One morning a little rabbit sat on a bank. He pricked his ears and listened to the trittrot, trit-trot of a pony.

一天早晨，一只小兔子坐在路边的土坡上，竖起耳朵听着“嘚嘚——嘚嘚”的马蹄声。

A gig was coming along the road; it was driven by Mr. McGregor, and beside him sat Mrs. McGregor in her best bonnet.

麦格雷戈先生驾着双轮马车沿路驶来，麦格雷戈太太坐在他的旁边，戴着她最漂亮的帽子。

As soon as they had passed, little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road, and set off—with a hop, skip, and a jump—to call upon his relations, who lived in the wood at the back of Mr. McGregor's garden.

马车一过去，小兔本杰明就溜到了路上，一蹦一跳、一蹦一跳地，出发去探望他的几位亲戚。他们就住在麦格雷戈先生菜园后头的树林里。

That wood was full of rabbit-holes; and in the neatest sandiest hole of all, lived Benjamin's aunt and his cousins—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter.

那片林子里到处都是兔子洞，其中最整洁、沙土最多的洞里，住着本杰明的姑姑和他的表兄妹——弗洛普西，莫普西，棉尾巴，还有彼得。

Old Mrs. Rabbit was a widow; she earned her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffetees (I once bought a pair at a bazaar). She also sold herbs, and rosemary tea, and rabbittobacco (which is what we call lavender).

老兔子太太是个寡妇，她靠卖自己织的兔毛手套和腕套养家糊口（我还在集市上买过一双呢）。她也卖一些草药、迷迭香茶和兔子烟草（ 我们 管它叫薰衣草）。

Little Benjamin did not very much want to see his Aunt.

小本杰明不是很想见他的姑姑。

He came round the back of the fir-tree, and nearly tumbled upon the top of his Cousin Peter.

他从杉树后头绕过去，结果差点摔到他表弟彼得的头上。

Peter was sitting by himself. He looked poorly, and was dressed in a red cotton pockethandkerchief.

彼得正孤零零地坐在那儿，身上裹着一条红色的棉手帕，看起来可怜兮兮的。

"Peter," —said little Benjamin, in a whisper— "who has got your clothes?"

“彼得，”小本杰明轻声说，“谁把你的衣服拿走了？”

Peter replied— "The scarecrow in Mr. McGregor's garden," and described how he had been chased about the garden, and had dropped his shoes and coat.

彼得回答说：“是麦格雷戈先生菜园里的稻草人。”他向本杰明讲述了他是怎么在菜园里被四处追赶，又是怎么弄丢他的鞋子和上衣的。

Little Benjamin sat down beside his cousin, and assured him that Mr. McGregor had gone out in a gig, and Mrs. McGregor also; and certainly for the day, because she was wearing her best bonnet.

小本杰明在他的表弟身边坐了下来，并向他保证，麦格雷戈先生驾着一辆马车出门去了，还带上了麦格雷戈太太。而且，他们肯定一整天都不在家，因为麦格雷戈太太戴上了她最漂亮的帽子。

Peter said he hoped that it would rain.

彼得说他希望天会下雨。

At this point, old Mrs. Rabbit's voice was heard inside the rabbit-hole, calling— "Cotton-tail! Cotton-tail! fetch some more camomile!"

就在这时，洞里传来了老兔子太太的声音，她叫道：“棉尾巴！棉尾巴！再去拿些甘菊来吧！”

Peter said he thought he might feel better if he went for a walk.

彼得说，如果出去散散步，他可能会好受些。 EasbwqQdyNU0XQzc6J6sI3hxQeQ3YJ9z9CE8eNfO97ULLdP5oUNL1yaV8Lxxw8qU