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?"
Il cane collie Kep la incontrò mentre usciva: «Cosa stai facendo con quelle cipolle? Dove vai ogni pomeriggio da sola, Jemima Puddle-duck?»
Jemima was rather in awe of the collie; she told him the whole story.
Jemima era alquanto intimorita dal collie; gli raccontò tutta la storia.
The collie listened, with his wise head on one side; he grinned when she described the polite gentleman with sandy whiskers.
Il collie ascoltò, con la sua testa saggia inclinata da un lato; sogghignò quando lei descrisse il garbato signore dai baffi fulvi.
[Illustration]
[Illustrazione]
He asked several questions about the wood, and about the exact position of the house and shed.
Fece diverse domande sul bosco, e sulla posizione esatta della casa e del capanno.
Then he went out, and trotted down the village.
Poi uscì e trottò giù per il villaggio.
He went to look for two fox-hound puppies who were out at walk with the butcher.
Andò a cercare due cuccioli di segugio che erano a passeggio con il macellaio.
[Illustration]
[Illustrazione]
Jemima Puddle-duck went up the cart-road for the last time, on a sunny afternoon.
Jemima Puddle-duck percorse il sentiero del carro per l'ultima volta, in un soleggiato pomeriggio.
She was rather burdened with bunches of herbs and two onions in a bag.
Era piuttosto carica con mazzi di erbe aromatiche e due cipolle in un sacchetto.
She flew over the wood, and alighted opposite the house of the bushy long-tailed gentleman.
Volò sopra il bosco e atterrò di fronte alla casa del signore dalla lunga coda folta.
[Illustration]
[Illustrazione]
He was sitting on a log; he sniffed the air, and kept glancing uneasily round the wood.
Era seduto su un ceppo; annusava l'aria e continuava a lanciare sguardi inquieti intorno al bosco.
When Jemima alighted he quite jumped.
Quando Jemima atterrò, sobbalzò vistosamente.
"Come into the house as soon as you have looked at your eggs. Give me the herbs for the omelette. Be sharp!"
«Entra in casa non appena hai dato un'occhiata alle tue uova. Dammi le erbe per la frittata. Sbrigati!»
He was rather abrupt.
Era piuttosto brusco.
Jemima Puddle-duck had never heard him speak like that.
Jemima Puddle-duck non lo aveva mai sentito parlare in quel modo.
She felt surprised, and uncomfortable.
Si sentì sorpresa e a disagio.
[Illustration]
[Illustrazione]
While she was inside she heard pattering feet round the back of the shed.
Mentre era dentro sentì lo scalpiccio di passi intorno al retro del capanno.
Some one with a black nose sniffed at the bottom of the door, and then locked it.
Qualcuno con un naso nero annusò sotto la porta e poi la chiuse a chiave.
Jemima became much alarmed.
Jemima si allarmò molto.
Vocabulary
- cane
- A domesticated animal kept as a pet or worker.
- incontrò
- Past tense of 'incontrare'; met or encountered someone.
- mentre
- Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'as' in time.
- usciva
- Imperfect tense of 'uscire'; was going out.
- Cosa
- Interrogative pronoun meaning 'what' in questions.
- stai
- Second person singular present of 'stare'; you are.
- facendo
- Gerund of 'fare'; doing or making something.
- con
- Preposition meaning 'with' indicating accompaniment.
- quelle
- Feminine plural demonstrative adjective meaning 'those'.
- cipolle
- Plural of 'cipolla'; round pungent vegetables used in cooking.
- Dove
- Interrogative adverb meaning 'where' in questions.
- vai
- Second person singular present of 'andare'; you go.
- ogni
- Adjective meaning 'every' or 'each' without exception.
- pomeriggio
- The part of the day between noon and evening.
- da
- Preposition with multiple uses; by, from, since.
- sola
- Feminine adjective meaning 'alone' or 'by oneself'.
- era
- Third person singular imperfect of 'essere'; was.
- alquanto
- Adverb meaning 'rather' or 'somewhat' in degree.
- intimorita
- Past participle of 'intimorire'; frightened or intimidated.
- dal
- Contraction of 'da' and 'il' meaning 'by the'.
