The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Complete — Page 6
"
"
He was not the Model Boy of the village.
Non era il Ragazzo Modello del villaggio.
He knew the model boy very well though—and loathed him.
Conosceva però molto bene il ragazzo modello — e lo detestava.
Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles.
Nel giro di due minuti, o anche meno, aveva dimenticato tutti i suoi guai.
Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore them down and drove them out of his mind for the time—just as men's misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises.
Non perché i suoi guai fossero di un solo briciolo meno pesanti e amari per lui di quanto lo siano quelli di un uomo per un uomo, ma perché un interesse nuovo e potente li aveva sopraffatti e scacciati dalla sua mente per il momento — proprio come le disgrazie degli uomini vengono dimenticate nell'entusiasmo di nuove imprese.
This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed.
Questo nuovo interesse era una preziosa novità nel fischiettare, che aveva appena appreso da un negro, e fremeva dalla voglia di esercitarsi indisturbato.
It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of the music—the reader probably remembers how to do it, if he has ever been a boy.
Consisteva in uno strano gorgheggio simile a quello di un uccello, una specie di trillo fluido, prodotto toccando con la lingua il palato a brevi intervalli nel mezzo della musica — il lettore probabilmente ricorda come si fa, se è mai stato ragazzo.
Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude.
Diligenza e attenzione gli diedero presto il tocco giusto, e percorse la strada a grandi passi con la bocca piena di armonia e l'anima piena di gratitudine.
He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet—no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.
Si sentiva un po' come si sente un astronomo che ha scoperto un nuovo pianeta — senza dubbio, per quanto riguarda un piacere intenso, profondo e puro, il vantaggio era dalla parte del ragazzo, non dell'astronomo.
The summer evenings were long.
Le serate estive erano lunghe.
It was not dark, yet.
Non era ancora buio.
Presently Tom checked his whistle.
Poco dopo Tom smise di fischiettare.
A stranger was before him—a boy a shade larger than himself.
Davanti a lui c'era uno sconosciuto — un ragazzo di poco più grande di lui.
Vocabulary
- era
- Third person singular imperfect of 'essere'; was.
- Ragazzo
- A boy or young male person.
- Modello
- A model or example to be imitated.
- villaggio
- A small rural settlement; a village.
- Conosceva
- He/she knew or was acquainted with someone.
- però
- Conjunctive adverb expressing contrast; however, but.
- molto
- Adverb or adjective meaning very or much.
- bene
- Adverb meaning well; in a good manner.
- ragazzo
- A boy or young male person.
- modello
- A model or ideal example to follow.
- detestava
- He/she detested or strongly disliked someone.
- giro
- A turn or span; used in time expressions.
- minuti
- Plural of minuto; minutes of time.
- anche
- Adverb meaning also, too, or even.
- meno
- Adverb or adjective meaning less or fewer.
- aveva
- Third person singular imperfect of avere; had.
- dimenticato
- Past participle of dimenticare; forgotten.
- tutti
- Adjective or pronoun meaning all or everyone.
- suoi
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, or its.
- guai
- Plural of guaio; troubles, problems, woes.
- perché
- Conjunction or adverb meaning because or why.
- fossero
- Imperfect subjunctive of essere; were (subjunctive).
- briciolo
- A tiny bit or crumb of something.
- pesanti
- Plural adjective meaning heavy or burdensome.
- amari
- Plural adjective meaning bitter or painful.
- quanto
- Relative pronoun or adverb meaning how much, as.
- siano
- Present subjunctive of essere; are (subjunctive).
- quelli
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning those (ones).
- uomo
- An adult male human being; man.
- interesse
- A feeling of curiosity or concern; interest.
- nuovo
- Adjective meaning new or fresh.
- potente
- Adjective meaning powerful, strong, or mighty.
- sopraffatti
- Past participle of sopraffare; overwhelmed or overpowered.
- scacciati
- Past participle of scacciare; driven away or expelled.
- mente
- The human mind or intellect.
- momento
- A brief period of time; a moment.
- proprio
- Adjective or adverb meaning own, exactly, or just.
- disgrazie
- Plural of disgrazia; misfortunes or calamities.
- uomini
- Plural of uomo; men or human beings.
- vengono
- Third person plural present of venire; they come.
- dimenticate
- Feminine plural past participle of dimenticare; forgotten.
- entusiasmo
- Strong excitement or eagerness about something.
- nuove
- Feminine plural adjective meaning new or fresh.
- imprese
- Plural of impresa; enterprises, ventures, or undertakings.
