±´¿Çµç×ÓÊé > Ó¢ÎÄÔ­Öøµç×ÓÊé > the mahatma and the hare >

µÚ9ÕÂ

the mahatma and the hare-µÚ9ÕÂ

С˵£º the mahatma and the hare ×ÖÊý£º ÿҳ4000×Ö

°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·­Ò³£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡



hope¡¡that¡¡those¡¡shot¡¡hurt¡¡that¡¡fat¡¡boy¡¡half¡¡as¡¡much¡¡as¡¡they¡¡did¡¡me¡£
No£»¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡mean¡¡that¡¡I¡¡hope¡¡it¡¡now£»¡¡I¡¡used¡¡to¡¡hope¡¡it¡£

My¡¡goodness£¡¡¡didn't¡¡he¡¡screech£»¡¡much¡¡worse¡¡than¡¡my¡¡father¡¡when¡¡his
legs¡¡were¡¡broken¡£¡¡And¡¡didn't¡¡everybody¡¡else¡¡roar¡¡and¡¡shout£»¡¡and¡¡didn't
I¡¡dance£¿¡¡Off¡¡I¡¡went¡¡right¡¡over¡¡the¡¡fat¡¡boy£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡tumbled¡¡down£»¡¡up
to¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡field£»¡¡then¡¡so¡¡bewildered¡¡was¡¡I¡¡with¡¡shock¡¡and¡¡the
burning¡¡pain£»¡¡back¡¡again¡¡quite¡¡close¡¡to¡¡them¡£

But¡¡now¡¡nobody¡¡shot¡¡at¡¡me¡¡because¡¡they¡¡all¡¡thought¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡was¡¡killed
and¡¡were¡¡gathered¡¡round¡¡him¡¡looking¡¡very¡¡solemn¡£¡¡Only¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡that¡¡the
Red¡­faced¡¡Man¡¡had¡¡Tom¡¡by¡¡the¡¡neck¡¡and¡¡was¡¡kicking¡¡him¡¡hard¡£

After¡¡that¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡no¡¡more£»¡¡for¡¡I¡¡ran¡¡five¡¡miles¡¡before¡¡I¡¡stopped£»¡¡and
at¡¡last¡¡lay¡¡down¡¡in¡¡a¡¡little¡¡swamp¡¡near¡¡the¡¡seashore¡¡to¡¡which¡¡my
mother¡¡had¡¡once¡¡taken¡¡me¡£¡¡My¡¡back¡¡was¡¡burning¡¡like¡¡fire£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡tried
to¡¡cool¡¡it¡¡in¡¡the¡¡soft¡¡slush¡£



THE¡¡COURSING

Quite¡¡a¡¡moon¡¡went¡¡by¡¡before¡¡I¡¡recovered¡¡from¡¡Tom's¡¡shot¡£¡¡At¡¡first¡¡I
thought¡¡that¡¡I¡¡was¡¡going¡¡to¡¡die£»¡¡for£»¡¡although¡¡luckily¡¡none¡¡of¡¡my
bones¡¡were¡¡broken£»¡¡the¡¡pain¡¡in¡¡my¡¡back¡¡was¡¡dreadful¡£¡¡When¡¡I¡¡tried¡¡to
ease¡¡the¡¡agony¡¡by¡¡rubbing¡¡against¡¡roots¡¡it¡¡only¡¡became¡¡worse£»¡¡for¡¡the
fur¡¡fell¡¡off£»¡¡leaving¡¡sores¡¡upon¡¡which¡¡flies¡¡settled¡£¡¡I¡¡could¡¡scarcely
eat¡¡or¡¡sleep£»¡¡and¡¡grew¡¡so¡¡thin¡¡that¡¡the¡¡bones¡¡nearly¡¡poked¡¡through¡¡my
pelt¡£¡¡Indeed¡¡I¡¡wanted¡¡very¡¡much¡¡to¡¡die£»¡¡but¡¡could¡¡not¡£¡¡On¡¡the
contrary£»¡¡by¡¡degrees¡¡I¡¡recovered£»¡¡till¡¡at¡¡last¡¡I¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡strong
again¡¡and¡¡like¡¡other¡¡hares£»¡¡except¡¡for¡¡the¡¡six¡¡little¡¡grey¡¡tufts¡¡upon
my¡¡back¡¡and¡¡one¡¡hole¡¡through¡¡my¡¡right¡¡ear¡£

