韦伯斯特和土拨鼠-泰西の故事小站-人人小站
韦伯斯特和土拨鼠
&&&&& 在新汉普郡小山间的一座农场里，有一个叫丹尼尔&韦伯斯特的小男孩。在同龄的孩子中间，他是个头最小的一个。他长着一头乌黑的头发，大眼睛又黑又亮，见过他的人永远都不会忘记。
&&&&& 他长得还不够强壮，还不能在农场上帮什么忙。因此，他大部分时间就在森林和旷野中玩耍。与很多农夫的孩子不同，他心地非常善良。他热爱花草树木，还有那些在花草树木间筑巢的无害的野生动物。
&&&&& 但是，他并非所有的时间都在玩耍。在远远不到上学年龄的时候，他就已经开始认字读书了，他读得非常动听，大家都喜欢听他阅读，从不会感到厌倦。每当邻居们从他父亲的房子前经过，都会把马停下来，让丹尼尔&韦伯斯特出来朗读给他们听。
&&&&& 那个时候，不像现在这样有那么多的儿童读物。在新汉普郡农民的家中，不管是哪个种类的书数量都很少。然而，丹尼尔能找到什么书就读什么书。他把那些书读了一遍又一遍，直到了解了其中所有的内容。就这样，他学习了《圣经》中的大量内容，并且学得非常好，他能够抑扬顿挫地背诵其中的内容，却不出现一个错误。而且，这些篇章他终生记得。
&&&&& 丹尼尔的父亲不仅是一个农民，还是乡村法院的一名法官。他非常热爱法律，并且希望丹尼尔长大以后成为一名律师。
&&&&& 那件事发生在一个夏天，一只土拨鼠在韦伯斯特家房子附近的小山边安了家。在漆黑温暖的夜晚，它都会从山上跑到菜园里，偷吃种在那里的卷心菜和其他植物的嫩叶。没人知道，这最终会造成多大的损失。
&&&&& 丹尼尔和哥哥伊奇基尔下定决心要抓住那只土拨鼠。他们尝试过各种各样的抓捕方法，然而，很长时间以来，那些方法对于狡猾的土拨鼠来说不起任何作用。后来，他们在土拨鼠的必经之路设了一个陷阱。第二天早晨，土拨鼠就困在了陷阱中。
&&&&& &我们终于捉到它了！&伊奇基尔喊道。&现在，土拨鼠先生，你罪大恶极，我将要处死你。&
&&&&& 然而，丹尼尔觉得这只小动物很可怜。&不，不要伤害它，&他说道，&我们把它带到山那头远处的森林中，把它放了。&
&&&&& 然而，伊奇基尔不同意这么做。他的心地不如他的弟弟那么善良。他一心想要杀死这只土拨鼠，并且嘲笑放生的提议。
&&&&& &我们去问问父亲的意见。&丹尼尔说道。
&&&&& &好吧，&伊奇基尔说道，&我知道法官将会如何判决。&
&&&&& 他们抬着装着土拨鼠的陷阱去找父亲，询问应该怎么做。
&&&&& &好吧，孩子们，&韦伯斯特先生说道，&我们将用下面这种方法解决这件事。我们就在这儿设立一个法庭。我作法官，你们当律师。你们两个人都要进行辩护，支持或反对囚犯，我将会判决如何惩罚罪犯。&
&&&&& 作为检举人的伊奇基尔首先辩护。他陈述了囚犯的重大罪行。他表示所有的土拨鼠都是有害的，不能相信。他谈及了捉捕这个贼所耗费的时间和精力，并且宣称如果现在把它放掉，它将会变成一个比以前危害更大的贼。
&&&&& &一张土拨鼠皮，&他说道，&或许能够卖10美分。这一小笔钱能够对它偷吃的卷心菜做一些赔偿。但是，如果我们把它放生了，我们将如何获得补偿，即使是我们损失的一美分？显然，它被处死比活着有更大的价值，因此，它应该马上被处死。&
&&&&& 伊奇基尔的辩护很精彩，这大大取悦了法官。他的陈述真实中肯，这让丹尼尔难以做出任何答复。
&&&&& 丹尼尔开始为这只可怜动物的生命进行辩护。他仰头看着法官的脸，然后说道：&上帝创造了土拨鼠。他让它生活在明媚的阳光和清新的空气中。他让它享受自由的大自然和绿色的森林。土拨鼠有生存的权利，因为上帝赐予了它这一切。
&&&&& &上帝赐给我们食物。我们现在所拥有的一切都是他恩赐的。对于上帝赐予我们的礼物，它拥有同样的权利。因此，难道我们应该拒绝与这只不会说话的可怜动物分享一点点吗？
&&&&& &土拨鼠与令人厌恶的狼或狐狸不一样，它生活在宁静与和平中。它所需要的只是山边的一个洞穴和一点点的食物。除了为了生存吃一点点的庄稼外，它没有任何危害。它有生存、吃东西和自由的权利。而且，我们没有权利说它不能拥有这些。
&&&&& &看看这双温柔、充满祈求的眼睛，看看它因恐惧而发抖的身体。它不能为自己辩护，这是它唯一能够为自己美好生命辩护的方式。我们杀死它是不是太残忍了？如果我们剥夺了上帝赋予它的生命是不是太自私了？&
&&&&& 法官听着听着，泪水溢满了双眼。他的心颤动了起来。他认为上帝赐给了他一个以后将会闻名世界的儿子。
&&&&& 没等丹尼尔结束发言，他便站了起来，一边拭去眼中的泪水，一边喊道：&伊奇基尔，把土拨鼠放掉！&
Webster and the Woodchuck
&&&&& ON a farm among the hills of New Hampshire there once lived a little boy whose name was Daniel Webster. He was a tiny fellow for one of his age. His hair was jet black, and his eyes were so dark and wonderful that nobody who once saw them could ever forget them.
