英语文章尤利西斯和风袋

Ulysses得到了风王的帮助，有望从无边的大海中回到自己的家乡。结果却功亏一篑，是怎么回事呢?我们一起来看看吧!

　　Ulysses and the Bag of Winds

Long, long ago, there lived upon a little island a Greek king named Ulysses.

One time Ulysses sailed far away across the sea to fight for his country, and for ten long years he was away from his beautiful wife and his little son. At last the Greeks captured1 the city they were fighting against, and the war ended. "Now I can go back to my island home," said Ulysses,joyfully2, as he and his men set sail for home.

"Once more I can see my wife and son!" on the way, they stopped to rest at the home of a king named Eolus, who lived on an island in the sea. It was a wonderful island; all around it was a high wall of bronze. Eolus was king of the winds. He could make the winds sleep so soundly that the sea would be as smooth as glass, or he could make them blow so hard that the waves would be as high as mountains.

When Ulysses was ready to start on his way again, Eolus said, "I will help you to reach your home, Ulysses. I will put all the stormy winds in this great bag of ox-hide. Then they cannot harm you. I will the bag with this golden chain; but I will leave out the gentle west wind, do bear you safely home. Guard the bag of winds carefully. And do not let anyone untie3 the chain."

Then the west wind blew softly4 and sent them in safety on their way. For nine days and nine nights Ulysses guarded the bag of winds, until at last he became very tired and sleepy. Now the men with Ulysses did not know what was in the great bag. "See how he guards it!" they said. "Surely it has gold and silver in it, for it is tied with a golden chain. We helped Ulysses in the war; why should he have all the gold and the silver?"

At last, on the tenth day, they came in sight of their dear island. "Look, look!" cried the men, joyfully. "There are our green fields! Soon we shall see our homes." Then the weary5 Ulysses, thinking that he need not guard the bag any longer, fell fast asleep. "Now we can see what is in the bag!"

So they crept6 up to the bag and untied7 the golden chain. Out flew all the stormy winds,roaring8 and howling! In a moment, great waves arose and drove the ship far from the land. The noise of the winds and the waves awoke Ulysses. Where was his little island home? Where were the green fields he loved so well? They were far, far away, for the ship was out on the stormy sea.

"Oh, what shall I do?" cried Ulysses. "I fear that I shall never see my home again. But I must not give up; I will try again and again. Some day I may reach my home, and see my wife and son once more."

After a long time, the stormy winds drove the ship back to the island where Eolus lived. How glad Ulysses was when "Eolus can help us," he said. "He will the winds again" but Eolus was angry with Ulysses and his men. "Go away!" Eolus said. "I will not help you a second time, for it is your own fault that he stormy winds are out of the bag." So once more Ulysses set out upon the sea, and it was many long years before he saw his island home again.

　　词汇积累

1 captured

俘获( capture的过去式和过去分词 ); 夺取; 夺得; 引起(注意、想像、兴趣)

参考例句：

Allied troops captured over 300 enemy soldiers. 盟军俘虏了300多名敌方士兵。

Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。

2 joyfully

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。

During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

3 untie

vt.解开，松开;解放

参考例句：

It's just impossible to untie the 's too tight.这个结根本解不开。太紧了。

Will you please untie the knot for me?请你替我解开这个结头，好吗?

4 softly

adv.柔和地，静静地，温柔地

参考例句：

He speaks too softly for her to hear.他讲话声音太轻，她听不见。

She breathed her advice softly.她低声劝告。

5 weary

adj.疲劳的，使人疲劳的';vi.厌烦，不耐烦

参考例句：

He has laid out all his strength and is weary.他使出了全部气力，非常疲倦。

I am weary of his constant complaints.我对他不断发牢骚感到厌烦。

6 crept

v.蹑手蹑足地走( creep的过去式和过去分词 );缓慢地行进;爬行;匍匐

参考例句：

I crept up the stairs, trying not to wake my parents. 为了尽量不吵醒父母，我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。

He had crept up on his unsuspecting victim from behind. 他从背后悄悄逼近了那毫无戒备的受害者。

7 untied

松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 ); 解除，使自由; 解决

参考例句：

Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来，我们老百姓也能移山倒海。

He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。

8 roaring

n.吼声;咆哮;怒号;轰鸣adj.兴旺的;喧哗的;风哮雨嚎的adv.非常地v.怒吼，咆哮，大声喊出( roar的现在分词)

参考例句：

juggernauts roaring through country villages 隆隆驶过村庄的重型卡车

All we could hear was the sound of roaring water. 我们只能听到汹涌澎湃的涛声。