【文章內(nèi)容簡介】 (sth.) using sth. with a sharp point pine n. 松樹 poke v. to push or move sth. through a space or opening puppy n. a young dog (puppywool here refers to the wool of the wolf cub) realize v. to understand restless adj. unwilling or unable to stay quiet and still rifle n. a type of gun fired from the shoulder rocket n. 火箭 rooster n. (AmE) a cock rumble n. a deep continuous rolling sound shack n. a small and not very strong building shiver v. to shake, esp. from cold or fear slash v. to make a long deep cut with sth. sharp like a knife smother v. to cover thickly snarl n. a low angry sound while showing the teeth soaked adj. very wet with some liquid spear v. 用魚叉刺 spurt v. to e out quickly and suddenly in a thin, powerful stream squat v. to sit with your knees bent under you, your bottom off the ground, and balancing on your feet 蹲；蹲坐 squirrel n. a small animal with a long furry tail that climbs trees and eats nuts 松鼠 stir v. to move slightly thicken v. to bee thicker thrill v. to feel very happy and excited toll n. to take a ～: to have a very bad effect on sb. or sth. trapper n. a person who catches wild animals for their fur unchained adj. without a chain whimper v. to make low crying sounds wiggle v. (infml) to move in small movements from side to side, or up and down wolf n. a wild animal that looks like a large dog and lives and hunts in groups wool n. the soft thick hair of sheep and some goats (Here it refers to the hair of the wolf.) Text A Maheegun My Brother Eric Acland The year I found Maheegun, spring was late in ing. That day, I was spearing fish with my grandfather when I heard the faint crying and found the shivering wolf cub. As I bent down, he moved weakly toward me. I picked him up and put him inside my jacket. Little Maheegun gained strength after I got the first few drops of warm milk in him. He wiggled and soon he was full and warm. My grandfather finally agreed to let me keep him. That year, which was my 14th, was the happiest of my life. Not that we didn39。t have our troubles. Maheegun was the most mischievous wolf cub ever. He was curious too. Like looking into Grandma39。s sewing basket — which he upset, scattering thread and buttons all over the floor. At such times, she would chase him out with a broom and Maheegun would poke his head around the corner, waiting for things to quiet down. That summer Maheegun and I became hunting partners. We hunted the grasshoppers that leaped about like little rockets. And in the fall, after the first snow our games took us to the nearest meadows in search of field mice. By then, Maheegun was half grown. Gone was the puppywool coat. In its place was a handsome black mantle. The winter months that came soon after were the happiest I could remember. They belonged only to Maheegun and myself. Often we would make a fire in the bushes. Maheegun would lay his head between his front paws, with his eyes on me as I told him stories.
It all served to fog my mind with pleasure so that I forgot my Grandpa39。s repeated warnings, and one night left Maheegun unchained. The following morning in sailed Mrs. Yesno, wild with anger, who demanded Maheegun be shot because he had killed her rooster. The next morning, my grandpa announced that we were going to take Maheegun to the north shack. By the time we reached the lake where the trapper39。s shack stood, Maheegun seemed to have bee restless. Often he would sit with his nose to the sky, turning his head this way and that as if to check the wind. The warmth of the stove soon brought sleep to me. But something caused me to wake up with a start. I sat up, and in the moonflooded cabin was my grandfather standing beside me. Come and see, son, whispered my grandfather. Outside the moon was full and the world looked all white with snow. He pointed to a rock that stood high at the edge of the lake. On the top was the clear outline of a great wolf sitting still, ears pointed, alert, listening. Maheegun, whispered my grandfather. Slowly the wolf raised his muzzle. Oooooowowwowoooooo! The whole white world thrilled to that wild cry. Then after a while, from the distance came a softer call in reply. Maheegun stirred, with the deep rumble of pleasure in his throat. He slipped down the rock and headed out across the ice. He39。s gone, I said. Yes, he39。s gone to that young shewolf. My grandfather slowly filled his pipe. He will take her for life, hunt for her, protect her. This is the way the Creator planned life. No man can change it. I tried to tell myself it was all for the best, but it was hard to lose my brother. For the next two years I was as busy as a squirrel storing nuts for the winter. But once or twice when I heard wolf cries from distant hills, I would still wonder if Maheegun, in his battle for life, found time to remember me. It was not long after that I found the answer. Easter came early that year and during the holidays I went to visit my cousins. My uncle was to bring me home in his truck. But he was detained by some urgent business. So I decided to e back home on my own. A mile down the road I slipped into my snowshoes and turned into the bush. The strong sunshine had dimmed. I had not gone far before big flakes of snow began drifting down. The snow thickened fast. I could not locate the tall pine that stood on the north slope of Little Mountain. I circled to my right and stumbled into a snowfilled creek bed. By then the snow had made a blanket of white darkness, but I knew only too well there should have been no creek there. I tried to travel west but only to hit the creek again. I knew I had gone in a great circle and I was lost. There was only one thing to do. Camp for the night and hope that by morning the storm would have blown itself out. I quickly made a bed of boughs and started a fire with the bark of an old dead birch. The first night