绘本菜园里，泥土中(UpintheGarden,DownintheDirt)

菜园里, 泥土中

凯特·梅斯纳 | 克里斯托弗·西拉斯·尼尔

菜园之上, 世界充满绿意(the world is full of green)—— 这里有菜叶子(leaves), 菜苗(sprouts), 还有正在成长的蔬菜和成熟的水果(ripening fruit). 泥土之下, 世界依然繁忙—— 这里有打洞的臭鼬(skunks burrowing), 打猎的蛇, 亦有其他在菜园里安家的小动物. 透过茎叶的阴影与泥土的隐藏, 你会在这本热情洋溢的(exuberant)小书中发现一个充满活力的神奇世界.
Up in the garden(花园,菜园), I stand and plan(站着,盘算着)— my hands full of seeds(手中攥满了种子) and my head full of dreams(脑中充满了梦想).

Spring sun(春天的太阳) shines down(照耀着大地) to melt the sleepy snow(融化了沉睡的雪).
Wind whistles through(风呼呼的吹过) last year"s plants(去年的植物), and mud sucks at my rain boots(泥土吮吸着我的雨靴).

"It"s not quite time(还不是时候)," Nana says(奶奶说).
"Down in the dirt, things need to dry out(变干) and warm up(预热)."
"What"s down there(下面有什么)?" I ask.

"Down in the dirt is a whole busy world of earthworms(蚯蚓) and insects, digging and building and stirring up soil(挖,筑,翻动土壤).
They"re already working down in the dirt."

Up in the garden, we snap brittle stalks(折断易碎的茎秆), scoop rustly armfuls(抱起一抱抱的秸秆), and wheel away weeds(除去杂草) for the chickens.
While they squabble(吵吵着) and scratch(扒拉着), we spread compost over the soil(将堆肥撒在土壤上).

Down in the dirt, pill bugs(西瓜虫) chew through last year"s leaves.
I give a gentle poke(轻轻地一戳).
They roll up tight(紧紧地卷了起来) and hide in plated suits of armor(镀金的套甲), roly-poly round(圆滚滚的).

Up in the garden, it"s time to plant.
I trail a furrow with my finger(用我的手指犁了一道沟) and sprinkle seeds in a careful row(然后将种子仔细地撒在上面).
"Give them a drink," Nana says.
We pat them down(将它们拍进土里) to snuggle in the dark(依偎在黑暗中).

Down in the dirt, a tomato hornworm(番茄天蛾虫) rests, waiting for wings(等待着翅膀的长成)— and the leaves where she"ll lay her eggs(待产卵的叶子).

Up in the garden, carrot plants sprout(胡萝卜发芽了).
Pea blossoms bloom(豌豆开花了).
Wasps are on the prowl(黄蜂在四处觅食), and honeybees visit(蜜蜂也在飞来飞去), legs loaded with pollen(它们的腿上都粘满了花粉).

I weed and wilt(除草并将其晒干) in sun so strong even Nana looks for shade(寻找绿荫).
Down in the dirt earthworms tunnel deep.
I"m jealous of their cool, damp, dark.

Up in the garden— "Rain shower!" Nana turns the hose on me(将水管指向某人)! "Eeeee!"

I hide behind the cucumber vines(黄瓜藤), but their leaves can"t save me.
I shiver and laugh(颤抖着笑着), drenched in Nana"s rain(在奶奶的洒水中湿透了身).
Down in the dirt, water soaks deep(水往深处了渗).
Roots drink it in, and a long-legged spider(长腿蜘蛛) stilt-walks over the streams(踩着大长腿跨过这些小细流).

Up in the garden, there"s so much to eat! Ladybugs feast on aphids(瓢虫在吃着蚜虫盛宴).
Nana crunches green beans(奶奶在嘎吱嘎吱地嚼着青豆子).
I bite a ripe tomato, warm from the sun.
Juice dribbles down my chin(果汁从我的下巴上滴了下来).

Down in the dirt, a robin"s beak(鸟嘴) finds a cricket(蟋蟀), a beetle, a grub(小虫子).
Slugs are scrumptious(蛞蝓也是非常的好吃), too.

Up in the garden, we pick cukes(黄瓜) and zucchini(西葫芦), harvesting into the dark(走进黑暗).
Bats swoop through the sunflowers(蝙蝠飞驰的掠过向日葵), and I pluck June bugs from the basil(摘去罗勒叶上的六月虫) until it"s time for bed.

Down in the dirt, skunks work the night shift(值夜班).
They snuffle(呼哧呼哧的喘着气) and dig, and gobble cutworms(切叶虫) while I sleep.

Up in the garden, a praying mantis wakes to hunt mosquitoes(蚊子).
Nana sprays away the aphids(拿药喷走这些蚜虫), and I"m after grasshoppers(蚂蚱).
Ready to swoosh(嗖嗖地的掠过), but ...

Snap(快咬它)! Someone else is faster!!
Down in the dirt, a smooth, shining garter snake(袜带蛇) crunches on supper(嘎吱嘎吱地嚼着晚餐).

Up in the garden, the wind grows cool.
Pumpkins blush orange(南瓜羞"黄"了脸), and sunflowers bow to September(向日葵正在向九月鞠躬).
Nana ties them together to build a house for reading(建了一间阅读室).

Down in the dirt, an orb weaver(园蛛) spins her web, strand by silken strand(在丝线上停驻).
She"ll munch on moths(津津有味地嚼着蛾子) tonight.

Up in the garden, colored leaves litter(把...弄得乱七八糟) the squash vines(南瓜藤), and we know the cold is coming.
Hurry, hurry, and harvest!
There"s enough for the neighbors, too!
Down in the dirt, frantic ants(忙碌的蚂蚁) gather what we leave behind.
They"re storing food for cooler days ahead(提前储备"过冬"的食物).

Up in the garden, frost draws lace on leftover leaves(白霜为残叶描着花边), where secret egg sacs hang(悬挂着秘密的卵囊), waiting for the warm to return.
We say good-bye and spread the winter blankets(铺了冬天的毯子).

Down in the dirt, beetles burrow.
Ants scurry(匆匆) home.
Earthworms curl tight in the dark.

When Grandpa calls us in for soup, an autumn moon is rising.
Up in the garden, dry cornstalks tremble(玉米秆在颤动), and the wind smells like winter.
But the long ripe days of summer still rest in the garden beds.
The ladybugs and bumblebees(熊蜂), earthworms and ants are hunkered down("收起了"腿), hiding(躲藏着)...
biding their time(等待时机)...

dreaming of sunshine and blossoms and sprouts(发芽).
Under the bare arms of trees(光秃秃的树木) and the blanketing snow, a whole new garden sleeps down in the dirt.