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By Pond and River by Arabella B. Buckley, CHAPTER 6. THE WATER-RAT, OR WATER-VOLE

CHAPTER 6. THE WATER-RAT, OR WATER-VOLE

HAVE you ever seen a water-rat? I do not mean a land-rat swimming in the water, but a water-rat, or water vole , as he ought to be called, for he is not a true rat. I saw one once when he did not see me. What do you think he was doing? He was sitting up on his hind legs, and in his front paws he held a piece of the leaf of the sweet yellow flag, which grows so thickly by the river. It was that part of the leaf near the root which is thick and juicy. He was gnawing it so busily that he did not see me at first.

He was a stout little fellow, not quite so big as a rat. He feeds on plants. When he cannot get pieces of yellow flag he eats duckweed, or even the bark of young willows. I could see that he had a short, thick neck and round head, with a short snout. His eyes were small and I could scarcely see his ears, they were so thickly covered with fur. His round tail was not very long and had short hairs on it.

I sat down very quietly on the bank, not far from him. And presently he looked round and saw me. But as I did not move perhaps he did not think I was alive, for he went on munching his leaf.

At last I touched a dead leaf with my foot. His ears heard quickly enough. He turned his little bright eyes to me, and in a second he was in the water and swam away. I was too late to see him go into his hole, but I found one not far from the flags, just under the water.

I knew I should not find his home; for the water-voles make long burrows. I went for several days to the same place, and took some bread to leave there. At last one day, as I sat watching, out came my little friend and ate the bread. After that we met several times, and he became quite tame. But I had to be very careful. The least thing frightened him, and plop he went, into the water!

If you go often to a pond or river, when all is very quiet in the evening or early morning, you may sometimes see a water-vole swimming in the water, or feeding on the bank. He has beautiful yellow teeth. The lower ones are large and show very clearly above his short lower lip.

The young water-voles are such pretty little creatures. They are born in a nest of dry grass, which the old voles make in the burrow, and when they come out they swim about with the old ones, and feed on the duckweed.

But though the water-vole lives mostly in the water, he can come on land to gather his winter store. He is often a great trouble to the farmer, for he likes the carrots and potatoes and even the broad beans, which grow in the fields, and he comes in the evening to eat them and to carry pieces back to his home.

A farmer once dug out a water-vole's burrow and found enough pieces of potato and mangold-wurzel to fill a gallon measure.


CHAPTER 6. THE WATER-RAT, OR WATER-VOLE KAPITEL 6. DIE WASSERRATTE, ODER WASSERWÜHLMAUS CAPÍTULO 6. LA RATA DE AGUA, O WATER-VOLE CHAPITRE 6. LE RAT D'EAU OU WATER-VOLE 第6章 ウォーターラット、またはウォーター・ヴォール ROZDZIAŁ 6. SZCZUR WODNY LUB WILK WODNY CAPÍTULO 6. O RATO-D'ÁGUA OU AVOLETA-D'ÁGUA РОЗДІЛ 6. ВОДЯНИЙ ПАЦЮК, АБО ВОДЯНА ПОЛІВКА 第 6 章水鼠或水田鼠

HAVE you ever seen a water-rat? ¿Has visto alguna vez una rata de agua? I do not mean a land-rat swimming in the water, but a water-rat, or  water vole , as he ought to be called, for he is not a true rat. Ich meine nicht die Landratte, die im Wasser schwimmt, sondern die Wasserratte, oder Wassermaus, wie sie eigentlich heißen müsste, denn sie ist keine echte Ratte. No me refiero a una rata de tierra nadando en el agua, sino a una rata de agua, o topillo de agua, como debería llamarse, ya que no es una verdadera rata. I saw one once when he did not see me. Una vez vi a uno que no me vio. What do you think he was doing? ¿Qué crees que estaba haciendo? He was sitting up on his hind legs, and in his front paws he held a piece of the leaf of the sweet yellow flag, which grows so thickly by the river. Estaba sentado sobre sus patas traseras, y en las delanteras sostenía un trozo de la hoja de la dulce bandera amarilla, que crece tan espesa junto al río. Он сидел на задних лапах, а в передних держал кусочек листа сладкого желтого флага, который так густо растет у реки. It was that part of the leaf near the root which is thick and juicy. Era la parte de la hoja cercana a la raíz, que es gruesa y jugosa. He was gnawing it so busily that he did not see me at first. Lo estaba royendo tan afanosamente que al principio no me vio.

