Chapter 2 Birtwick Park
第2章 伯特威克庄园
I was beginning to grow handsome.
我开始长得英俊了。
My coat was fine and soft,and was a shiny black. I had one white foot,and a pretty white star on my forehead.
我的毛细腻柔软,油黑油黑的,有一只脚是白色的,前额上还有一颗漂亮的白星。
When I was four years old,Mr Gordon came to look at me.
在我4岁时,高顿先生来看我。
He looked closely at my eyes,my mouth,and my legs,and then I had to walk and trot and gallop for him.
他仔细地看了我的眼睛、嘴巴和腿,然后我为他表演了走步、小跑和奔驰。
'When he has been trained,'Mr Gordon said to my master,'he will do very well.'
把他训练一下,高顿先生对我的主人说,他会做得很好。
My master liked to train his horses himself before selling them,and the next day my training began.
我的主人喜欢在卖马前亲自驯马,于是第二天我的训练开始了。
To train a horse is to teach him to wear a saddle,and to carry a man,woman or child on his back.
训练一匹马,要教他学会配戴马鞍,驮男人、女人和小孩。
The horse must also learn to wear a collar,and to stand still when it is put on;
这匹马还得学会戴轭具,在套轭具时,得站稳了不能移动;
then to have a carriage fixed behind him,and to go fast or slow,whichever his driver wishes.
然后还得学会在身后套上一辆马车,按赶车人的意思快走或慢走。
He must never bite or kick or talk to other horses,and must always do what his master tells him,however tired or hungry he feels.
他永远不得踢、咬或者和其他马闲聊,而且不管多累多饿,都必须永远服从主人。
Like all horses that have grown up,I had to wear a bit and bridle.A bit is a great piece of cold hard metal,as thick as a man's finger,
和所有成年的马一样,我得戴上嚼口和笼头。马嚼口是一大片又冷又硬的金属,像人的手指那么厚,
which is pushed into a horse's mouth between his teeth and over his tongue,with the ends coming out at the corners.
塞进马嘴,卡在上下两排牙齿之间,舌头之上,末端从嘴角伸出来。
It is held there by straps which go over the horse's head,under his neck,round his nose and under his chin.
勒住嚼口的绳子绕着马头,经过脖子下面,围着鼻子和下巴颏儿。
Reins,which the rider holds,are fastened to each end of the bit.Slowly,with my master's kind words and gentle ways,I learned to wear my bit and bridle.
马夫手里的缰绳紧紧系住嚼口的两端。慢慢地,在我主人的好言好语和温柔的动作引导下,我学会了戴嚼口和笼头。
关于《黑骏马》在黑骏马身上,我们可以看到很多人类的品质:诚实可靠、坚定勇敢、温顺友善...虽然黑骏马历经磨难,却始终没有改变这些品质。