Now¡¡all¡¡this¡¡while¡¡I¡¡had¡¡lived¡¡in¡¡the¡¡swamp¡¡near¡¡the¡¡sea£»¡¡but¡¡when¡¡my
strength¡¡returned¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡my¡¡old¡¡home£»¡¡to¡¡which¡¡something¡¡seemed
to¡¡draw¡¡me¡£¡¡Also¡¡there¡¡were¡¡no¡¡turnips¡¡near¡¡the¡¡swamp£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡the
winter¡¡came¡¡on¡¡I¡¡found¡¡very¡¡little¡¡to¡¡eat¡¡there¡£¡¡So¡¡one¡¡day£»¡¡or¡¡rather
one¡¡night£»¡¡I¡¡travelled¡¡back¡¡home¡£

As¡¡it¡¡happened¡¡the¡¡first¡¡hare¡¡that¡¡I¡¡met¡¡near¡¡the¡¡big¡¡wood¡¡was¡¡my
sister¡£¡¡She¡¡was¡¡very¡¡glad¡¡to¡¡see¡¡me£»¡¡although¡¡she¡¡had¡¡forgotten¡¡how¡¡we
came¡¡to¡¡part£»¡¡and¡¡when¡¡I¡¡spoke¡¡of¡¡our¡¡father¡¡and¡¡mother¡¡these¡¡did¡¡not
seem¡¡to¡¡interest¡¡her¡£¡¡Still¡¡from¡¡that¡¡time¡¡forward¡¡we¡¡lived¡¡together
more¡¡or¡¡less¡¡till¡¡her¡¡end¡¡came¡£

One¡¡daythis¡¡was¡¡after¡¡we¡¡had¡¡made¡¡our¡¡home¡¡in¡¡the¡¡big¡¡wood£»¡¡as¡¡hares
often¡¡do¡¡in¡¡winterthere¡¡was¡¡a¡¡great¡¡disturbance¡£¡¡When¡¡we¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡go
out¡¡to¡¡feed¡¡at¡¡daylight¡¡we¡¡found¡¡little¡¡fires¡¡burning¡¡everywhere£»¡¡and
near¡¡to¡¡them¡¡boys¡¡who¡¡beat¡¡themselves¡¡and¡¡shouted¡£¡¡So¡¡we¡¡went¡¡back
into¡¡the¡¡wood£»¡¡where¡¡the¡¡pheasants¡¡were¡¡running¡¡to¡¡and¡¡fro¡¡in¡¡a¡¡great
state¡¡of¡¡mind¡£

Some¡¡hours¡¡later£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡high£»¡¡men¡¡began¡¡to¡¡march
about¡¡and¡¡scores¡¡of¡¡shots¡¡were¡¡fired¡¡a¡¡long¡¡way¡¡off£»¡¡also¡¡a¡¡wounded
cock¡­pheasant¡¡fell¡¡near¡¡to¡¡us¡¡and¡¡fluttered¡¡away£»¡¡making¡¡a¡¡queer¡¡noise
in¡¡its¡¡throat¡£¡¡It¡¡looked¡¡very¡¡funny¡¡stumbling¡¡along¡¡on¡¡one¡¡leg¡¡with
its¡¡beak¡¡gaping¡¡and¡¡two¡¡of¡¡the¡¡long¡¡feathers¡¡in¡¡its¡¡tail¡¡broken¡£

¡¨I¡¡know¡¡what¡¡this¡¡is£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡said¡¡to¡¡my¡¡sister¡£¡¡¡¨Let's¡¡be¡¡gone¡¡before¡¡they
shoot¡¡us¡£¡¡I've¡¡had¡¡enough¡¡of¡¡being¡¡shot¡£¡¨