He was a stout little fellow, not quite so big as a rat. Era un tipo pequeño y corpulento, no tan grande como una rata. He feeds on plants. Se alimenta de plantas. When he cannot get pieces of yellow flag he eats duckweed, or even the bark of young willows. Cuando no puede conseguir trozos de bandera amarilla come lenteja de agua, o incluso la corteza de sauces jóvenes. I could see that he had a short, thick neck and round head, with a short snout. Pude ver que tenía un cuello corto y grueso y la cabeza redonda, con un hocico corto. His eyes were small and I could scarcely see his ears, they were so thickly covered with fur. Tenía los ojos pequeños y apenas podía verle las orejas, tan densamente cubiertas de pelo. His round tail was not very long and had short hairs on it. Su cola redonda no era muy larga y tenía pelos cortos.

I sat down very quietly on the bank, not far from him. Me senté tranquilamente en la orilla, no lejos de él. And presently he looked round and saw me. Y en ese momento miró a su alrededor y me vio. But as I did not move perhaps he did not think I was alive, for he went on munching his leaf. Pero como yo no me movía, tal vez no creyó que estuviera vivo, pues siguió masticando su hoja.

At last I touched a dead leaf with my foot. Por fin toqué una hoja muerta con el pie. His ears heard quickly enough. Sus oídos escucharon con suficiente rapidez. He turned his little bright eyes to me, and in a second he was in the water and swam away. Volvió sus ojitos brillantes hacia mí, y en un segundo estaba en el agua y se alejó nadando. I was too late to see him go into his hole, but I found one not far from the flags, just under the water. Llegué demasiado tarde para verle entrar en su agujero, pero encontré uno no lejos de las banderas, justo debajo del agua.

I knew I should not find his home; for the water-voles make long burrows. Sabía que no encontraría su casa, porque los topos de agua hacen largas madrigueras. I went for several days to the same place, and took some bread to leave there. Fui durante varios días al mismo lugar, y llevé algo de pan para dejarlo allí. At last one day, as I sat watching, out came my little friend and ate the bread. Por fin un día, mientras estaba sentado mirando, salió mi amiguito y se comió el pan. After that we met several times, and he became quite tame. Después de eso nos vimos varias veces, y se volvió bastante manso. But I had to be very careful. Pero tenía que tener mucho cuidado. The least thing frightened him, and plop he went, into the water! A la mínima se asustaba, y ¡plop, al agua!

If you go often to a pond or river, when all is very quiet in the evening or early morning, you may sometimes see a water-vole swimming in the water, or feeding on the bank. Si va a menudo a un estanque o a un río, cuando todo está muy tranquilo al atardecer o a primera hora de la mañana, es posible que vea a veces una avola nadando en el agua o alimentándose en la orilla. He has beautiful yellow teeth. Tiene unos bonitos dientes amarillos. The lower ones are large and show very clearly above his short lower lip. Los inferiores son grandes y se muestran muy claramente por encima de su corto labio inferior.

The young water-voles are such pretty little creatures. Los búfalos jóvenes son unas criaturas tan bonitas. They are born in a nest of dry grass, which the old voles make in the burrow, and when they come out they swim about with the old ones, and feed on the duckweed. Nacen en un nido de hierba seca que los topillos viejos hacen en la madriguera, y cuando salen nadan con los viejos y se alimentan de lenteja de agua.

But though the water-vole lives mostly in the water, he can come on land to gather his winter store. Pero aunque el water-vole vive sobre todo en el agua, puede venir a tierra a recoger sus provisiones de invierno. He is often a great trouble to the farmer, for he likes the carrots and potatoes and even the broad beans, which grow in the fields, and he comes in the evening to eat them and to carry pieces back to his home. A menudo es una gran molestia para el granjero, porque le gustan las zanahorias y las patatas, e incluso las habas, que crecen en los campos, y viene por la noche a comérselas y a llevarse trozos a su casa.

A farmer once dug out a water-vole's burrow and found enough pieces of potato and mangold-wurzel to fill a gallon measure. Una vez, un granjero excavó en la madriguera de una topo acuática y encontró suficientes trozos de patata y moquillo para llenar una medida de un galón.