- Questo
- Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning this.
- preziosa
- Feminine adjective meaning precious, valuable, or prized.
- novità
- Something new; a novelty or new development.
- fischiettare
- To whistle softly or hum a tune.
- appena
- Adverb meaning just, barely, or as soon as.
- appreso
- Past participle of apprendere; learned or acquired.
- fremeva
- He/she trembled or was eager with excitement.
- voglia
- A strong desire or urge to do something.
- esercitarsi
- Reflexive verb meaning to practice or train oneself.
- indisturbato
- Adjective meaning undisturbed or without interruption.
- Consisteva
- Third person singular imperfect of consistere; consisted of.
- strano
- Adjective meaning strange, odd, or unusual.
- gorgheggio
- A warbling or trilling vocal sound like birdsong.
- simile
- Adjective meaning similar or resembling something else.
- quello
- Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning that.
- uccello
- A feathered winged animal; a bird.
- specie
- A biological species or a type, kind.
- trillo
- A musical trill or rapid vibrating sound.
- fluido
- Adjective meaning fluid, smooth, or flowing.
- prodotto
- Past participle of produrre; produced; also a product.
- toccando
- Gerund of toccare; touching or making contact with.
- lingua
- The tongue; also a language or speech.
- palato
- The palate or roof of the mouth.
- brevi
- Plural adjective meaning brief, short, or quick.
- intervalli
- Plural of intervallo; intervals of time or space.
- mezzo
- A means or medium; also half or middle.
- musica
- The art of organized sound and melody; music.
- lettore
- A person who reads; a reader.
- probabilmente
- Adverb meaning probably or in all likelihood.
- ricorda
- Third person singular present of ricordare; remembers.
- fa
- Third person singular present of fare; does, makes.
- se
- Conjunction meaning if or whether.
- mai
- Adverb meaning ever or never depending on context.
- stato
- Past participle of essere; been; also a state.
- Diligenza
- Careful and persistent effort; diligence.
- attenzione
- The act of paying close attention; care.
- diedero
- Third person plural past tense of dare; gave.
- presto
- Adverb meaning soon, quickly, or early.
- tocco
- A touch or knack; a fine finishing detail.
- giusto
- Adjective or adverb meaning right, correct, or just.
- percorse
- Third person singular past of percorrere; traveled through.
- strada
- A road, street, or path for traveling.
- grandi
- Plural adjective meaning large, great, or big.
- passi
- Plural of passo; steps or strides when walking.
- bocca
- The mouth of a person or animal.
- piena
- Feminine adjective meaning full or filled with.
- armonia
- Agreement or pleasing combination of sounds; harmony.
- anima
- The spiritual or immaterial part of a person; soul.
- gratitudine
- A feeling of thankfulness toward someone; gratitude.
- sentiva
- Third person singular imperfect of sentire; felt, heard.
- po'
- Shortened form of poco; a little or somewhat.
- sente
- Third person singular present of sentire; feels, hears.
- astronomo
- A scientist who studies celestial bodies; astronomer.
- scoperto
- Past participle of scoprire; discovered or uncovered.
- pianeta
- A large celestial body orbiting a star; planet.
- senza
- Preposition meaning without or lacking something.
- dubbio
- A feeling of uncertainty or hesitation; doubt.
- riguarda
- Third person singular of riguardare; concerns, regards.
- piacere
- Pleasure or enjoyment; also the verb to please.
- intenso
- Adjective meaning intense, strong, or very deep.
- profondo
- Adjective meaning deep, profound, or far down.
- puro
- Adjective meaning pure, clean, or uncontaminated.
- vantaggio
- A beneficial condition or edge over others; advantage.
- parte
- A portion or section of a whole; part.
- serate
- Plural of serata; evenings or evening occasions.
- estive
- Feminine plural adjective relating to summer; summery.
- erano
- Third person plural imperfect of essere; were.
- lunghe
- Feminine plural adjective meaning long in time or space.
- ancora
- Adverb meaning still, yet, or again.
- buio
- Darkness or absence of light; dark.
- Poco
- Adjective or adverb meaning little or a small amount.
- dopo
- Preposition or adverb meaning after or later.
- smise
- Third person singular past of smettere; stopped, ceased.
- Davanti
- Adverb or preposition meaning in front of, ahead.
- sconosciuto
- An unknown person; a stranger or unfamiliar individual.
- poco
- Adverb or adjective meaning little or not much.
- più
- Adverb meaning more or most; plus.
- grande
- Adjective meaning large, big, great, or tall.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →