安徒生童话 The Happy Family — Part 2

　　THE HAPPY FAMILY 幸福的家庭（二）

　　One day there was a heavy storm of rain.

　　"Hear how it beats like a drum on the dock-leaves!" said Father Snail.

　　"There are also rain-drops!" said Mother Snail. "And now the rain pours right down the stalk! You will see that it will be wet here! I am very happy to think that we have our good house, and the little one has his also! There is more done for us than for all other creatures, sure enough; but can you not see that we are folks of quality in the world? We are provided with a house from our birth, and the burdock forest is planted for our sakes! I should like to know how far it extends, and what there is outside!"

　　"There is nothing at all," said Father Snail. "No place can be better than ours, and I have nothing to wish for!"

　　"Yes," said the dame. "I would willingly go to the manor house, be boiled, and laid on a silver dish; all our forefathers have been treated so; there is something extraordinary in it, you may be sure!"

　　"The manor-house has most likely fallen to ruin!" said Father Snail. "Or the burdocks have grown up over it, so that they cannot come out. There need not, however, be any haste about that; but you are always in such a tremendous hurry, and the little one is beginning to be the same. Has he not been creeping up that stalk these three days? It gives me a headache when I look up to him!"

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