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The Adventures of Buster Bear by Thornton W. Burgess, VI. LITTLE JOE OTTER TAKES GRANDFATHER FROG'S ADVICE

VI. LITTLE JOE OTTER TAKES GRANDFATHER FROG'S ADVICE

Who makes an enemy a friend, To fear and worry puts an end.

Little Joe Otter found that out when he took Grandfather Frog's advice. He wouldn't have admitted that he was afraid of Buster Bear. No one ever likes to admit being afraid, least of all Little Joe Otter. And really Little Joe has a great deal of courage. Very few of the little people of the Green Forest or the Green Meadows would willingly quarrel with him, for Little Joe is a great fighter when he has to fight. As for all those who live in or along the Laughing Brook or in the Smiling Pool, they let Little Joe have his own way in everything.

Now having one's own way too much is a bad thing. It is apt to make one selfish and thoughtless of other people and very hard to get along with. Little Joe Otter had his way too much. Grandfather Frog knew it and shook his head very soberly when Little Joe had been disrespectful to him.

"Too bad. Too bad! Too bad! Chug-a-rum! It is too bad that such a fine young fellow as Little Joe should spoil a good disposition by such selfish heedlessness. Too bad," said he. So, though he didn't let on that it was so, Grandfather Frog really was delighted when he heard how Buster Bear had been too smart for Little Joe Otter. It tickled him so that he had hard work to keep a straight face. But he did and was as grave and solemn as you please as he advised Little Joe always to make friends with any one who was bigger and stronger and smarter than he. That was good common sense advice, but Little Joe just sniffed and went off declaring that he would get even with Buster Bear yet. Now Little Joe is good-natured and full of fun as a rule, and after he had reached home and his temper had cooled off a little, he began to see the joke on himself,—how when he had worked so hard to frighten the fish in the little pools of the Laughing Brook so that Buster Bear should not catch any, he had all the time been driving them right into Buster's paws. By and by he grinned. It was a little sheepish grin at first, but at last it grew into a laugh.

"I believe," said Little Joe as he wiped tears of laughter from his eyes, "that Grandfather Frog is right, and that the best thing I can do is to make friends with Buster Bear. I'll try it to-morrow morning." So very early the next morning Little Joe Otter went to the best fishing pool he knew of in the Laughing Brook, and there he caught the biggest trout he could find. It was so big and fat that it made Little Joe's mouth water, for you know fat trout are his favorite food. But he didn't take so much as one bite. Instead he carefully laid it on an old log where Buster Bear would be sure to see it if he should come along that way. Then he hid near by, where he could watch. Buster was late that morning. It seemed to Little Joe that he never would come. Once he nearly lost the fish. He had turned his head for just a minute, and when he looked back again, the trout was nowhere to be seen. Buster couldn't have stolen up and taken it, because such a big fellow couldn't possibly have gotten out of sight again. Little Joe darted over to the log and looked on the other side. There was the fat trout, and there also was Little Joe's smallest cousin, Shadow the Weasel, who is a great thief and altogether bad. Little Joe sprang at him angrily, but Shadow was too quick and darted away. Little Joe put the fish back on the log and waited. This time he didn't take his eyes off it. At last, when he was almost ready to give up, he saw Buster Bear shuffling along towards the Laughing Brook. Suddenly Buster stopped and sniffed. One of the Merry Little Breezes had carried the scent of that fat trout over to him. Then he came straight over to where the fish lay, his nose wrinkling, and his eyes twinkling with pleasure.

"Now I wonder who was so thoughtful as to leave this fine breakfast ready for me," said he out loud. "Me," said Little Joe in a rather faint voice. "I caught it especially for you." "Thank you," replied Buster, and his eyes twinkled more than ever. "I think we are going to be friends." "I—I hope so," replied Little Joe.


VI. LITTLE JOE OTTER TAKES GRANDFATHER FROG'S ADVICE

Who makes an enemy a friend, To fear and worry puts an end. Cine-i face prieten pe dușman, Cu frica și grija pune capăt.