So¡¡off¡¡we¡¡went£»¡¡rushing¡¡past¡¡a¡¡boy¡¡by¡¡his¡¡fire£»¡¡who¡¡yelled¡¡and¡¡threw¡¡a
stick¡¡at¡¡us¡£¡¡But¡¡as¡¡it¡¡happened£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡borders¡¡of¡¡the¡¡property¡¡of¡¡the
Red¡­faced¡¡Man¡¡there¡¡were¡¡poachers¡¡who¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡hares¡¡would¡¡come¡¡out
of¡¡the¡¡wood¡¡on¡¡this¡¡day¡¡of¡¡the¡¡shooting¡¡and¡¡had¡¡made¡¡ready¡¡for¡¡us¡¡by
setting¡¡wire¡¡nooses¡¡in¡¡the¡¡gaps¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hedges¡¡through¡¡which¡¡we¡¡ran¡£¡¡I
got¡¡my¡¡foot¡¡into¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡but¡¡managed¡¡to¡¡shake¡¡it¡¡off¡£¡¡My¡¡sister
was¡¡not¡¡so¡¡lucky£»¡¡for¡¡her¡¡head¡¡went¡¡into¡¡another¡¡of¡¡them¡£¡¡She¡¡kicked
and¡¡tore£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡more¡¡she¡¡struggled¡¡the¡¡tighter¡¡drew¡¡the¡¡noose¡£

I¡¡watched¡¡her¡¡for¡¡a¡¡little¡¡while¡¡until¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡poachers¡¡ran¡¡up¡¡with
a¡¡stick¡£

Then¡¡I¡¡went¡¡away£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡could¡¡not¡¡bear¡¡to¡¡see¡¡her¡¡beaten¡¡to¡¡death£»¡¡and
that¡¡was¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡my¡¡sister¡£¡¡So¡¡now¡¡I¡¡was¡¡the¡¡only¡¡one¡¡left¡¡alive¡¡of
our¡¡family£»¡¡except¡¡perhaps¡¡some¡¡younger¡¡brothers¡¡whom¡¡I¡¡did¡¡not¡¡know£»
though¡¡I¡¡think¡¡it¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡that¡¡afterwards¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡shot¡¡quite
dead¡¡by¡¡Giles¡£¡¡He¡¡went¡¡over¡¡and¡¡over¡¡and¡¡lay¡¡as¡¡still¡¡as¡¡though¡¡he¡¡had
never¡¡moved¡¡in¡¡all¡¡his¡¡life¡£¡¡Death¡¡seems¡¡a¡¡very¡¡wonderful¡¡thing£»
Mahatma£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡won't¡¡ask¡¡you¡¡what¡¡it¡¡is¡¡because¡¡I¡¡perceive¡¡that¡¡you
can't¡¡answer¡£

After¡¡this¡¡nothing¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡me¡¡for¡¡a¡¡long¡¡while¡£¡¡Indeed¡¡I¡¡had¡¡the
best¡¡time¡¡of¡¡my¡¡life¡¡and¡¡grew¡¡very¡¡strong¡¡and¡¡big£»¡¡yes£»¡¡the¡¡strongest
and¡¡biggest¡¡hare¡¡of¡¡any¡¡that¡¡I¡¡ever¡¡saw£»¡¡also¡¡the¡¡swiftest¡¡of¡¡foot¡£
Twice¡¡I¡¡was¡¡chased¡¡by¡¡dogs£»¡¡once¡¡by¡¡Giles's¡¡black¡¡beast£»¡¡Nigger£»¡¡and
once¡¡by¡¡that¡¡of¡¡a¡¡shepherd¡£¡¡Finding¡¡that¡¡I¡¡could¡¡run¡¡right¡¡away¡¡from
them¡¡without¡¡exerting¡¡myself¡¡at¡¡all£»¡¡I¡¡grew¡¡to¡¡despise¡¡dogs¡£¡¡Ah£¡
little¡¡did¡¡I¡¡know¡¡then¡¡that¡¡there¡¡are¡¡many¡¡different¡¡breeds¡¡of¡¡these
animals¡£

One¡¡day¡¡in¡¡mid¡­winter£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡weather¡¡was¡¡very¡¡mild¡¡and¡¡open£»¡¡I¡¡was
lying¡¡on¡¡the¡¡rough¡¡grass¡¡field¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡spoken¡¡of¡¡which¡¡borders¡¡a
flat¡¡stretch¡¡of¡¡moorland¡£¡¡On¡¡this¡¡moorland¡¡in¡¡summer¡¡grew¡¡tall¡¡ferns£»
but¡¡now¡¡these¡¡had¡¡died¡¡and¡¡been¡¡broken¡¡down¡¡by¡¡the¡¡wind¡£¡¡Suddenly¡¡I
woke¡¡up¡¡from¡¡my¡¡sleep¡¡to¡¡see¡¡a¡¡number¡¡of¡¡men¡¡walking¡¡and¡¡riding
towards¡¡me¡£

