The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck — Page 5
The collie-dog Kep met her coming out, "What are you doing with those onions? Where do you go every afternoon by yourself, Jemima Puddle-duck?"
Le chien colley Kep la rencontra en sortant, « Que faites-vous avec ces oignons ? Où allez-vous chaque après-midi toute seule, Jemima Canard-Flaque ? »
Jemima was rather in awe of the collie; she told him the whole story.
Jemima était quelque peu intimidée par le colley ; elle lui raconta toute l'histoire.
The collie listened, with his wise head on one side; he grinned when she described the polite gentleman with sandy whiskers.
Le colley écouta, la tête sage penchée sur le côté ; il sourit lorsqu'elle décrivit le gentleman poli aux favoris couleur sable.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
He asked several questions about the wood, and about the exact position of the house and shed.
Il posa plusieurs questions sur le bois, et sur la position exacte de la maison et de la remise.
Then he went out, and trotted down the village. He went to look for two fox-hound puppies who were out at walk with the butcher.
Puis il sortit et trottina dans le village. Il alla chercher deux jeunes chiens courants qui se promenaient avec le boucher.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Jemima Puddle-duck went up the cart-road for the last time, on a sunny afternoon.
Jemima Canard-Flaque emprunta le chemin charretier pour la dernière fois, par un après-midi ensoleillé.
She was rather burdened with bunches of herbs and two onions in a bag.
Elle était quelque peu chargée de bouquets d'herbes et de deux oignons dans un sac.
She flew over the wood, and alighted opposite the house of the bushy long-tailed gentleman.
Elle survola le bois et se posa en face de la maison du gentleman à la longue queue touffue.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
He was sitting on a log; he sniffed the air, and kept glancing uneasily round the wood.
Il était assis sur une bûche ; il reniflait l'air et ne cessait de jeter des regards inquiets autour du bois.
When Jemima alighted he quite jumped.
Lorsque Jemima se posa, il fit un bond.
"Come into the house as soon as you have looked at your eggs. Give me the herbs for the omelette. Be sharp!"
« Entrez dans la maison dès que vous aurez regardé vos œufs. Donnez-moi les herbes pour l'omelette. Dépêchez-vous ! »
He was rather abrupt. Jemima Puddle-duck had never heard him speak like that.
Il était plutôt brusque. Jemima Canard-Flaque ne l'avait jamais entendu parler ainsi.
She felt surprised, and uncomfortable.
Elle se sentit surprise et mal à l'aise.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
While she was inside she heard pattering feet round the back of the shed.
Pendant qu'elle était à l'intérieur, elle entendit des pas trottinant derrière la remise.
Some one with a black nose sniffed at the bottom of the door, and then locked it.
Quelqu'un avec un museau noir renifla au bas de la porte, puis la ferma à clé.
Jemima became much alarmed.
Jemima fut très alarmée.
Vocabulary
- chien
- A domesticated animal kept as a pet or guard
- colley
- A breed of herding dog with long fur
- rencontra
- Past tense of 'rencontrer'; met or encountered someone
- sortant
- Present participle of 'sortir'; going or coming out
- faites-vous
- Second person plural of 'faire'; what are you doing
- oignons
- Plural of 'oignon'; bulbous vegetables used in cooking
- allez-vous
- Second person plural of 'aller'; where are you going
- chaque
- Adjective meaning 'each' or 'every'
- après-midi
- The period of time from noon until evening
- seule
- Feminine adjective meaning 'alone' or 'only'
- quelque
- Indefinite adjective meaning 'some' or 'a little'
- intimidée
- Feminine past participle; feeling shy or frightened by someone
- raconta
- Past tense of 'raconter'; told or narrated a story
- histoire
- A narrative account of events; a story
- écouta
- Past tense of 'écouter'; listened attentively to something
- tête
- The part of the body containing the brain and face
- sage
- Adjective meaning 'wise', 'good', or 'well-behaved'
- penchée
- Feminine past participle; tilted or leaning to one side
- côté
- A side or lateral part of something
- sourit
- Past tense of 'sourire'; smiled at someone or something
- lorsqu'
- Conjunction meaning 'when', used before a vowel
- décrivit
- Past tense of 'décrire'; described someone or something
- gentleman
- An English loanword; a well-mannered and refined man
- poli
- Adjective meaning 'polite' or 'well-mannered'
- favoris
- Side whiskers or sideburns grown on a man's face
- couleur
- The visual property of hue; a color or shade
- sable
- Sand or a sandy color; pale yellowish-brown shade
