# ■ 1 The river

The Mole worked very hard all morning, cleaning his little home. He brushed, and he washed; he cleaned the floors and the walls, he stood on chairs to wash the tops of cup boards, he got under the beds, he took up the carpets. He cleaned and he cleaned, until his arms and his back ached with tiredness.

It was springtime, and the smell and the sound of spring were everywhere, even in the Mole's dark little house under the ground. And with the spring comes the promise of change, of sunshine, of new green leaves. So it was not surprising that the Mole suddenly put down his brushes and said, 'Oh bother! 'and then, 'I'm tired of cleaning! 'Something up above the ground was calling to him, and he ran out of his house and began to dig his way upwards to the sun.

He dug and he pushed, and he pushed and he dug. 'Up we go! Up we go! 'he said to himself, until at last his nose came out into the sunlight, and he found himself in the warm grass of a field.

This is fine! 'said the Mole. 'This is better than cleaning! 'The sunshine was warm on his back and the air was filled with the songs of birds. He gave a little jump for happiness, shook himself, and then began to cross the field towards some trees. Here and there he went, through the fields and the woods, looking and smelling and listening. Everywhere animals and birds were busy, talking and laughing, looking for food, making new homes for the spring. The Mole enjoyed it all.

Then, suddenly, he came to a river. He had never seen a river before in his life-this wonderful bright shining thing, which danced its way in and out of the shadows under the trees. It was never still for a minute, hurrying and laughing and talking to itself.

And at once, the Mole was in love with it. He walked along the river bank, listening and watching all the time. At last he sat down on the grass and looked across the river to the bank opposite. There was a dark hole in the bank, and the Mole watched it dreamily, thinking that it would be very pleasant to have a little house by the river. As he watched, he saw some thing shining in the hole. Soon he saw that it was an eye, and then a face appeared as well.

A brown little face, with whiskers.

With bright eyes, and small ears, and thick shiny hair.

It was the Water Rat!

Then the two animals stood up and looked at each other.

Hello, Mole! 'said the Water Rat.

Hello, Rat! 'said the Mole.

Would you like to come over?' asked the Rat.

Oh, it's easy to talk, 'said the Mole, a little crossly. The river was new to him and he did not know how to get to the other side.

The Rat said nothing, and disappeared. Then he appeared again, in a little blue and white boat, which came quickly across the river towards the Mole. It stopped by the bank, and a moment later the Mole, to his great surprise and excitement, found himself actually sitting in a real boat.

Do you know, 'he said, as the Rat began to row away from the bank, 'I've never been in a boat before in all my life. '

What?' cried the Rat. 'My dear fellow, you haven't lived! Believe me, 'he went on seriously, 'there is nothing-really nothing-nicer than just messing about in boats. You can go up river, down river, stay where you are, it really doesn't matter. There's always something to do, but you don't have to do it if you don't want to. You can do what you like. Look here! If you're not busy today, why don't we spend the day on the river together?'

The Mole had listened to all this with great interest. Now he sat back in the comfortable seat and said, 'What a wonderful day this is! Let's start at once! '

But first the Rat went into his hole, and after a while came out carrying a very large and heavy lunch basket. This went in to the boat, under the Mole's feet, and then the Rat began to row down river. The two friends talked from time to time, but mostly the Mole just watched the river dreamily, enjoying the sounds and the smells and the sunlight. At last they turned off the big river into a little side river that came down to join it. The Rat stopped the boat and they got out on to a bank of soft green grass under tall willow trees. It was very quiet and very peaceful.

The Mole sat down and looked around him. 'What a beautiful place! 'he said happily.

Time for lunch, 'said the Rat, opening the basket. 'Come on, Mole! Let's get to work. '

The Mole was happy to obey, because he was very hungry indeed after all his cleaning earlier in the day. And what a lunch it was! There were cold meats and egg sandwiches, cooked chicken and tomatoes, apples and bananas and a large cake.

When at last they could eat no more, the Mole lay back and watched the river lazily. After a while he sat up.

I can see a long line of bubbles in the water, 'he said. 'I wonder what it is. '

Bubbles? Oho! 'said the Rat, and he called out across the river in a friendly kind of way.

The bubbles stopped and turned. Soon a wet whiskery nose appeared above the edge of the bank, and the Otter pulled him self out and shook the water from his coat.

A lunch party! 'he said, going straight towards the food. 'Why didn't you invite me, Ratty?'

We didn't plan it, 'explained the Rat. 'We only decided to come this morning. Oh, and this is my friend, Mr Mole. '

Happy to meet you, 'said the Otter, and the two animals were friends at once.

