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The Old Mill ブログトップ

The Old Mill (1) [The Old Mill]

The Old Mill (1)

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" What a fine place to build the nest ! " exclaimed Mother and Father Robin the first time they saw the old windmill.

It's sails were torn, and it stood, rather lopsided, on a small hill.
But inside it was cool and quiet and shadowy.
A perfect place to spend the spring and summer.

" And we'll have lots of good neighbors, " said Father Robin looking around at spiders busily spinning their webs, mice scurrying about their business, an owl dozing on a rafter, bats hanging upside down from the roof, and a pair of cooing turtledoves perched in the window.

The robins built their nest just in time for Mother Robin to lay five bright blue eggs in it.

Every day while her sat on them to keep them warm, Father Robin flew out to hunt for s fat, tasty worm to bring home for her supper. 

(1/6) 

The Old Mill (2) [The Old Mill]

The Old Mill (2)

One beautiful spring evening the sun set, turning the sky a rosy pink.

All the daytime creatures headed homeward.
The cows ambled from the pasture to their barn; the chicks waddled from the pond to the barnyard; and Father Robin flew home to his nest in the old mill.
He had a plump worm in his beak for Mother Robin.

The two birds admired their pretty blue eggs.
Carefully they  turned them over.
" Soon they will be ready to hatch, " said Mother Robin.

Then they both settled down for the night to keep the eggs warm.
" Good night, " they chirped sleepy to each other as they rubbed beaks.

Now it was the night creature's turn to be up and doing.

(2/6) 
 

The Old Mill (3) [The Old Mill]

The Old Mill (3)

One by one the bats hanging from the rafters blinked their eyes open., unfolded their leathery wings, and yawned.

With a whispery flapping of wings they streamed out of the mill and flew off into the twilight.

As the last rays of daylight faded from the sky, the pond grew dark, and the water lilies floating on it folded their petals tightly closed.
The moon shone brightly in a black sky.

First one frog, then another, climbed out of the water onto a lily pad and began a chorus of croaking.

The crickets in the field chirped right along.
The fireflies in the reeds around
pond blinked on and off.
One flew too close to a hungry frog and WHOOSH ! the frog snapped him up, and then the little lights continued to blink in his stomach.

(3/6)
 


The Old Mill (4) [The Old Mill]

The Old Mill  (4)

Suddenly a wind blew up, tossing the reeds this way and that.
The frogs dived off their lily pads and into the pond.

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A cloud swept across the moon.

The sails of old mill creaked as they began to turn in the wind.
A loose shutter clattered and banged.

The owl, disturbed from his nap, opened one big yellow eye and glared angrily.

As the sails of the mill turned this way now that in the gusts of wind, the wooden cog wheel that was attached to them moved, coming closer and closer to the robin's nest, then retreating. 

The wheel strained and creaked against the rope that held it.

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" Oh ! Whatever shall we do ? " cried Mrs. Robin, who had been awakened by the noise.

A flash of lightning showed how close to the little nest the cog were coming with every gust of wind. 

(4/7)
6回の予定だったのですが、どうにも収まりませんので、1回追加でお願いします。

The Old Mill (5) [The Old Mill]

The Old Mill (5)

The old mill shuddered and shook, and now there was a tremendous crash of thunder and a flare of lightning followed by a sudden downpour of rain.

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Father Robin flew desperately in and out of the cogs, looking for a way to stop the wheel.
Mother Robin huddled down over her precious eggs, determined to protect them.

The shutter banged in the wind, the mice cowered together in a corner, the owl flew up to a higher rafter, where he glared down crossly at the others every time a splash of water bounced off his head.
Only the turtledoves in the window continued to murmur affectionately to each other and paid no attention to the storm.

The rain came down harder and harder, and the angry wind blew sheets of water into the old mill.
The building shook and shuddered, and the mill wheel creaked as it turned closer and closer to the little nest.

" I'm afraid we'll have to fly out of the way soon, " Father Robin said, " or the wheel will crush us. "

" Never ! " said Mother Robin bravely, spreading her wings over her five blue treasure.
" We must stay here and guard out eggs. "

(5/7)  

 


The Old Mill (6) [The Old Mill]

The Old Mill (6)

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Just then a bolt of lightning struck the mill with a terrible crash.
T
he mill tipped away from the wind and settled with a groan deeper into its foundation.

Suddenly the wind stopped, the great sails creaked to a standstill, and the mill wheel ground to a halt just inches from the nest !

It was very, very still and calm then, with only the faint rumble of the storm moving away in the distance.
All the creatures in the mill settled down to sleep once more, and Mother Robin snuggled gratefully against Father Robin.

(6/7)


The Old Mill (7 完) [The Old Mill]

The Old Mill (7 完)

In the morning, the world outside was fresh and green.

The cows ambled slowly back to their pasture, the ducks quacked happily on their way to the pond, while inside the mill something wonderful was happening in the robin's nest.

The five blue eggs had cracked open, and five baby birds were cheeping hungrily, their little red mouths open as wide as could be.

" Keep on eye on our babies for us, " the robins asked their neighbors.
" With five hungry mouths to feed, we'll both have to go searching for worms. "

As they flew out into the sunny morning, the robins looked back fondly at the old mill.
" It's a lovely home for bringing up a family, " they sang happily.

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(7/7 完)   

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