Little Joe Otter found that out when he took Grandfather Frog's advice. He wouldn't have admitted that he was afraid of Buster Bear. Nu ar fi recunoscut că îi era frică de Buster Bear. No one ever likes to admit being afraid, least of all Little Joe Otter. Nimănui nu-i place vreodată să recunoască că îi este frică, mai ales Little Joe Otter. And really Little Joe has a great deal of courage. Very few of the little people of the Green Forest or the Green Meadows would willingly quarrel with him, for Little Joe is a great fighter when he has to fight. Мало хто з маленьких мешканців Зеленого Лісу чи Зелених Лугів охоче посварився б з ним, бо Малий Джо - великий боєць, коли йому доводиться битися. As for all those who live in or along the Laughing Brook or in the Smiling Pool, they let Little Joe have his own way in everything. Що ж до всіх тих, хто живе в Сміхотливому струмку або біля Усміхненого басейну, або вздовж нього, то вони дозволяють Маленькому Джо робити все по-своєму.

Now having one's own way too much is a bad thing. Тепер мати власний шлях - це погано. It is apt to make one selfish and thoughtless of other people and very hard to get along with. Il est susceptible de rendre une personne égoïste et irréfléchie envers les autres et très difficile à vivre. Це робить людину егоїстичною і бездумною по відношенню до інших людей, і з нею дуже важко ужитися. Little Joe Otter had his way too much. Grandfather Frog knew it and shook his head very soberly when Little Joe had been disrespectful to him. Grand-père Grenouille le savait et secoua la tête très sobrement quand Petit Joe lui avait manqué de respect.

"Too bad. Too bad! Too bad! Chug-a-rum! Chug-a-rum! It is too bad that such a fine young fellow as Little Joe should spoil a good disposition by such selfish heedlessness. Il est dommage qu'un jeune homme aussi bon que Little Joe gâte une bonne disposition par une insouciance aussi égoïste. Too bad," said he. So, though he didn't let on that it was so, Grandfather Frog really was delighted when he heard how Buster Bear had been too smart for Little Joe Otter. Donc, bien qu'il n'ait pas laissé entendre que c'était le cas, Grand-père Grenouille était vraiment ravi quand il a appris à quel point Buster Bear avait été trop intelligent pour Little Joe Otter. It tickled him so that he had hard work to keep a straight face. Îl gâdila astfel încât a avut multă muncă pentru a păstra o față dreaptă. Лоскотало його так, що він насилу утримував рівне обличчя. But he did and was as grave and solemn as you please as he advised Little Joe always to make friends with any one who was bigger and stronger and smarter than he. That was good common sense advice, but Little Joe just sniffed and went off declaring that he would get even with Buster Bear yet. Now Little Joe is good-natured and full of fun as a rule, and after he had reached home and his temper had cooled off a little, he began to see the joke on himself,—how when he had worked so hard to frighten the fish in the little pools of the Laughing Brook so that Buster Bear should not catch any, he had all the time been driving them right into Buster's paws. Maintenant, Little Joe est de bonne humeur et plein d'amusement en règle générale, et après être rentré chez lui et que son humeur s'est un peu refroidie, il a commencé à voir la plaisanterie sur lui-même, comment, alors qu'il avait travaillé si dur pour effrayer le pêcher dans les petits bassins du Laughing Brook pour que Buster Bear n'en attrape pas, il les avait tout le temps enfoncés dans les pattes de Buster. Acum, Micul Joe este bun și plin de distracție, de regulă, și după ce a ajuns acasă și i s-a răcit puțin temperamentul, a început să vadă gluma asupra lui - cum, când muncise atât de mult să-l sperie pe pești în bazinele râului care râde, pentru ca Buster Bear să nu prindă niciunul, îi împinguse tot timpul direct în labele lui Buster. Тепер Малий Джо, як правило, добродушний і веселий, а після того, як він повернувся додому і його запал трохи охолонув, він почав розуміти, що жартує над собою, - як він так старанно лякав рибу в маленьких озерцях Сміхового струмка, щоб Ведмедик Бастер не впіймав жодної, а сам весь час заганяв її прямо в лапи Бастеру. By and by he grinned. Peu à peu, il sourit. Treptat, el rânji. It was a little sheepish grin at first, but at last it grew into a laugh. C'était un petit sourire penaud au début, mais finalement il s'est transformé en un rire.

