The Dragon Rock 2

时间：2012-06-08 03:03:07

（单词翻译:单击）

In Times of Trouble
The Dragon will Wake
And Free the Village
By making a Lake

This little poem was etched into everybody's minds and sometimes appeared on tea towels and grandma's embroidery1（刺绣） .

The days went by slowly, quietly and most importantly, without any rain. There had been no rain in the valley for as long as the children could remember. The wells were starting to bring up muddy brown water and clothes had to be washed in yesterday's dishwater. The lawns had faded to a crisp biscuit colour and the flowers drooped2 their beautiful heads. Even the trees seemed to hang their branches like weary arms. The valley turned browner and drier and thirstier, every hot, baking day.

The townsfolk grew worried and would murmur3 to each other when passing with much shaking of heads and tut tuts. They would look upwards4 searching for rain clouds in the blue, clear sky, but none ever came.

"The tale of the Dragon cannot be true," said old Mrs Greywhistle, the shopkeeper.

"It hasn't moved an inch, I swear," replied her customer, tapping an angry foot.

It was now too hot for the children to play out in the direct sun and they would gather under the shade of the trees, digging holes in the dust and snapping brittle5 twigs6.

"The Dragon will help us soon," said one child.

"He must do Something," agreed another.

"I'm sure he will."

They all nodded in agreement.

A week went by with no change, the people struggling along as best they could. Some were getting cross at the Dragon and would cast angry, sideways looks at it when passing. The villagers were becoming skinny eyed and sullen7（不高兴的） .

Meanwhile, the children had a plan.

Quickly and quietly, they moved invisibly around town, picking and plucking at the fading flowers. With outstretched arms and bouquets8 up to their chins, they rustled9 over to where the giant rock lay, as still as ever.

The boys and girls placed bunches of flowers around the Dragon in a big circle. They scattered10 petals11 around its head and over its nose, then danced around and around it, skipping and chanting the rhyme that they all knew so well.

In Times of Trouble
The Dragon Will Wake
And Save the Village
By making a Lake.

The searing heat made them dizzy and fuzzy and finally they all fell in a sprawling12 heap at the bottom of the mound13. They looked up at the rock.


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1 embroidery Wjkz7     
n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品
参考例句：
  • This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。
  • This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。
2 drooped ebf637c3f860adcaaf9c11089a322fa5     
弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。
  • The flowers drooped in the heat of the sun. 花儿晒蔫了。
3 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
4 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上，在更高处...以上
参考例句：
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
5 brittle IWizN     
adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的
参考例句：
  • The pond was covered in a brittle layer of ice.池塘覆盖了一层易碎的冰。
  • She gave a brittle laugh.她冷淡地笑了笑。
6 twigs 17ff1ed5da672aa443a4f6befce8e2cb     
细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
  • Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。
7 sullen kHGzl     
adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句：
  • He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
  • Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。
8 bouquets 81022f355e60321845cbfc3c8963628f     
n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香
参考例句：
  • The welcoming crowd waved their bouquets. 欢迎的群众摇动着花束。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • As the hero stepped off the platform, he was surrounded by several children with bouquets. 当英雄走下讲台时，已被几名手持花束的儿童围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 rustled f68661cf4ba60e94dc1960741a892551     
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He rustled his papers. 他把试卷弄得沙沙地响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Leaves rustled gently in the breeze. 树叶迎着微风沙沙作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。
11 petals f346ae24f5b5778ae3e2317a33cd8d9b     
n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
  • The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
12 sprawling 3ff3e560ffc2f12f222ef624d5807902     
adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）
参考例句：
  • He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
  • a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇
13 mound unCzhy     
n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫
参考例句：
  • The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。
  • The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。

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