A História do Coelho Benjamin

Certa manhã, um coelhinho se sentou em um barranco.

One morning a little rabbit sat on a bank.

Ele levantou as orelhas e escutou o trote, trote de um pônei.

He pricked his ears and listened to the trit-trot, trit-trot of a pony.

Uma charrete vinha pela estrada; quem dirigia era o Sr. McGregor, e ao lado dele estava a Sra. McGregor com seu melhor chapéu.

A gig was coming along the road; it was driven by Mr. McGregor, and beside him sat Mrs. McGregor in her best bonnet.

Assim que eles passaram, o pequeno Coelho Benjamin escorregou para a estrada e saiu — pulando, saltando e aos pinotes — para visitar seus parentes, que moravam no bosque atrás da horta do Sr. McGregor.

As soon as they had passed, little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road, and set off—with a hop, skip, and a jump—to call upon his relations, who lived in the wood at the back of Mr. McGregor’s garden.

Aquele bosque estava cheio de tocas de coelho; e na toca mais arrumada e arenosa de todas moravam a tia de Benjamin e seus primos — Flopsy, Mopsy, Rabo-de-Algodão e Pedro.

That wood was full of rabbit holes; and in the neatest, sandiest hole of all lived Benjamin’s aunt and his cousins—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.

A velha Sra. Coelho era viúva; ela ganhava a vida tricotando luvas e manguitos de lã de coelho (eu já comprei um par em um bazar). Ela também vendia ervas, chá de alecrim e tabaco-de-coelho (que é o que chamamos de lavanda).

Old Mrs. Rabbit was a widow; she earned her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffatees (I once bought a pair at a bazaar). She also sold herbs, and rosemary tea, and rabbit-tobacco (which is what we call lavender).

O pequeno Benjamin não queria muito ver a tia.

Little Benjamin did not very much want to see his Aunt.

Ele deu a volta por trás do pinheiro e quase caiu em cima do seu Primo Pedro.

He came round the back of the fir-tree, and nearly tumbled upon the top of his Cousin Peter.

Pedro estava sentado sozinho. Ele parecia doente e vestia um lenço de bolso de algodão vermelho.

Peter was sitting by himself. He looked poorly, and was dressed in a red cotton pocket-handkerchief.

“Pedro,” disse o pequeno Benjamin, sussurrando, “quem pegou as suas roupas?”

“Peter,” said little Benjamin, in a whisper, “who has got your clothes?”

Pedro respondeu: “O espantalho na horta do Sr. McGregor,” e descreveu como tinha sido perseguido pela horta e tinha deixado cair os sapatos e o casaco.

Peter replied, “The scarecrow in Mr. McGregor’s garden,” and described how he had been chased about the garden, and had dropped his shoes and coat.

O pequeno Benjamin se sentou ao lado do primo e garantiu que o Sr. McGregor tinha saído de charrete, e a Sra. McGregor também; e certamente para passar o dia fora, porque ela estava usando o seu melhor chapéu.

Little Benjamin sat down beside his cousin and assured him that Mr. McGregor had gone out in a gig, and Mrs. McGregor also; and certainly for the day, because she was wearing her best bonnet.

Pedro disse que torcia para que chovesse.

Peter said he hoped that it would rain.

Nesse momento, a voz da velha Sra. Coelho foi ouvida de dentro da toca, chamando: “Rabo-de-Algodão! Rabo-de-Algodão! Vá buscar mais camomila!”

At this point old Mrs. Rabbit’s voice was heard inside the rabbit hole, calling: “Cotton-tail! Cotton-tail! fetch some more camomile!”