They¡¡were¡¡tenants¡¡and¡¡others¡¡who£»¡¡although¡¡the¡¡real¡¡coursing¡¡season
had¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡begun¡¡in¡¡our¡¡neighbourhood£»¡¡had¡¡been¡¡asked¡¡by¡¡Grampus¡¡to
come¡¡to¡¡try¡¡their¡¡greyhounds¡¡upon¡¡his¡¡land¡£¡¡Those¡¡of¡¡them¡¡who¡¡walked
for¡¡the¡¡most¡¡part¡¡held¡¡two¡¡long£»¡¡lean¡¡dogs¡¡on¡¡a¡¡string£»¡¡while¡¡one¡¡or
two¡¡carried¡¡dead¡¡hares¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡dreadful¡­looking¡¡hares¡¡that¡¡seemed
to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡bitten¡¡all¡¡over£»¡¡at¡¡least¡¡their¡¡coats¡¡were¡¡wet¡¡and
broken¡£¡¡I¡¡shivered¡¡at¡¡the¡¡sight¡¡of¡¡them£»¡¡feeling¡¡sure¡¡that¡¡I¡¡was¡¡going
to¡¡be¡¡put¡¡to¡¡some¡¡new¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡torture¡£

Besides¡¡the¡¡men¡¡on¡¡foot¡¡were¡¡those¡¡on¡¡horseback£»¡¡among¡¡whom¡¡I
recognised¡¡the¡¡Red¡­faced¡¡Man¡¡and¡¡my¡¡enemy£»¡¡the¡¡dreadful¡¡Tom¡£¡¡Most¡¡of
the¡¡others¡¡were¡¡people¡¡called¡¡farmers£»¡¡who¡¡seemed¡¡very¡¡happy¡¡and
excited¡¡and¡¡from¡¡time¡¡to¡¡time¡¡drank¡¡something¡¡out¡¡of¡¡little¡¡bottles
which¡¡they¡¡passed¡¡to¡¡each¡¡other¡£¡¡Giles¡¡was¡¡not¡¡there¡£¡¡Now¡¡I¡¡know¡¡that
this¡¡was¡¡because¡¡he¡¡hated¡¡coursing£»¡¡which¡¡killed¡¡down¡¡hares¡£¡¡Hares£»¡¡he
thought£»¡¡out¡¡to¡¡be¡¡shot£»¡¡not¡¡coursed¡£

Whilst¡¡I¡¡watched£»¡¡wondering¡¡what¡¡to¡¡do£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡a¡¡shout¡¡of¡¡¡¨There
she¡¡goes£¡¡¨¡¡and¡¡all¡¡the¡¡long¡¡dogs¡¡began¡¡to¡¡pull¡¡at¡¡their¡¡strings¡£¡¡Off
the¡¡necks¡¡of¡¡two¡¡of¡¡them¡¡the¡¡collars¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡fall£»¡¡and¡¡away¡¡they
leapt¡¡pursuing¡¡a¡¡hare¡£¡¡The¡¡men¡¡on¡¡the¡¡horses¡¡galloped¡¡after¡¡them£»¡¡but
the¡¡men¡¡on¡¡foot¡¡remained¡¡where¡¡they¡¡were¡£

Now¡¡I¡¡was¡¡afraid¡¡to¡¡get¡¡up¡¡and¡¡run¡¡lest¡¡they¡¡should¡¡loose¡¡the¡¡other
dogs¡¡on¡¡me£»¡¡so¡¡I¡¡lay¡¡still£»¡¡till¡¡presently¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡hare¡¡coming¡¡back
towards¡¡me£»¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡two¡¡dogs¡¡whose¡¡noses¡¡almost¡¡touched¡¡its
tail¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡exhausted¡¡and¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡twist¡¡and¡¡spring¡¡away¡¡to¡¡the
right¡£¡¡But¡¡as¡¡it¡¡did¡¡so¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dogs¡¡caught¡¡it¡¡in¡¡its¡¡mouth¡¡and¡¡bit
it¡¡till¡¡it¡¡died¡£