All the world seems to be out on the river today, 'said the Otter while he ate. 'I came up this side river to try and get a moment's peace, and then I find you fellows having a lunch party! '

Suddenly there was a noise in the thick bushes behind them, and a big black and white head looked out at them.

Come on, old Badger! 'shouted the Rat.

The Badger came forward a few steps, then stopped. 'Hmm! A crowd! 'he said crossly, and turned his back and disappeared again into the bushes.

What a pity! 'said the Rat. 'Dear old Badger! He's a good fellow, but he does hate a crowd. We won't see him again today. But tell us, who's out on the river?'

Toad's out, for one, 'replied the Otter. 'In his shiny new boat. He's got new boating clothes, and everything! '

The Rat and the Otter looked at each other and laughed.

Toad's always trying something new, 'the Rat explained to the Mole. 'But he always gets bored so quickly. Last year it was a house-boat, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life living on the river. This year it's rowing-boats. '

He's a nice fellow, of course, 'said the Otter. 'But he never learns from his mistakes! '

From where they sat they could see a bit of the big river. And just then they saw a rowing-boat going past, and in it a short fat animal, rowing very hard and very badly.

There's Toad going past now, 'said the Rat. 'Look at him! He'll turn that boat over in a minute. '

Of course he will, 'laughed the Otter. Toad had now disappeared up river, and the Otter went on, 'Did I ever tell you that story about Toad and the…'

There was a sudden movement in the water near the bank. Something silvery shone for a second, then it was gone. And so was the Otter. The Mole looked down. The Otter's voice was still in his ears, but the Otter had disappeared.

There was just a long line of bubbles in the river.

The Rat sang a little song to himself, and the Mole remembered that it was not at all polite, in the animal world, to say anything if your friends disappeared at any moment, for any reason.

Well, well, 'said the Rat. 'I suppose we should think about getting home. '

The Mole packed the things away in the lunch basket, and soon the Rat began to row gently homewards while the after noon sun went down behind the trees. The Rat was dreaming quietly to himself, but the Mole was very full of lunch and the excitements of the day. He began to think that he knew every thing about boats now.

And in a while he said, 'Ratty! Pleas, I want to row! '

The Rat shook his head with a smile. 'Not yet, my young friend, 'he said. 'Wait until you've had a few lessons. It's not as easy as it looks. '

The Mole was quiet for a minute or two. But he wanted to row very much indeed. He was sure that he could row as well as Rat. Then, before the Rat could stop him, he jumped up, and pulled the oars out of the surprised Rat's hands. The Rat fell backwards off his seat, calling out, 'Stop it, you silly fellow! You'll have us in the river! '

The Mole made a great dig at the water with the oars, but the oars never touched the water at all. The Mole's legs flew up above his head, and he found himself lying on top of the Rat in the bottom of the boat. Frightened, he tried to get up, got hold of the side of the boat, and the next moment-splash!

Over went the boat, and the Mole and the Rat and the lunch basket were all in the water.

It was the Rat, of course, who pulled the Mole out of the water, who turned the boat right way up, who found the oars, who got the lunch basket from the bottom of the river. And he laughed and laughed.

When all was ready again, the unhappy Mole sat in the boat very wet and very miserable. As they left, he said in a low voice, 'Ratty, my dear friend! I have been so silly and so ungrateful. I really am very sorry indeed. '

That's all right! 'replied the Rat kindly. 'I'm always in and out of the water myself, so don't worry about it. But I re ally think you should come and stay with me for a while. You'll be very comfortable, and I'll teach you to row and to swim. Soon you'll be as good a boatman as any of us. '

The Mole was almost too happy to speak and could find no words to thank his friend.

When they got home, they had a good hot supper in front of a bright fire while the Rat told exciting stories of life on the river. Then he took the Mole upstairs to the best bedroom, and soon the Mole was lying warm and comfortable, listening to the sound of his new friend the River running past his bedroom window.

That was the first of many wonderful days for the Mole, as the spring turned slowly into a golden summer. He learnt to swim and to row, and he learnt to love the sound of the wind when it went whispering its secrets through the trees and the plants by the river.

