In a small pretty village in Nottingham shire（郡） there formerly¹ lived a respectable Squire²（乡绅，大地主）, who excelled（优于，超过） all his friends in amusements athletic³, and whose manner of living was far from ascetic⁴（苦行的，禁欲的） .

A wife he had taken for better or worse, whose temper had proved an intolerant curse, but at length（最后，终于） , to his great and unspeakable joy, she died when presenting a fine little boy.

Strange fancies men have, the father designed to watch over the dawn of his son's youthful mind that, only approached by the masculine（阳性的，男性的） gender⁵, no room should be left him for feelings more tender. Had I never seen a woman, he often would sigh, What Squire in the country so happy as I!

The boy was intelligent, active and bright, and took in his studies uncommon⁶ delight, no juvenile⁷ follies⁸ distracted his mind, no visions of bright eyes  or damsels unkind and those fair demisisterly beings so gay, ycleptpretty cousins, never popped in his way. Till at length this remarkably⁹ singular son could number of years that had passed twenty one．

Now the father had settled, his promising¹⁰ son should his studies conclude when he reached twenty one and he went with a heart beating high with emotion to launch the young man on life's turbulent ocean.

As they entered the town, a young maiden¹¹ tripped by, with a cheek like a rose and a lightlaughing eye. O father, what's that? cried the youth with delight, as this vision of loveliness burst on his sight. O, that, cried the cautious and politic¹² Squire, who did not they outh's ardent¹³ glances admire, is only a thing called a Goose, my dear son, we shall see many more ere our visit is done.

Blooming damsels（少女） now passed with their butter and cheese，whose beauty might even an anchorite（隐士） please. Merely geese! said the Squire, don't mind them, my dear. There are many things better worth looking at here. As onwards they passed, every step brought to view some spectacle equally curious and new and the joy of the youth hardly knew any bounds, at the roped ancers, tumblers and merry go rounds．

As soon as the tour of the town was completed, the father solved that the boy should be treated, so pausing an instant. He said,My dear son, a new era today in your life has begun, now of all this bright scene and the gayeties in it, choose whatever you like. It is yours from this minute．Choose whatever I like? cried the jouthful recluse¹⁴, O, thank you, dear father, then give me a goose!