快樂學習網

Folk Tales　美國的民間傳說(Part 1 of 8)

In the world of American folk tales, almost anything can happen: A cowboy rides a tornado without a saddle. A huge lumberjack digs the Great Lakes to give his giant blue ox drinking water. A rabbit's big mouth gets him stuck in a bunch of tar. Sometimes, though, this world seems more like real life: A young farmer plants apple trees everywhere he goes. A man wins a race against a machine. Above all, this fantasy world finds people struggling against circumstances— and winning.

在美國民間傳說的世界中，幾乎任何事都可能發生：一位牛仔可以不用馬鞍而騎在龍捲風上；一個身材宏偉的伐木工人挖了「大湖」，好給他藍色的巨牛喝水；或是一隻兔子因為愛說話而被卡在焦油裡。雖然如此，有時候傳奇世界又似乎更像真實生活：一位年輕農夫在他所到之處種下蘋果樹；一個男人在比賽中勝過一台機器。綜觀在這些充滿了幻想的世界裡，人們總是與環境對抗——而最後贏得了勝利。

⊙　Word Bank
　　tornado (n)　　龍捲風；颶風
　　saddle (n)　　馬鞍
　　tar (n)　　黑油；焦油

 

Folk Tales　美國的民間傳說(Part 2 of 8)

Tall tales, extraordinary tales of ordinary people and events, sprang from the days of the American pioneers. As the early settlers faced a rugged environment, they told stories of superhuman heroes. Paul Bunyan was a giant lumberjack who helped settle the Northwestern Territory. Bunyan could cut down a whole forest in less than an hour. His giant blue ox, Babe, could carry off the logs in one load.

在美國先民拓荒的歲月中，流傳出許多平凡人和事的誇大傳奇。由於早期的移民者面臨了惡劣的環境，他們便傳說著一些超人式的英雄人物。保羅．邦陽是一位伐木的大力士，他幫助到西北部來拓荒的移民安頓生活，他可以在一小時內砍完整片森林，而他藍色的巨牛——寶貝，可以一車就拉完所有的木材。

 

We should go to the park today and get some exercise.

我們今天應該去公園做些運動。