【英文原著类】baartock(巴托克)

Baartock1BaartockLewisRoth(C)1989Baartock2CHAPTER1Baartockwassittingbythesideoftheoldtwolanecountryroad,crying.Sevenyearsoldandallaloneforhours,butthatwasn'twhyhewassobbing,tearsrunningdownhischeeks.Hehadgrownupintheforest,hewasusedtobeingalone,exceptforhisparents.Hewasn'tlostandhehadn'trunawayfromhome,thoughhefeltsoashamedhedidn'twanttogohome.Ithadbeenabadday,aterribleday.Baartockhadbeenwaitingalldaytoscaresomeone,buttherehadn'tbeenanyonetoscare.Itwassuchabadthingtohappentoatrollonhisfirstday.Todaywassuchanimportantday.TodaywastheveryfirstdaythatBaartockwastogooutscaringallbyhimself.Hehadstayeduplatethenightbeforeandhadgottenupearly,sohewouldbealltiredandcranky.Hehadgoneoutofthecavewherehelivedandrolledinthesmelliest,nastiestmudhecouldfind,sohewouldlookhisscariest.Andhehadpracticedhisscreamsandshrieks,untilbothhisparentsyelledathimtoshut-upandtogoscaresomebody.Hehadsetout,goingdowntheolddrystream-bed,justlikehisfatherhadtoldhim.Ontheway,hefelldownandcuthisknee,whichmadehimreallyangry.Hethrewarockatabirdthatwassinginginthetrees,tryingtomakefunofhim.Hemissedandthatmadehimevenangrier.Whenhegottotheroadandlookedbothways,hecrosseditandhidintheculvert.Thenhewaitedandlistened.Theculvertwasn'tmuchofabridge.Itwasjustabig,oldconcretepipethatwentundertheroadforrain-watertogothrough.Hewishedthatitwasabridge,anykindofbridgeatall.Evenawoodenbridge,butarealbridgethathecouldhideunderandcomerushingouttoscarepeople.Hecroucheddowntowaitandlisten.Heknewwhathewaslisteningfor.Thesoundofsomeonewalkingdowntheroad.Baartockhadpracticedathome,justthewayhisfatherhadshownhim.Hewouldstandwaiting,justoutofsight.Then,whenheheardsomething,hewouldrunupthehill,roaringandscreaming.Thepracticehadallgonesowell.Whenhediditathome,heneverhadtowaitlongtohearsomething.Hehadscaredlotsofsquirrels,adeer,twoBaartock3opossum,andaskunk.Baartockdidn'tliketoremembertheskunk.Theyhadscaredeachother.Tohelppassthetime,Baartockrememberedofsomeofthestoriesthathisfathertold.Storiesaboutthefamoustrollsinhisfamily,andhowtheyhadscaredpeople.HowhisGreat-great-uncleSssssgnaarllhadchasedawholevillage.Hehadcomerunningdownthesideofthemountainandrightintothevillage,yellingandscreaminghisloudest,andeverybodyhadrunaway.Andhowwonderfullyuglyhismother'sgrandfatherMunchch-Crunchchhadbeen.Sougly,thatjustassoonashelookedupoverthesideofabridge,peoplewouldfaintrightwheretheywerestanding.Itwasfuntothinkaboutthingslikethat,whilehewaswaiting.Hethoughtaboutthenamehewasgoingtoearnforhimself.Somethingreallyscaryandwonderful.Baartockwasn'thisrealname.Thatwasjustwhathismothercalledhim.Hisfatherwouldjustyell'kid',andBaartockknewthatmeanthim.That'sthewayitiswithtrolls.Buthewouldn'tgetaname,arealtrollnameuntilhewastwelveyearsold,andhadscaredlotsofpeople.HewantedtoearnareallyscarynamelikeArrrggrr-MunchSlinurp,whichwashisfather'sname.Hewaitedforalongtime,butnoonecame.Afterawhile,whenhegottired,heatehissandwiches.Theywerereallygood.Hismotherhadputextrasandinthem.Justashefinishedhislunch,abeestunghim.Thatgothimangryagain,andhefeltthathecouldscareanybodywhocamealong.Hesettleddownagaintowaitandlisten.Buthedidn'thearanything.Hekeptwaiting.Whenhegottiredofwaitingdownundertheroadintheculvert,heclimbedupandhidinabushbythesideoftheroad.Baartockwaitedsomemore,butstillnobodycamewalkingdowntheroad.Thesunwasrightoverhead.Hewashotandtiredandhungryandlotsofthings,butmostlyunhappy.Thelongerhewaited,theunhappierhegot.Hewassittingbythesideoftheroad,crying,whenthecardroveupandstoppednearhim.Hewassobbingsohardthathedidn'thearit.Itwouldn'thavematteredifhehadheardit.Hisfatherhadn'tshownhimhowtoscareacar.Hedidhearthecardoorslam,whenMr.Fennisgotout.What'sthematter?Mr.Fennisdidn'tknowanythingabouttrolls,butBaartock4heknewaboutchildren.Andwhathesawwasaverydirtylittlechildsittingbythesideoftheroad,crying.Mr.Fennistaughtthirdgradeandwouldhavebeenatschool,butthismorninghehadtogotothedentist.Hewashurryingtogetbacktoschool.Hedidn'twanttomissmorethanhalftheday.ThesubstituteteacherhadbeensickandMrs.Jackson,theprincipal,wasteachinghisclass.Thatwasalmostasbadasthepaininhismouth.AssoonasBaartocksawMr.Fennis,heknewwhathewassupposedtodo.Ifhehadn'tbeensobbingsohard,hemighthavebeenabletoscarehim.Ahgrr,Baartockstartedtoyell,butitgotallmixedupwithhiscryinganddidn'tcomeoutscaryatall.What'sthematter?Mr.Fennisaskedagain.Areyouhurt?Baartockcouldonlyshakehishead.Areyoulost?What'swrong?Baartocktriedtosay,I'mtryingtoscareyou,butallthatcameoutwasscare.Youdon'thavetobescared.I'lltrytohelpyou.Doyouknowhowtogethome?Baartocknoddedhisheadandsobbedsomemore.Hehadn'tbeenabletoscarethisperson.Nowtheywereeventalking.Oh,thiswasawful.Letmetakeyouhome,saidMr.Fennis.Whichwaydoyoulive?Baartockpointedupthehill.Idon'tthinkanyonelivesupthere.YoumustliveintheoldHowardplace.Mr.Fennisseemedtobetalkingmostlytohimself.ThenheaskedHowoldareyou?Seven,answeredBaartock.Youshouldbeinschooltoday.Noschool.Baartockdidn'tknowwhatschoolwas,buthedidn'tthinkheshouldbethere.Fathersaid'waithere'.Icameearlytoday,butnobodycame.You'vebeenwaitingforaschoolbusallthistime?Mr.Fennisknew