■ 1 河

鼴鼠整個早上都在辛苦地打掃著他的小屋。他掃著，洗著；拖地板，撣牆壁，一會兒站在椅子上擦洗著食品櫃頂。一會兒鑽進床底清理雜物，一會兒又捲起地毯。他不停地清掃著，直到累得胳膊酸脊背疼。

這正是開春時節，到處都充滿了春天的氣息，就連鼴鼠這個地下陰暗的小窩裡也洋溢著春意。春天，意味著萬物變化，陽光明媚，新葉吐芽，所以大家一點也不奇怪鼴鼠突然扔下掃帚感嘆道：“噢，真無聊！我討厭大掃除！”地面上有什麼東西在召喚著他，他跑出房間，開始挖洞鑽向有陽光照耀的地方。

他挖了推，推了挖，嘴裡還喃喃自語著“向上！向上！”最後他的鼻子觸到了陽光，他發現他正在一塊田地的曖烘烘的草叢裡。

“這真不錯！”鼴鼠說道，“這比大掃除要好的多！”太陽照在他的背上，暖洋洋的，四周有鳥兒在唱著動聽的歌。他高興地蹦了一下，活動活動筋骨，然後穿過田地向樹叢走去。他這裡走走，那裡轉轉，穿過田野，逛過樹林，最大限度地調動自己的視覺，嗅覺和聽覺。各處的動物和鳥兒都一邊說笑著，一邊忙著找食物，忙著為春天築新巢。鼴鼠可喜歡這些了。

不知不覺，他來到了一條河邊。他至今還從未見過河水——這個明澈耀眼的奇妙之物，它歡蹦亂跳地穿梭在岸邊樹林的倒影之間。它從不停息，匆匆奔流著，卻一路歡聲笑語。

鼴鼠馬上就喜歡上它了。他沿著河岸走著，並一直聽著，看著。最後他坐在草地上欣賞著河對岸的風景。那兒有一個黑洞，鼴鼠出神地看著，想：在河邊有一間小房子應該會很愜意的。他看著看著，發現有東西在洞裡閃爍。很快他看清那是一隻眼睛，然後一張臉也出現了。

一張褐色的小臉，長著幾根鬍鬚。

眼睛亮亮的，耳朵小小的，毛髮厚而亮。

這是隻水老鼠。

於是他們倆都站了起來，看著對方。

“你好，鼴鼠！”

“你好，水鼠！”

“你願意過來嗎？”水鼠問道。

“噢，說起來容易，”鼴鼠有點嗔怪地說。河，對他來說是很陌生的，他不知道怎樣才能到達河對岸。

水鼠一聲沒吭便不見了，不久又出現了，坐在一條藍白相間的小船上，它很快地向鼴鼠這邊駛來，靠岸邊停了下來。不一會兒，鼴鼠滿懷好奇和興奮地發現他自己確確實實地坐在了一條真正的船上。

“你知道嗎，”當水鼠將船劃離河岸時，鼴鼠對他說，“我這輩子還從未坐過船呢。”

“什麼？”水鼠叫道。“我親愛的夥計，你算白活了！相信我，”他一本正經地繼續著，“沒有什麼——真的沒有什麼——比在船上打發時光更愜意。你可以划向河的上游，或下游，還可以隨意停下來，一點問題也沒有。總有事做，但如果你不想去做也不用勉強，你可以幹你願意幹的事。看這兒！如果你今天沒事，我們為什麼不一起在河上玩它一整天呢？”

鼴鼠帶著極大的興趣聽完了這一切。然後，他向後靠坐在那張舒服的座位上回答道：“這將是多麼美妙的一天！我們現在就出發吧！”

但是水鼠先回到了洞裡，一會兒又出來了，提著一隻又大又沉的午餐籃。他把籃子移進船內鼴鼠的腳下，然後開始向下遊劃去。這倆朋友時不時地聊著天，但更多的時候，鼴鼠僅僅是神思恍惚地注視著河水，享受著自然界的音響，氣味，還有陽光。最後他們劃離主河道轉入一條與大河交匯的小支流。後來水鼠把船停了下來，他們就一起上了岸。岸上高大的柳樹掩映著一片鬆軟的綠油油的草地，非常安怡恬靜。

鼴鼠坐下來，看了看他的周圍，愉快地說道：“多麼美麗的地方！”

“該用午餐了，”水鼠邊說邊打開籃子，“快點，鼴鼠！過來準備吧。”

鼴鼠高興地服從吩咐，經過一早上的大掃除，他確實非常餓。這是一頓多麼豐富的午餐啊！有冷肉和雞蛋三明治，有炸雞和西紅柿、蘋果、香蕉，還有一大塊蛋糕。

最後他們再也吃不下了，鼴鼠躺倒在地，懶懶地看著河水。不一會兒，他坐了起來說：“我看見水裡有一長串水泡，那是什麼？”

“水泡？哦噢！”水鼠友好地向河水那兒叫道。

水泡沒了，又轉到了另一個地方。很快一個溼漉漉的長著鬍鬚的鼻子出現在河岸邊，水獺爬上了岸，抖動著外衣上的水。

“午餐派對！”他邊說邊徑直向食物走去。“你為什麼不邀請我，阿鼠？”

“我們不是事先計劃好的，”水鼠解釋道。“我們今天早上才決定過來的。哦，這是我的朋友，鼴鼠先生。”

