabbit’s services so often. Ableegumooch grew fat and lazy. If there was something easy and pleasant to do, he did it. If the thing were difficult or tiring, he did not. Now that is no way to keep a wigwam stocked with food. Often, poor old Noogumee, his grandmother, with whom he lived, had to hunt for food herself, or they would have gone hungry. And no matter how much she scolded him, Ableegumooch refused to mend his ways. Glooscap, far away in his lodge on Blomidon, saw that the rabbit was becoming a thoroughly useless creature. He must be warned against the dangers of laziness. So, wasting no time, Glooscap descended from his lodge to the beach in three huge strides, launched his canoe, and paddled across the Bay of Fundy to the shore near the rabbit’s home. It was a fine bright morning, the air cool and tasting of salt, as it always does in the Maritime Provinces. And presently along hopped the rabbit, singing with fine spirit: It’s a lovely day to do Nothing, nothing All the day through! He paid no attention to the tasty leaves and berries he might have been gathering for dinner. He was much more interested in watching other people work. There was Miko the Squirrel scampering up the big maple tree, his cheeks bulged out with nuts, pausing only long enough to scold Ableegumooch for coming too near his storehouse. There was Mechipchamooech the Bumble Bee4, busy at the golden rod, gathering honey for his hive. And there was Teetees the Blue Jay, flying worms to his family in the big pine. It was all so interesting that Ableegumooch stopped beside a stately fir tree to enjoy the scene. Suddenly behind him, he heard a voice. “Ableegumooch，be careful!” The rabbit jumped and whirled about, but there was nobody there. The voice spoke again, from somewhere over his head. “Take care, Ableegumooch, or your lazy ways will bring you pain and sorrow.” The rabbit looked up and saw the fir tree shake like a leaf in a storm, yet not a breath of wind stirred. Frightened out of his wits, he ran—and he never stopped running until he was safe at home, where he told his grandmother what had happened. “Glooscap has given you a warning.” said his grand mother. “Be sure to obey him, grandson, or you will be sorry.” The rabbit’s legs were still trembling from fright and exertion, and he promised at once that he would take care to mend his lazy ways in future. And indeed, for a while, he went busily about his hunting and kept the wigwam well stocked with food. But, when autumn came, he grew lazy again and went back to his old careless ways. It’s a lovely day to do Nothing, nothing All the day through! So sang Ableegumooch as he sauntered through the glory of autumn trees. Noogumee begged and scolded and pleaded, but he continued to spend more time visiting his neighbours than gathering food. One day, when winter had come to the land, he came to the wigwam of Keoonik the Otter. Keoonik politely asked him to dine, and the rabbit promptly accepted. Keoonik turned to his elderly house keeper and addressed her in the usual Indian fashion: “Noogumee，prepare the meal.，’ Then he took some fishhooks and went off, the rabbit hopping along behind, curious to see what he was going to do. Keoonik sat on the snowy bank of the river and slid down an icy path into the water. In a moment, he reappeared with a string of eels which he carried to his grandmother, and she promptly cooked them for dinner. “Gracious!” thought Ableegumooch. “If that isn't an easy way to get a living. I can do that as well as Keoonik,” and he invited the Otter to be his guest at dinner on the following day. Then he hurried home. “Come!” he said to his grandmother, “we are going to move our lodge down to the river.” And in spite of all she could say. he insisted on moving it. Noogumee reminded him that the wigwam was empty of food, and he ought to be out hunting, but Ableegumooch paid no attention. He was busy making a slide like Keoonik's. The weather was cold, so all he had to do was pour water down the snowy bank, where it soon froze, and there was his fishing slide. Early next day, the guest arrived. When it was time for dinner, Ableegumooch said to his grandmother: “Noogumee，prepare the meal.” “There is nothing to prepare.” said she, sadly. “Oh，I will see to that.” said the rabbit with a confident laugh, and he took his place at the top of the slide to go fishing. When he tried to