"I believe," said Little Joe as he wiped tears of laughter from his eyes, "that Grandfather Frog is right, and that the best thing I can do is to make friends with Buster Bear. I'll try it to-morrow morning." So very early the next morning Little Joe Otter went to the best fishing pool he knew of in the Laughing Brook, and there he caught the biggest trout he could find. It was so big and fat that it made Little Joe's mouth water, for you know fat trout are his favorite food. Il était si gros et si gros qu'il a mis l'eau à la bouche de Little Joe, car vous savez que la truite grasse est sa nourriture préférée. But he didn't take so much as one bite. Mais il n'en prit même pas une bouchée. Dar nu a luat nici măcar o mușcătură. Instead he carefully laid it on an old log where Buster Bear would be sure to see it if he should come along that way. Au lieu de cela, il le posa soigneusement sur une vieille bûche où Buster Bear serait sûr de le voir s'il passait par là. Натомість він обережно поклав його на стару колоду, де Ведмідь-Бастер обов'язково побачить його, якщо йому трапиться нагода пройти цим шляхом. Then he hid near by, where he could watch. Потім він сховався неподалік, де міг спостерігати. Buster was late that morning. Того ранку Бастер запізнився. It seemed to Little Joe that he never would come. Micuțului Joe i s-a părut că nu va veni niciodată. Маленькому Джо здавалося, що він ніколи не прийде. Once he nearly lost the fish. Une fois, il a failli perdre le poisson. Одного разу він ледь не втратив рибу. He had turned his head for just a minute, and when he looked back again, the trout was nowhere to be seen. Il avait tourné la tête pendant juste une minute, et quand il se retourna, la truite n'était nulle part en vue. Він повернув голову лише на хвилину, а коли озирнувся, форелі вже ніде не було видно. Buster couldn't have stolen up and taken it, because such a big fellow couldn't possibly have gotten out of sight again. Buster n'aurait pas pu voler et l'avoir pris, car un si grand type n'aurait pas pu disparaître de nouveau. Бастер не міг підкрастися і забрати його, бо такий великий хлопець не міг би знову вислизнути з поля зору. Little Joe darted over to the log and looked on the other side. Маленький Джо підбіг до колоди і подивився на інший бік. There was the fat trout, and there also was Little Joe's smallest cousin, Shadow the Weasel, who is a great thief and altogether bad. Il y avait la grosse truite, et il y avait aussi le plus petit cousin de Little Joe, Shadow the Weasel, qui est un grand voleur et tout à fait mauvais. Там була жирна форель, а ще там був найменший двоюрідний брат Малюка Джо, Тінь Ласки, який є великим злодієм і взагалі поганим. Little Joe sprang at him angrily, but Shadow was too quick and darted away. Little Joe lui sauta dessus avec colère, mais Shadow fut trop rapide et s'enfuit. Little Joe put the fish back on the log and waited. This time he didn't take his eyes off it. Cette fois, il ne la quitta pas des yeux. At last, when he was almost ready to give up, he saw Buster Bear shuffling along towards the Laughing Brook. Нарешті, коли він уже був готовий здатися, він побачив Ведмедика Бастера, який шкандибав до Сміховинного струмка. Suddenly Buster stopped and sniffed. One of the Merry Little Breezes had carried the scent of that fat trout over to him. L'un des Merry Little Breezes lui avait apporté l'odeur de cette grosse truite. Then he came straight over to where the fish lay, his nose wrinkling, and his eyes twinkling with pleasure.

"Now I wonder who was so thoughtful as to leave this fine breakfast ready for me," said he out loud. "Maintenant, je me demande qui a eu la prévenance de me laisser ce bon petit déjeuner prêt pour moi", dit-il à haute voix. "Me," said Little Joe in a rather faint voice. "I caught it especially for you." "Thank you," replied Buster, and his eyes twinkled more than ever. "I think we are going to be friends." "I—I hope so," replied Little Joe.