"Montana," said their father, "is a state of the Union. “蒙大拿，”他们的父亲说，“是美国的一个州。
And there, in a lovely valley surrounded by highmountains, are the Red Rock Lakes, which nature hasdesigned especially for swans.
在那儿，在高山环绕着的一个可爱的峡谷里，有一个红石湖，那是大自然特地给天鹅们定做的。
In these lakes you will enjoy warm water, arisingfrom hidden springs.
在那些湖里你能享用到从看不见的泉眼里涌出来的温水。
Here, ice never forms, no matter how cold thenights.
在哪里，不管夜里有多么冷，湖水也不会结冰。
In the Red Rock Lakes, you will find other Trumpeter Swans, as well as the lesser waterfowl--thegeese and the ducks.
在这个红石湖，你会找到其他的号手天鹅，还有一些为数不多的水鸟——野鹅和野鸭们。
There are few enemies. No gunners.
这里几乎没有敌人。也没有带槍的猎人。
Plenty of muskrat houses. Free grain. Games every day.
到处是麝鼠窝。谷粒随便吃。每天都有游戏玩。
What more can a swan ask, in the long, long cold of winter?"
在一个长长的，长长的寒冬里，一只天鹅还能再求什么呢?”
Louis listened to all this in amazement. He wanted to ask his father how they would learn to flyand how they would find Montana even after they learned to fly.
路易斯惊奇地听着这一切。他想问他的父亲他们怎样才能学会飞翔，而且，就算他们都学会了飞翔，又怎样才可以找到蒙大拿。
He began to worry about getting lost. But he wasn't able to ask any questions. He just had tolisten.
他开始担心到时候会迷路了。可是他却不能问任何问题。他只有在那里听。
One of his brothers spoke up.
他的一个哥哥大声说起来。
"Father," he said, "you said we would fly south.
“爸爸，”他说，“你说我们要往南飞。
I don't know how to fly. I've never been up in the air."
可我不知道怎么才能飞。我从没上过天呀。”
"True," replied the cob. "But flying is largely a matter of having the right attitude--plus, ofcourse, good wing feathers.
“是的，”雄天鹅回答，“不过飞翔主要是要有个正确姿势的问题——当然了，此外你还得有好的翅膀羽毛。
Flying consists of three parts.
飞翔由三个部分组成。
First, the takeoff, during which there is a lot of fuss and commotion, a lot of splashing andrapid beating of the wings.
第一，起飞，这期间你会有一阵子混乱和騷动，还要溅起无数的水花，不停地迅速拍打翅膀。
Second, the ascent, or gaining of altitude--this requires hard work and fast wing action.
第二，上升，或者说高度的增加——这需要艰苦的努力和翅膀的快速扇动。
Third, the leveling-off,
第三，平飞，
the steady elevated flight, high in air, wings beating slower now, beating strongly andregularly, carrying us swiftly and surely from zone to zone as we cry ko-hoh, ko-hoh,
稳稳地高飞，飞到高空里去，现在翅膀拍打的速度要慢些了，但却有力均匀得多，在我们高唱着吭—嗬，吭—嗬的时候，翅膀则迅速而又稳妥地带着我们从一个地方飞到另一个地方，
with all the earth stretched out far below."
让整个大地在我们的身下延伸。”
"It sounds very nice," said the cygnet, "but I'm not sure I can do it.
“听起来很美，”这只小天鹅说，“可我不知道我能否做到这一点。
I might get dizzy way up there--if I look down."
在天空中我也许会头晕的——如果我往下看的话。”
"Don't look down!" said his father. "Look straight ahead. And don't lose your nerve.
“别往下看!”他的父亲说，“要一直往前看。不要慌。
Besides, swans do not get dizzy--they feel wonderful in the air. They feel exalted."
再说，天鹅们是从不会头晕的——他们在空中的感觉非常好。他们会感到志得意满。”
"What does "exalted" mean?" asked the cygnet.
“‘志得意满’是什么意思?”这只小天鹅问。
"It means you will feel strong, glad, firm, high, proud, successful, satisfied, powerful, andelevated--as though you had conquered life and had a high purpose."
“它的意思是说你会感到强大，兴奋，坚定，高大，骄傲，成功，满足，有威力，崇高——好像你已经征服了生活并有了一个高尚的目标一样。”
Louis listened to all this with great attention.The idea of flying frightened him.
路易斯非常专心地听着这些话。想到飞翔他便有些恐惧。
"I won't be able to say ko-hoh," he thought. "I wonder whether a swan can fly if he has no voiceand can't say ko-hoh."
“我不能说‘吭—嗬’”，他想，“我不知道如果一只天鹅没有嗓子也不能说‘吭—嗬’的话是否还可以飞翔。”