- posa
- Past tense of 'poser'; asked or placed something down
- plusieurs
- Adjective meaning 'several' or 'more than two'
- questions
- Plural of 'question'; inquiries posed to obtain information
- bois
- A wooded area; also means 'wood' as a material
- position
- The location or placement of something in space
- exacte
- Feminine adjective meaning 'exact' or 'precise'
- maison
- A building where people live; a house or home
- remise
- A shed or outbuilding used for storage
- Puis
- Adverb meaning 'then' or 'next' in a sequence
- sortit
- Past tense of 'sortir'; went out or left a place
- trottina
- Past tense of 'trottiner'; trotted or moved at a brisk pace
- village
- A small community or settlement smaller than a town
- chercher
- To look for or fetch something or someone
- jeunes
- Adjective meaning 'young'; referring to youth or age
- chiens courants
- Hounds bred and trained to chase and track game
- se promenaient
- Imperfect tense; were walking or strolling leisurely
- boucher
- A person who sells meat; a butcher
- emprunta
- Past tense of 'emprunter'; took or followed a route
- chemin
- A path, road, or route leading somewhere
- charretier
- A cart driver or a road used by carts
- dernière
- Feminine adjective meaning 'last' or 'final'
- fois
- A single occurrence or instance of an action; time
- ensoleillé
- Adjective meaning 'sunny' or 'bathed in sunlight'
- chargée
- Feminine past participle; loaded or weighed down with things
- bouquets
- Plural of 'bouquet'; bunches or clusters of plants or flowers
- herbes
- Plural of 'herbe'; plants used in cooking or medicine
- sac
- A bag or pouch used for carrying items
- survola
- Past tense of 'survoler'; flew over a place or object
- face
- The front side or surface of something; facing
- longue
- Feminine adjective meaning 'long' in length or duration
- queue
- The tail of an animal; also means a line of people
- touffue
- Feminine adjective meaning 'bushy', 'thick', or 'tufted'
- assis
- Past participle of 'asseoir'; seated or sitting down
- bûche
- A log or chunk of wood used as fuel
- reniflait
- Imperfect tense of 'renifler'; was sniffing the air
- air
- The invisible gaseous mixture surrounding the earth
- ne cessait
- Imperfect tense; kept on or did not stop doing something
- jeter
- To throw or cast something; also to cast a glance
- regards
- Plural of 'regard'; looks or glances directed at something
- inquiets
- Plural adjective meaning 'worried', 'anxious', or 'uneasy'
- autour
- Adverb or preposition meaning 'around' or 'surrounding'
- Lorsque
- Conjunction meaning 'when' used before a consonant
- bond
- A sudden leap or jump; a bound forward
- Entrez
- Imperative of 'entrer'; come in or enter a place
- dès que
- Conjunction meaning 'as soon as' something happens
- aurez
- Future tense of 'avoir'; will have done something
- regardé
- Past participle of 'regarder'; looked at or watched something
- œufs
- Plural of 'œuf'; oval objects laid by female birds
- Donnez-moi
- Imperative phrase meaning 'give me' something
- omelette
- A dish made from beaten eggs cooked in a pan
- Dépêchez-vous
- Imperative phrase meaning 'hurry up' or 'be quick'
- plutôt
- Adverb meaning 'rather', 'quite', or 'somewhat'
- brusque
- Adjective meaning 'abrupt', 'blunt', or 'curt' in manner
- jamais
- Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever' in French sentences
- entendu
- Past participle of 'entendre'; heard or listened to something
- parler
- To speak or talk to someone about something
- ainsi
- Adverb meaning 'thus', 'so', or 'in this way'
- sentit
- Past tense of 'sentir'; felt or sensed something emotionally
- surprise
- An unexpected event causing astonishment or wonder
- mal à l'aise
- Phrase meaning 'uncomfortable' or 'ill at ease'
- Pendant
- Preposition meaning 'during' or 'while' something happens
- intérieur
- The inside or inner part of a building or space
- trottinant
- Present participle of 'trottiner'; trotting or scurrying along
- derrière
- Preposition or adverb meaning 'behind' or 'at the back'
- Quelqu'
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'someone' before a vowel
- museau
- The snout or muzzle of an animal
- noir
- Adjective meaning 'black' in color
- renifla
- Past tense of 'renifler'; sniffed at something with curiosity
- bas
- Adjective or noun meaning 'low' or 'bottom part'
- porte
- A door or gate allowing entry into a space
- ferma
- Past tense of 'fermer'; closed or shut something securely
- clé
- A small metal instrument used to lock or unlock
- fut
- Simple past of 'être'; was (literary or formal tense)
- alarmée
- Feminine past participle; frightened or alarmed by something
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