push off，however, he found it was not so easy. His coat was rough and bulky and dry, not smooth and slippery like the otter’s. He had to wriggle5 and push with his heels until at last he slid down and plunged into the water. The cold took his breath quite away, and he suddenly remembered he was unable to swim. Struggling and squealing, he thought no more of fishing，for he was in great danger of drowning. “What on earth is the matter with him?” Keoonik asked the grandmother. “I suppose he has seen someone else do that，，，sighed Noogumee, “and he thinks he can do it too.” Keoonik helped the freezing, half-drowned rabbit out of the water and, since there was nothing to eat, went home hungry and disgusted. But do you think that cold bath cured Ableegumooch? Not at all. The very next day, as he ran idly through the forest, he came to the lodge of some female woodpeckers. He was delighted when these woodpeckers invited him to dinner. He watched eagerly to see how they found food. One of the woodpeckers took a dish, went up the side of an old beech tree and quickly dug out a plentiful supply of food, which was cooked and placed before the rabbit. “My, oh my!” thought Ableegumooch. “How easily some people get a living. What is to prevent me from getting mine in that fashion?” And he told the woodpeckers they must come and dine with him. On the day following, they appeared at the rabbit’s lodge and Ableegumooch said to his grandmother importantly: Noogumee, prepare the meal.” “You foolish rabbit,” said she, “there is nothing to prepare.” “Make the fire,” said the rabbit grandly, “and I shall see to the rest.” He took the stone point from an eel spear and fastened it on his head in imitation of a woodpecker’s bill, then climbed a tree and began knocking his head against it. Soon his head was bruised and bleeding, and he lost his hold and fell to the earth with a tremendous crash. The woodpeckers could not keep from laughing. “Pray what was he doing up there?” “I suppose he has seen someone else do that,” said Noogumee, shaking her head, “and thinks he can do it too.” And she advised them to go home, as there would be no food for them there that day. Now, sore as he was, you would certainly think the rabbit had learned his lesson. Yet, a day or two later, he was idling in the woods as usual when he came upon Mooin the Bear, who invited him to dinner. He was greatly impressed at the way in which the bear got his meal. Mooin merely took a sharp knife and cut small pieces off the soles of his feet. These he placed in a kettle on the fire, and in a short while they enjoyed a delicious meal. “This must be the easiest way of all to get a dinner,” marvelled Ableegumooch, and he invited Mooin to dine with him next day. Now what the rabbit did not know was that the bears preserve food on their feet. They press ripe blueberries with their paws and, after the cakes have dried upon them, cut bits off to eat. The silly rabbit thought Mooin had actually cut pieces off his paws! At the appointed time, Ableegumooch ordered his grand mother to prepare the meal, and when she said there was nothing to prepare, he told her to put the kettle on the fire and he would do the rest. Then he took a stone knife and began to cut at his feet as he had seen Mooin do. But oh dear me, it hurt. It hurt dreadfully! With tears streaming down his cheeks, he hacked6 and hacked, first at one foot and then at the other. Mooin the Bear was greatly astonished. “What on earth is the fellow trying to do?” he asked. Noogumee shook her head dismally. “It is the same old thing. He has seen someone else do this.” “Well!” said Mooin crossly7, “It is most insulting to be asked to dinner and get nothing to eat. The trouble with that fellow is — he’s lazy!” and he went home in a huff®. Then at last, Ableegumooch, nursing his sore feet, remembered what Glooscap had said. All at once, he saw how silly he had been. “Oh dear!” he said. “My own ways of getting food are hard, but others’ are harder. I shall stick to my own in the future,and he did. From then on, the wigwam of Ableegumooch and his grandmother was always well stored with food, winter and summer, and though he still sings, his song has changed: It’s a wiser thing to be Busy, busy Constantly! And far away on Blomidon, Glooscap, seeing his foolish rabbit mend his ways at last, set a light to his pipe and smoked contentedly. |
