奧黛麗·伍德（Audrey Wood ）和唐·伍德（Don Wood）是美國童書界非常受歡迎的一對夫妻檔。Audrey Wood之所以被稱為“韻文大師”是因為她的作品讀起來非常有節奏和韻律，行文朗朗上口，韻律感十足！孩子自然會喜歡，輕鬆愛上英文閱讀！
【Scaredy cats 】音頻
Scaredy cats，在英文中是“膽小鬼”的意思。Audrey Wood正是用這個耳熟能詳的詞語奇思妙想地創作了這個關於“勇氣”的故事。
【故事摘要 】
貓媽媽寫了一封重要的信，準備派兩隻小貓去鎮裡郵寄，在七八個躍躍欲試的小貓中，貓媽媽選了兩隻最小的小黃貓和小藍貓，並給他們準備好了錢和信。出門後，他們就害怕了，在經過森林、小橋、隧道、田野、岩石時，都因為恐怖，不時的幻想著有可怕的東西出來偷走他們的信和錢，沒辦法完成媽媽的任務。他們最終有沒有完成媽媽的任務呢？
One busy morning, mother cat sat downand wrote a letter. When she finished, she had a problem.
一個忙碌的早晨，貓媽媽坐下來寫了一封信.當她寫完時,她遇到了一個問題。
Oh fishsticks!奧，天啊
（fishsticks魚條，相當於Oh,My God!）
Out of stamps.
沒有郵票了。
Someone must go to the post office.
有人必須去趟郵局。
Mother cat called her seven children.
貓媽媽叫來她的七個孩子.
Which two would go to town and mail the letter?
哪兩個應該去鎮上郵寄信呢？
Eenie-meenie-miney-mo, which of you will get to go?
埃尼-玫妮-米妮-莫，你們中哪一個去？
She will pick us this time.
她這次會選我們。
I know
我知道
Everyone wanted to go.
每個人都想去。
No me.No me.Me.
沒有我.沒有我。我（也沒我）
Me.Me
我.我
Finally, Mother Cat chose her two eldest kittens.
每個人都想去，貓媽媽選了她的兩個最大的貓咪。
Y-O-U, I choose you and you.
你，我選你和你.
Her youngest kittens were very sad.
她最年幼的小貓非常傷心，
They had never been to town without Mother Cat.
他們從來沒有離開媽媽單獨去鎮上
Why couldn’t they have a chance?
為什麼沒有他們的機會呢？
Boo hoo! You never pick us Mother!
嗚嗚！你從來沒選過我們，媽媽！
Let us go this time....BOOOO.HOOOO....
這次讓我們去，嗚嗚嗚...
BAH!
呸！（貓兄妹不高興了）
How the older kittens laughed!
大貓笑成什麼樣了！
Send the babies to town?
派幼貓去鎮上？
Even shadows scared them.
即使影子也會嚇著他們。
They would never make it.
他們永遠不可能辦到。
Scaredy cats, scared cats, can’t even catch a rat! Ha-ha, haha,hah
膽小的貓，膽小的貓，一隻老鼠都抓不住，哈哈哈！
I’m not scared.
我不怕。
Neither am I.
我也不怕。
But Mother Cat was fair. She knew the little kittens were right. It was their turn, after all.
但是貓媽媽是公平的。她知道小貓們是對的，畢竟是該輪到他們了。
Mother Cat gave the letter to heryoungest yellow kitten, and a coin to her youngest blue kitten.
貓媽媽把信給了她最小的黃貓，把硬幣給了她最小的藍貓。
Now go straight to the post office, buy a stamp, and mail this very important letter.
現在直接去郵局，買一張郵票，把這封非常重要的信件郵寄出去。
Proud and puffed-up, the happy kittensstarted on their way to town.
又驕傲又自豪，快樂的小貓開始出發去鎮上了。
The cat caught the rat, the cat caught the rat,heigh-o the derry-o, the cat caught the rat.
貓抓住了老鼠，貓抓住了老鼠，啦啦啦啦，貓抓住了老鼠。
（他們在唱一首歌）
The road ahead seemed to go on and on forever.
向前進的路看起來一直向前延伸一直向前延伸直到永遠。
Each step took the kittens farther and farther away from home.
每一步都引領著小貓們離家越來越遠，越來越遠。
Suddenly, yellow kitten began to wonder and worry about scarey things.