&&&&& He was not strong enough to h and so he spent much of his time in playing in the woods and fields. Unlike many farmers' boys, he had a very gentle heart. He loved the trees and flowers and the harmless wild creatures that made their homes among them.
&&&&& But he did not play all the time. Long before he was old enough to go to school, and he read so well that everybody liked to hear him and never grew tired of listening. The neighbors, when driving past his father&s house, would stop their horses and call for Dannie Webster to come out and read to them.
&&&&& At that time there were no children's books such as you have now. Indeed, there were but very few books of any kind in the homes of the New Hampshire farmers. But Daniel read such b and he read them over and over again till he knew all that was in them. In this way he learned a great deal of the Bible so well that he could repeat verse after verse with and these verses he remembered as long as he lived.
&&&&& Daniel's father was not only a farmer, but he was a judge in the county court. He had a great love for the law, and he hoped that Daniel when he became a man would be a lawyer.
&&&&& It happened one summer that a woodchuck made its burrow in the side of a hill near Mr. Webster's house. On warm, dark nights it would come down into the garden and eat the tender leaves of the cabbages and other plants that were growing there. Nobody knew how much harm it might do in the end.
&&&&& Daniel and his elder brother Ezekiel made up their minds to catch the little thief. They tried this thing and that, but for a long time he was too cunning for them. Then they built a strong trap where the woodchuck would be
and the next morning, there he was.
&&&&& &We have him at last!& cried Ezekiel.&Now, Mr. Woodchuck, you've done mischief enough, and I'm going to kill you.&
&&&&& But Daniel pitied the little animal. &No, don't hurt him,& he said. &Let us carry him over the hills, far into the woods, and let him go.&
&&&&& Ezekiel，however,would not agree to this. His heart was not so tender as his little brother's. He was bent on killing the woodchuck, and laughed at the thought of letting it go.
&&&&& &Let us ask father about it,& said Daniel.
&&&&& &All right,& said Ezekiel， &I know what the judge will decide.&
&&&&& They carried the trap, with the woodchuck in it, to their father, and asked what they should do.
&&&&& &Well, boys,& said Mr. Webster, &we will settle the question in this way. We will hold a court right here. I will be the judge, and you shall be the lawyers. You shall each plead your case, for or against the prisoner, and I will decide what his punishment shall be.&
&&&&& Ezekiel, as the prosecutor, made the first speech. He told about the mischief that had been done. He showed that all woodchucks are bad and cannot be trusted. He spoke of the time and labor that had been spent in trying to catch the thief, and declared that if they should now set him free he would be a worse thief than before.
&&&&& &A woodchuck's skin,& he said, &may perhaps be sold for ten cents. Small as that sum is, it will go a little way toward paying for the cabbage he has eaten. But, if we set him free, how shall we ever recover even a penny of what we have lost? Clearly, he is of more value dead than alive, and therefore he ought to be put out of the way at once.&
&&&&& Ezekiel's speech was a good one, and it pleased the judge very much. What he said was true and to the point, and it would be hard for Daniel to make any answer to it.
&&&&& Daniel began by pleading for the poor animal's life. He looked up into the judge's face, and said:
&&&&& &God made the woodchuck. He made him to live in the bright sunlight and the pure air. He made him to enjoy the free fields and the green woods. The woodchuck has a right to his life, for God gave it to him.
&&&&& &God gives us our food. He gives us all that we have. And shall we refuse to share a little of it with this poor dumb creature who has as much right to God's gifts as we have?
&&&&& &The woodchuck is not a fierce animal like the wolf or the fox. He lives in quiet and peace. A hole in the side of a hill, and a little food, is all he wants. He has harmed nothing but a few plants, which he ate to keep himself alive. He has a right to life, to food, and we have no right to say he shall not have them.
&&&&& &Look at his soft, pleading eyes，see him tremble with fear. He cannot speak for himself, and this is the only way in which he can plead for the life that is so sweet to him. Shall we be so cruel as to kill him? Shall we be so selfish as to take from him the life that God gave him?&
&&&&& The judge's eyes were filled with tears as he listened. His heart was stirred. He felt that God had given him a son whose name would some day be known to the world.
&&&&& He did not wait for Daniel to finish his speech. He sprang to his feet, and as he wiped the tear from his eyes, he cried out, &Ezekiel, let the woodchuck go!&