- gli
- Indirect object pronoun meaning 'to him' or 'to them'.
- raccontò
- Past tense of 'raccontare'; narrated or told a story.
- tutta
- Feminine adjective meaning 'all' or 'the whole'.
- storia
- A narrative account of events; story or history.
- ascoltò
- Past tense of 'ascoltare'; listened attentively to something.
- sua
- Feminine possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
- testa
- The uppermost part of the body; head.
- saggia
- Feminine adjective meaning 'wise' or 'sensible'.
- inclinata
- Past participle of 'inclinare'; tilted or leaning to one side.
- lato
- A side or flank of an object or body.
- sogghignò
- Past tense of 'sogghignare'; smirked or grinned slyly.
- quando
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when' in time.
- lei
- Third person singular feminine pronoun meaning 'she'.
- descrisse
- Past tense of 'descrivere'; described in detail someone.
- garbato
- Adjective meaning 'polite', 'courteous', or 'well-mannered'.
- signore
- A respectful title for a man; gentleman or mister.
- dai
- Contraction of 'da' and 'i' meaning 'with the' or 'from the'.
- baffi
- Plural of 'baffo'; facial hair grown above the lip.
- fulvi
- Plural adjective meaning 'tawny' or 'reddish-yellow' in color.
- Illustrazione
- A picture or image accompanying a text.
- Fece
- Past tense of 'fare'; made or did something.
- diverse
- Plural adjective meaning 'several' or 'various' things.
- domande
- Plural of 'domanda'; questions asked to obtain information.
- sul
- Contraction of 'su' and 'il' meaning 'on the'.
- bosco
- A small forested area; woods or woodland.
- sulla
- Contraction of 'su' and 'la' meaning 'on the'.
- posizione
- The location or placement of something in space.
- esatta
- Feminine adjective meaning 'exact' or 'precise'.
- della
- Contraction of 'di' and 'la' meaning 'of the'.
- casa
- A building used as a dwelling; home or house.
- del
- Contraction of 'di' and 'il' meaning 'of the'.
- capanno
- A small shed or hut used for storage or shelter.
- Poi
- Adverb meaning 'then' or 'afterwards' in sequence.
- uscì
- Past tense of 'uscire'; went out or exited.
- trottò
- Past tense of 'trottare'; trotted or moved at a trot.
- giù
- Adverb meaning 'down' indicating downward direction.
- per
- Preposition meaning 'through', 'for', or 'along'.
- villaggio
- A small settlement smaller than a town; village.
- Andò
- Past tense of 'andare'; went to a place.
- cercare
- Infinitive meaning 'to look for' or 'to search'.
- due
- The number two; a cardinal numeral.
- cuccioli
- Plural of 'cucciolo'; young or baby animals, especially dogs.
- segugio
- A scent hound breed used for hunting game.
- che
- Conjunction or relative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'who'.
- erano
- Third person plural imperfect of 'essere'; they were.
- passeggio
- A leisurely walk or stroll; the act of walking.
- macellaio
- A person who sells meat; butcher.
- percorse
- Past tense of 'percorrere'; traveled or covered a path.
- sentiero
- A narrow path or trail through natural terrain.
- carro
- A wheeled vehicle used for transporting goods; cart.
- ultima
- Feminine adjective meaning 'last' or 'final' in order.
- volta
- A time or occasion; instance of an event occurring.
- soleggiato
- Adjective meaning 'sunny' or 'bathed in sunlight'.
- Era
- Third person singular imperfect of 'essere'; she/he/it was.
- piuttosto
- Adverb meaning 'rather' or 'quite' indicating degree.
- carica
- Feminine adjective meaning 'loaded' or 'laden' with something.
- mazzi
- Plural of 'mazzo'; bunches or bundles of plants.
- erbe
- Plural of 'erba'; plants used in cooking or medicine.
- aromatiche
- Plural adjective meaning 'aromatic' or 'fragrant', describing herbs.
- sacchetto
- A small bag or pouch for carrying items.
- Volò
- Past tense of 'volare'; flew through the air.
- sopra
- Preposition or adverb meaning 'above' or 'over'.
- atterrò
- Past tense of 'atterrare'; landed on the ground.
