Story text / 故事文字
Ring the Big Bell
Grandma's old kettle had a hole in it. Drip, drip, drip, all over the stove. "That kettle cries more than a baby," said Grandma, and she laughed. Pip did not laugh. "I'm going to win Grandma a new kettle," she said, "at the fair today!"
Across the pond stood a tall red pole with a big brass bell on top. "Ten beanbags for a penny. Throw from the line!" said Mr Gong. "Ring it before the sun reaches Pancake Hill, and win this kettle!" "That kettle is MINE!" cried Chatter.
Pip threw two beanbags. Plop! Plop! Both landed by her toes. "Tock, that's the bell. Bell! You throw." Ready, steady, THROW! Tock's arm swung. Splash! The beanbag landed in the duck pond. "Bell," said Tock. "Quack!" said the duck.
"I'm the cleverest bird in the valley!" said Chatter. She flicked pebbles with her beak. Every one fell short. Then she hopped close to Tock. "Tin pot, where does Pip hide her pennies?" "Bell," said Tock. Pip grinned. She had never told Tock that.
"MUCH higher, Tock!" shouted Pip. Ready, steady, THROW! The beanbag flew right over the bell and landed, flump, on Mr Gong's hat. "Bell," said Tock. Mr Gong did not ring at all. He only blinked. "Six beanbags left," he said.
"MUCH lower!" Thud, by the pole. "MUCH higher!" Whoosh, over the top. "MUCH lower!" Thud again. Every time, Tock said "Bell", and every time the bell said nothing at all. Three beanbags left. The sun slid down the sky.
Pip looked into Tock's tummy window. Every time she shouted MUCH, the beads jumped all the way across. Too far! Pip stopped shouting. "Not MUCH, Tock. A tiny bit, and try again!" One bead moved, just one little click.
"A tiny bit higher." Ready, steady, THROW! The beanbag flew up, just under the bell. So close! "Bell," said Tock. But the bell didn't ring. "Two beanbags left," said Mr Gong. Chatter stopped flicking pebbles and watched.
"A tiny bit higher." Ready, steady, THROW! Clunk! It hit the little roof above the bell. Just a bit too far. The sun was nearly on Pancake Hill. "One beanbag left!" called Mr Gong. Chatter held her breath. So did Pip.
Pip held the last beanbag. She did not shout. She put it in Tock's tongs and said softly, "A tiny, tiny bit lower." Ready, steady, tiny bit, THROW! Up went the beanbag, up, up, toward the big brass bell.
BONG! The Big Bell rang out over the whole valley. "Bell," said Tock. This time Tock was right. Mr Gong gave Pip the shiny kettle. Chatter flew off without a word. Then Pip remembered Chatter's soggy nest.
Grandma made tea in the new kettle. Not one drip! Pip gave Chatter the old kettle, and now it hung in the pear tree, a snug little house. When rain came in, it ran out of the hole. "Goodnight, Tock." "Bell," said Tock.
敲响大铃铛
奶奶的旧水壶破了一个小洞，水一滴一滴往炉子上掉。奶奶笑着说：“这个水壶呀，比小娃娃还爱哭。”皮皮可没有笑。她挺起胸脯说：“今天赶集，我要给奶奶赢一个新水壶回来！”
鸭子塘对面立着一根高高的红柱子，顶上挂着大铜铃。龚爷爷说：“一个铜板十个沙包，站在线后面扔。太阳落到烧饼山以前敲响大铃，这个新水壶就归你！”喳喳叫起来：“那个水壶是我的！”
皮皮扔了两个沙包，啪嗒啪嗒，全都掉在脚边。“嘀嗒，那是铃，铃！你来扔。”一，二，三，扔！嘀嗒的手臂一甩，沙包扑通一声，掉进了鸭子塘。“铃。”嘀嗒说。鸭子嘎嘎地叫了起来。
喳喳说：“我是山谷里最聪明的鸟！”她叼起小石子往上甩，一颗也够不着。她又蹦到嘀嗒身边：“铁皮壶，皮皮的铜板藏在哪儿？”嘀嗒说：“铃。”皮皮听了，偷偷地笑。藏铜板的地方，她从来没告诉过嘀嗒。
“嘀嗒，要高好多好多！”皮皮大喊。一，二，三，扔！沙包从大铃上面飞了过去，噗的一声，落在了龚爷爷的帽子上。“铃。”嘀嗒说。龚爷爷可不会响，他只是眨了眨眼睛说：“还剩六个沙包。”
“低好多！”沙包砸在柱子底下。“高好多！”又飞过了头。“低好多！”又砸在柱子底下。每一次，嘀嗒都说“铃”，可大铃一声也没响。只剩三个沙包了，太阳慢慢往下滑。
皮皮凑到嘀嗒肚子上的小窗前看。她一喊“好多”，小珠子就从这头一下子跳到那头。跳得太远啦！皮皮不喊了。“不要好多，嘀嗒。只动一点点，再试一次！”一颗小珠子轻轻动了一下。
“高一点点。”一，二，三，扔！沙包飞上去，只比大铃矮了一点点。差一点点！“铃。”嘀嗒说。可大铃还是没响。龚爷爷说：“还剩两个沙包。”喳喳不甩石子了，睁大眼睛看着。
“再高一点点。”一，二，三，扔！沙包咚的一声，打在了大铃上面的小屋顶上。又高了一点。太阳快落到烧饼山上了。龚爷爷喊：“只剩最后一个沙包了！”喳喳屏住了呼吸，皮皮也屏住了呼吸。
皮皮拿着最后一个沙包，她没有喊。她把沙包放进嘀嗒的夹子里，轻轻地说：“低一点点，就一点点。”一，二，三，一点点，扔！沙包飞起来，飞呀飞，朝着大铜铃飞过去。
当的一声，大铃响了，整个发条谷都听得见。“铃。”嘀嗒说。这一次，它说对了。龚爷爷把亮闪闪的新水壶递给了皮皮。喳喳一句话也没说就飞走了。皮皮想起来，早上喳喳的窝湿淋淋的。
奶奶用新水壶泡了茶，一滴也不漏。皮皮把旧水壶送给了喳喳，挂在梨树上，成了一个暖和的小房子。雨水流进去，正好从小洞里流出来。“晚安，嘀嗒。”嘀嗒说：“铃。”