突然，黃貓開始想起並且擔心起可怕的事情。
“what if something bad happen?”
“如果有壞事發生怎麼辦？”
“what if you lose Mother’s coin?”
“如果你弄丟了媽媽的硬幣怎麼辦？”
that would be bad!
那樣就糟了！
“what if I sneeze, ” blue kitten agreed，“Ahhh-Choooo”
藍貓同意道“如果我打噴嚏了，”“阿嚏!”
“and the coin jumps out of my paw?”
“然後硬幣從我爪裡跳出去，怎麼辦？”
“and It starts rolling away,” yellow kitten added,
“然後它開始滾得遠遠的，”黃貓添油加醋道，
“faster and faster and faster?”
“越來越遠，越來越遠？”
Come back, coin!
硬幣回來！
I’m not the Ginger bread Man, but I can roll as fast as he ran.
我不是薑汁餅乾小人，但是我可以滾得和他一樣快.
“And then it hides,” blue kitten said,
“然後它躲起來了，”藍貓說
“and we cannot find it?”
“我們找不到它了？”
coin! Where are you?
硬幣！你在哪裡？
Here coin!
硬幣在這！
But the scaredy cats did not turn back.They walked on down the road to town.
但是膽小的貓沒有折返回去。他們繼續沿著路往下走向城鎮。
Before long, the kittens came to the bridge.
不一會，小貓們來到了大橋，
Suddenly, blue kitten began to wonder and worry about scarey things.
突然，藍貓開始想和擔心可怕的事情。
“what if something awful happens when we cross over?
“如果在我們過橋時糟糕的事情發生了怎麼辦？
What if someone steals Mother’s coin?”
如果有人偷了媽媽的硬幣怎麼辦？”
How awful
真糟糕！
“what if a giant troll cat jumps up out of the water,” yellow kitten agreed,
黃貓贊同道，“如果一隻巨型怪獸貓跳出水面，？”
“growling and yowling at us?”
“對我們咆哮並且吼叫怎麼辦？”
Grrrrr yowl
呃呃呃，咆哮聲
“and he grabs us and shakes us, ” blueKitten added,
“他抓住我們並且搖我們，”藍貓添油加醋道
“and wants to eat us up?”
“想要吃掉我們？”
I’m going to eat you for my snack.
我要吃掉你做我的點心。
“And he sees the coin shining in ourpaws,” yellow kitten said,
“他看到在你爪子裡閃閃發光的硬幣，”黃貓說
“and takes it from us?”
“從我們這拿走了？”
The scaredy cats thought about turning back, but they kept on going.
膽小的貓想要折返回家，但是他們繼續前進了。
On the other side of the bridge, the kittens tiptoed into the forest.
在橋的另一端，小貓們踮起腳尖悄悄走進森林。
Suddenly, yellow kitten cats began to wonderand worry about scarey things.
突然，小黃貓開始想並且擔心可怕的事情。
“what if something dreadful happens?
“如果可怕的事情發生了怎麼辦？
What if I lose Mother’s letter?”
如果我弄丟媽媽的信件怎麼辦？”
How dreadful ！
多可怕！
“what if a howling wind comes along?”Blue kitten agreed,
“如果風咆哮而過怎麼辦？”小藍貓贊同道，
“and rips the letter out of your paws?”
“把信從我爪裡撕壞？”
“And the wind throws the letter downinto the leaves?”Yellow Kitten added.
“風把信吹到樹葉裡？”小黃貓添油加醋。
“And we look and look for it, until we are grey and whiskered,” blue Kitten said.
“我們看呀找呀，直到我們衰老，滿臉鬍鬚，”小藍貓說。
“but never find it?”
“但是從未找到？”
by whiskers, we’re bound to find it soon.
通過鬍鬚，我們可以很快找到
Yep...
是的
Even though the scaredy cats wanted to go back home, they kept on walking through the forest.
儘管膽小的小貓想要回家，但他們繼續走著穿越森林。
Soon, they came to the long, darktunnel.
很快，他們來到了長長的暗暗的隧道。
Suddenly, blue kitten began to wonder andworry about scarey things.
突然，小藍貓開始想起並擔心起可怕的事情。
“what if something terrible happens?What if someone steals Mother’s letter?”