- fronte
- The front part or forehead; also 'in front of'.
- alla
- Contraction of 'a' and 'la' meaning 'at the' or 'to the'.
- lunga
- Feminine adjective meaning 'long' in length or duration.
- coda
- The tail of an animal; also a queue or line.
- folta
- Feminine adjective meaning 'thick' or 'bushy' in density.
- seduto
- Past participle of 'sedere'; seated or sitting down.
- su
- Preposition meaning 'on' or 'upon' indicating position.
- ceppo
- A tree stump or log remaining after cutting.
- annusava
- Imperfect of 'annusare'; was sniffing or smelling the air.
- aria
- The invisible gaseous mixture surrounding the earth; air.
- continuava
- Imperfect of 'continuare'; was continuing or kept doing something.
- lanciare
- Infinitive meaning 'to throw', 'to cast', or 'to dart'.
- sguardi
- Plural of 'sguardo'; glances or looks directed somewhere.
- inquieti
- Plural adjective meaning 'uneasy', 'restless', or 'anxious'.
- intorno
- Adverb or preposition meaning 'around' or 'surrounding'.
- al
- Contraction of 'a' and 'il' meaning 'at the' or 'to the'.
- Quando
- Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when' introducing time clauses.
- sobbalzò
- Past tense of 'sobbalzare'; jolted or jumped with surprise.
- vistosamente
- Adverb meaning 'visibly' or 'noticeably' in a striking way.
- Entra
- Imperative of 'entrare'; enter or come inside now.
- appena
- Adverb meaning 'as soon as' or 'just' barely.
- hai
- Second person singular present of 'avere'; you have.
- dato
- Past participle of 'dare'; given something to someone.
- occhiata
- A quick look or glance at something.
- alle
- Contraction of 'a' and 'le' meaning 'at the' or 'to the'.
- tue
- Feminine plural possessive adjective meaning 'your'.
- uova
- Plural of 'uovo'; oval objects laid by female birds.
- Dammi
- Imperative contraction of 'dare' and 'mi'; give me.
- le
- Feminine plural definite article or object pronoun meaning 'them'.
- frittata
- An Italian egg dish similar to an omelette.
- Sbrigati
- Reflexive imperative of 'sbrigarsi'; hurry up immediately.
- brusco
- Adjective meaning 'brusque', 'abrupt', or 'harsh' in manner.
- lo
- Masculine singular direct object pronoun meaning 'him' or 'it'.
- aveva
- Third person singular imperfect of 'avere'; had.
- mai
- Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever' in Italian.
- sentito
- Past participle of 'sentire'; heard or felt something.
- parlare
- Infinitive meaning 'to speak' or 'to talk'.
- quel
- Masculine singular demonstrative adjective meaning 'that'.
- modo
- A manner or way of doing or saying something.
- Si
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive verbs; oneself.
- sentì
- Past tense of 'sentirsi'; felt a particular way emotionally.
- sorpresa
- Feminine noun or adjective meaning 'surprise' or 'surprised'.
- disagio
- A feeling of unease, discomfort, or awkwardness.
- Mentre
- Conjunction meaning 'while' indicating simultaneous actions.
- dentro
- Adverb or preposition meaning 'inside' or 'within'.
- scalpiccio
- The sound of shuffling or pattering feet.
- passi
- Plural of 'passo'; steps or footsteps made while walking.
- retro
- The back part or rear of a building or object.
- Qualcuno
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'someone' or 'somebody'.
- naso
- The organ of smell on the face; nose.
- nero
- Adjective meaning 'black' in color.
- annusò
- Past tense of 'annusare'; sniffed at something to smell.
- sotto
- Preposition or adverb meaning 'under' or 'beneath'.
- porta
- A hinged barrier used to open or close an entrance.
- poi
- Adverb meaning 'then' or 'next' in a sequence.
- chiuse
- Past tense of 'chiudere'; closed or shut something.
- chiave
- A metal device used to lock or unlock doors.
- si
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive or pronominal verbs.
- allarmò
- Past tense of 'allarmarsi'; became alarmed or frightened.
- molto
- Adverb meaning 'very' or 'much' indicating high degree.
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