“很高興認識你，”水獺招呼道，這兩隻動物馬上就成了朋友。

“今天所有人似乎都在河上，”水獺邊吃邊說，“我游到這條支流上是想安靜一會兒，不想卻碰到你們哥倆在搞午餐派對！”

突然，他們身後濃密的灌木叢裡發出了響聲，一個大大的黑白腦袋探出頭瞅著他們。

“過來，老獾！”水鼠叫道。

獾向前走了幾步又停下來，“呣，這麼擠！”他慍怒地說著，轉身消失在灌木叢裡。

“多遺憾！”水鼠嘆道。“親愛的老獾！他人倒不錯，就是討厭人多，今天就甭想見他了。但你給我們說說，誰還在河上？”

“癩蛤蟆出來了，算他一個，”水獺回答道。“坐在他那亮晃晃的新船上，穿著嶄新的划船裝，總之，什麼都是新的！”

水鼠和水獺相互對視一下，然後笑了起來。

“癩蛤蟆總是在嘗試新鮮的玩意兒，”水鼠向鼴鼠解釋。“但他總是很快又厭倦了。去年是一種房子船，他曾打算在河上度過他的餘生。今年他又喜歡上了划艇。”

“當然，他這哥們兒不錯，”水獺接著說，“但是他從來不從他的錯誤裡吸取教訓！”

從他們坐的地方能看見大河的一點風景。這時，他們恰好看到一艘划艇經過，一隻短粗肥胖的動物正在非常吃力、非常笨拙地划船。

“正朝這邊來的就是蛤蟆，”水鼠說，“看他！很快就會把船弄翻的。”

“那是當然的，”水獺笑道，癩蛤蟆此時已不在他們視線裡了，水獺繼續著，“我曾告訴過你關於蛤蟆的故事和那……”

只見岸邊的水突然晃動了一下，什麼東西銀光一閃便不見了，水獺也一晃眼就離開了。鼴鼠低頭看著河水，水獺的聲音仍在耳邊未落，但身影已消失。河面上僅僅留下了一長串水泡。

水鼠自個兒哼著歌，鼴鼠記起來了：在動物世界裡，不管你的朋友在何時為何事突然消失，你都不能發表任何看法，否則就會被視為無禮。

“好了，好了，”水鼠說。“我想我們該準備回家了。”

鼴鼠把東西收拾到午餐籃裡，很快水鼠就開始輕鬆地划著船回去了。午後的太陽已落在樹後，水鼠在那兒一聲不吭沉浸在自己的夢中，鼴鼠則滿肚子的午餐，滿腦子的興奮。他開始認為他現在完全瞭解船了。

過了一會，他說：“阿鼠！拜託，我想划船！”

水鼠微笑著搖搖頭。“還不行，我年輕的朋友，”他說。“等你學了幾招再劃，這並不像看起來那麼簡單。”

鼴鼠安靜了一兩分鐘，但是他確實非常想划船，他相信他能劃得像水鼠那樣好。緊接著，他跳了起來，水鼠還沒來得及阻止，他已從吃驚的水鼠手中抽過船槳。水鼠從座位上摔了下來，叫道：“停下，你這傻蛋！你會把我們弄下水的！”

鼴鼠用木槳在水面上劃過很大的弧度，但雙槳根本挨不著水，而他的腿已翹過他的頭，他發現他正壓在摔倒在船底板上的水鼠身上。驚恐中，他試圖站起來，便抓住船的一邊，只聽——撲通一聲。

船翻了，鼴鼠，水鼠，午餐籃統統落入水裡。

是水鼠，當然是水鼠把鼴鼠拉出水面，是他把船翻正，找回雙槳，從河底撈出午餐籃，然後他笑個不停。

待一切收拾停當，鼴鼠不開心地坐在船上，渾身溼漉漉的，非常可憐。當他們起程回家時，他低聲地說，“阿鼠，我親愛的朋友！我是多麼愚蠢，多麼不知好歹，我真的非常抱歉。”

“沒什麼！”水鼠友善地回答道。“我總是在水裡出入，不要為此擔心。但是我真的認為你應該來和我呆一段時間。你會很舒服的，我將教你划船，教你游泳，不久你就會和我們劃得一樣好。”

鼴鼠太高興了，他簡直不知道該說什麼來感謝他的朋友。

他們回到家，坐在明亮的火爐前用著可口的熱乎乎的晚餐，水鼠邊吃邊說著河上的生活趣事。然後他把鼴鼠帶到樓上最好的臥室，不久鼴鼠就暖和地，舒服地躺下了，聆聽著他的新朋友——河水——流過窗邊的聲音。