“如果壞事發生怎麼辦？如果有人偷了媽媽的信件怎麼辦？”
how terrible
真糟糕（terrible等於very bad）
“what if cat-bandits are inside,waiting for us?”Yellow kitten agreed.
小黃貓贊同道：“如果貓強盜在裡面怎麼辦？在等著我們？”
Heh, heh, heh,嘿嘿嘿嘿
Shhhhhhh! Here they are
噓噓噓噓！他們來了
“what if they have claws like knives,”Blue kitten added,
“如果他們有像刀子一樣的貓爪怎麼辦，”小藍貓添油加醋，
“and red-gleaming cat eyes?”
“閃著紅光的貓眼睛？”
“And they surround us,”yellow kittensaid，
“他們包圍我們，”小黃貓說
“and tie us up with ropes, and leave usshivering in the dark, cold tunnel?”
“並且用繩子把我們綁起來，把我們留在黑暗冰冷的隧道中索索發抖？”
I’m cold. 我冷.
Me me too. 我也是.
Still, the scaredy cats kept on going,through the tunnel and out the other side.
膽小的貓還是繼續前行，穿過了隧道走出了另一端。
There, they found the nettle field. The kittens walked on through the tall weeds.
那裡，他們發現了蕁麻天地。小貓繼續走穿過了高高的雜草。
Suddenly, yellow kitten began towonder and worry about scarey things.
突然，小黃貓開始想起並擔心起可怕的事情。
“what if something woeful happens? what ifwe get lost?”
“如果悲催的事情發生怎麼辦？如果我們迷路了怎麼辦？”
how woeful！
多悲慘！
“what if an evil cat-witch casts a spell,” blue kitten agreed, “
小藍貓贊同道“如果邪惡的貓女巫念個咒語”，
and turns the whole world into nettle fields?”
“把整個世界變到蕁麻天地裡怎麼辦？”
abra-cat-dabra Abra-貓咪-dabra
Grow nettles grow 長呀，蕁麻，長呀
“and all the cats and towns are lost and hidden in the nettles,” yellow kittenadded.
“所有的貓和城鎮都在蕁麻地裡迷失和隱藏起來，”小黃貓添油加醋道。“
Goosey-goosey gander
呆頭鵝-呆頭鵝出發吧
Whither dost thou wander? Heh, heh
無論到了哪裡，嘿嘿嘿嘿
（這兩句都是巫婆咒語類的）
Help Help
救命 救命
“and we never find the post office?”
我們永遠也找不到郵局？”
The scaredy cats wished they could go back home,
膽小的貓希望他們能夠回家，
but they walked on through the nettles, until they came to the high,rocky ledge.
但是他們繼續前行穿過了蕁麻地，直到來到岩石壁。
Suddenly, blue kitten began to wonderand worry about scarey things.
突然，小藍貓開始想起並擔心起害怕的事情。
“what if something hideous happens? What ifsomeone steals us?”
“如果有可怕的事情發生怎麼辦？如果有人偷我們怎麼辦？”
how hideous
多可怕！
“what if a great, screeching birdsnatches us?”Yellow kitten agreed
小黃貓贊同道：“如果一隻巨大尖叫的鳥抓住我們”
screech 尖叫聲
“and takes us to its nest, high on amountain top,”Blue kitten added.
“並且帶我們去它的鳥窩，在高高的山頂上，怎麼辦?”小藍貓添油加醋道。
“And” yellow kitten said, “we have tofeed and care for its ugly babies.”
“而且”小黃貓說，“我們不得不餵養和照顧它醜陋的寶寶。”
Even now, the scaredy cats kept on going. They did not turn back.
即使現在，膽小的貓繼續前行。他們沒有返回。
watch your step
留心腳下
Follow my tail
抓緊我的尾巴
Hurray! At the bottom of the ledge, the kittens came into town, and the post office was not hard to find.
耶！在巖壁底部，小貓們進入了城鎮，找到郵局並不難。
Look, there it is
看，它在那
Let’s go
我們出發
But when they ran up to the door, a truly bad and awful and dreadful and terrible and woeful and hideous thing happened.
但是當他們跑上去到了門邊，一個真的非常壞的糟糕的可怕的極可惡的醜惡的事情發生了。
The post office was closed for the day.
郵局今天關張。
closed for general cat’s birthday
店長生日關張休息
Oh no! It’s not even open.