¡¨That¡¡was¡¡a¡¡rotten¡¡hare£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Tom£»¡¡who¡¡cantered¡¡up¡¡just¡¡then£»¡¡¡¨it
gave¡¡no¡¡course¡¡at¡¡all¡£¡¨

¡¨Yes£»¡¨¡¡puffed¡¡Grampus¡£¡¡¡¨Hope¡¡the¡¡next¡¡one¡¡will¡¡show¡¡better¡¡sport¡£¡¨

¡¨Hope¡¡so¡¡too£»¡¨¡¡answered¡¡Tom£»¡¡¡¨especially¡¡as¡¡it¡¡is¡¡Jack¡¡and¡¡Jill's¡¡turn
to¡¡be¡¡slipped£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡are¡¡the¡¡best¡¡greyhounds¡¡for¡¡twenty¡¡miles
round¡£¡¨

Then¡¡the¡¡Red¡­faced¡¡Man¡¡gave¡¡some¡¡orders¡¡and¡¡Jack¡¡and¡¡Jill¡¡were¡¡brought
forward¡¡by¡¡the¡¡man¡¡whose¡¡business¡¡it¡¡was¡¡to¡¡slip¡¡the¡¡dogs¡£¡¡One¡¡of¡¡them
was¡¡black¡¡and¡¡one¡¡yellow£»¡¡I¡¡think¡¡Jack¡¡was¡¡the¡¡black¡¡onea¡¡dreadful£»
sneaking¡­looking¡¡beast¡¡with¡¡a¡¡white¡¡tip¡¡to¡¡its¡¡tail£»¡¡which¡¡ended¡¡in¡¡a
sort¡¡of¡¡curl¡£

¡¨Forward¡¡now£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Grampus£»¡¡¡¨and¡¡go¡¡slow¡£¡¡There's¡¡sure¡¡to¡¡be¡¡another
puss¡¡or¡¡two¡¡in¡¡this¡¡rough¡¡grass¡£¡¨

Next¡¡second¡¡I¡¡was¡¡up¡¡and¡¡away£»¡¡and¡¡before¡¡you¡¡could¡¡count¡¡twelve¡¡Jack
and¡¡Jill¡¡were¡¡after¡¡me¡£¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡them¡¡standing¡¡on¡¡their¡¡hind¡¡legs
straining¡¡at¡¡the¡¡cord¡£¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡collars¡¡fell¡¡from¡¡them¡¡and¡¡they¡¡leapt
forward¡¡like¡¡the¡¡light¡£¡¡My¡¡thought¡¡was¡¡to¡¡get¡¡back¡¡to¡¡the¡¡wood£»¡¡which
was¡¡about¡¡a¡¡minute's¡¡run¡¡behind¡¡me£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡did¡¡not¡¡dare¡¡to¡¡turn¡¡and
head¡¡for¡¡it¡¡because¡¡of¡¡the¡¡long¡¡line¡¡of¡¡people¡¡through¡¡which¡¡I¡¡must
pass¡¡if¡¡I¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡do¡¡so¡£¡¡So¡¡I¡¡ran¡¡straight¡¡for¡¡the¡¡moorland£»¡¡hoping
to¡¡turn¡¡there¡¡and¡¡reach¡¡the¡¡wood¡¡on¡¡its¡¡other¡¡side£»¡¡although¡¡this
meant¡¡a¡¡long¡¡journey¡£

For¡¡a¡¡while¡¡all¡¡went¡¡well¡¡with¡¡me£»¡¡and¡¡having¡¡a¡¡good¡¡start¡¡I¡¡began¡¡to
hope¡¡that¡¡I¡¡should¡¡outrun¡¡these¡¡beasts£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡had¡¡the¡¡shepherd's¡¡dog
and¡¡the¡¡retriever¡£¡¡But¡¡I¡¡did¡¡not¡¡know¡¡Jack¡¡and¡¡Jill¡£¡¡Just¡¡as¡¡I¡¡reached
the¡¡borders¡¡of¡¡the¡¡moor¡¡I¡¡heard¡¡the¡¡patter¡¡of¡¡thei

·µ»ØĿ¼ ÉÏÒ»Ò³ ÏÂÒ»Ò³ »Øµ½¶¥²¿ ÔÞ£¨0£© ²È£¨0£©

Äã¿ÉÄÜϲ»¶µÄ