奧，不！沒開門
Now, Mother’s coin could not buy a stamp.
現在，媽媽的硬幣買不了郵票。
Mother’s letter could not be mailed. How could the kittens go home without finishing their job?
媽媽的信不能郵寄出去。小貓們怎麼能沒有完成他們的工作就回家呢？
Just then, the kittens had a wonderful surprise.
這時，小貓突然有個很棒的驚喜。
A bus drove up and grandmother cat stepped out.
一個公共汽車趕到，貓奶奶走出來。
look who’s here.
看呀，誰在這
No one knew she was coming to Catville.
沒有人知道她會來貓咪城鎮。
Grandmother!
奶奶
Do we have problems!
我們看錯了嗎
The kittens told her about mother’s very important letter,and about scarey things.
小貓們告訴她關於媽媽非常重要的信，和可怕的事情。
we carried mother’s coin and letter.
我們帶著媽媽的硬幣和信件
Troll cat, and wind, and bandits and nettles and bird
怪獸貓，大風，強盜，蕁麻和大鳥
When grandmother cat looked at theletter, it was her turn to be surprised.
當貓奶奶看著信時，輪到她驚奇了，
The letter was for her.she opened it and read out loud.
這封信是給她的。她打開信大聲讀了起來。
Dear grandmother cat, why don’t you come for a visit?
親愛的貓奶奶，為什麼不來走訪？
The kittens miss you, sincerely, mother cat.
小貓們想你，誠摯的貓媽媽
Before they left catville, grandmother cat took the kittens to the ice cream parlour.
離開貓咪城鎮前，貓奶奶帶小貓們去冰淇淋大廳。
She treated them all to fishberry cones.
她請他們吃了魚味漿果冰淇淋筒。
At last, the kittens started for home ,with grandmother cat following close behind.
最後，小貓們開始和貓奶奶緊緊前後腳的回家.
Which way are the bandits?Show me that old troll cat.
哪條路上有強盜？指給我看看老貓怪獸.
You say there is a witch up ahead?
你說前面有女巫？（bandit強盜troll怪獸witch女巫）
Follow us Grandmother!
奶奶跟著我們！
We know the way!
我們知道這條路！
On the way, they wondered and worried about scarey things-but not very much.
在路上，他們想到並且有一點點擔心可怕的事情。
封底
Blue kitten and yellow kitten are delighted when they are allowed to run an errand all by themselves. But the further they leave home behind, the more dangerous their mission seems.
藍貓和黃貓對於被允許單獨去執行任務很開心，但是離家越遠，他們的任務看起來越危險。
Delightful told, this hilarious tale reminds us that imaginary fears are often far worse than the real thing.
幸運地講，滑稽的傳說提醒我們想象的恐懼經常比實際要糟糕得多。
【故事講解】
【句型】
故事分了六個場景，每個場景的句型簡單、重複。
1、what if...... 在六個場景中出現了19次之多。
2、每個場景都有一句話：Suddenly, Yellow Kitten began to wander and worry about scarey things.
【歌謠】
Eenie-meenie-miney-mo,which of you will get to go?
就是像手心手背一樣的一種外國小孩子經常用來決定的遊戲。比如玩遊戲要分組，eenie meenie miney mo,點到的幾個人一組。
The cat caught the rat,Heigh-o the derry-o,The cat caught the rat.
The farmer in the dell, 山谷裡的農夫 ，和這個童謠是一個曲調哦~
【背後的故事】
1、選擇英語啟蒙讀物，不僅僅是為了孩子學習英語，還要有好的思想主題。Scaredy-Cat，奇思妙想的結合孩子的生活，生動地、妙趣橫生的構畫了第一次做事情的場景，勇氣是這個故事的主題。爸爸媽媽們可以結合故事給小朋友講勇氣哦。
2、最近兒子也在學這本書，孩子還是英語起步階段，小男孩對故事中的各種場景特別的感興趣，每一次都問這是怎麼了，我會讓他一邊點讀，一遍思考句子和圖片的意思。大部分的時候，孩子的分析能力是非常可靠的。所以爸爸媽媽們在和孩子做互動的時候，不妨放手讓孩子自己去探索書中的世界。在熟悉之後（這個階段是讓孩子感興趣的），家長也需要介入，讓孩子瞭解得更深入，為學習英語做鋪墊。
－END－
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