The Legend of Nian年的故事

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Long Ago in China, people were afraid of Nian, the dragon beast.
很久以前的中国，人们很害怕一种长得像龙的野兽，叫“年”。

Nian had a sharp horn and a huge mouth.
年有锋利的角和一张大嘴。

He could eat five people in one big bite! Glump!
他一口就可以吃掉五个人。啊呜！

All year long, Nian slept deep in the ocean.
一整年，年兽都睡在大海里。

By the end of winter he was very hungry.
到了一年快结束的时候，年兽会变得很饿。

Each year, just before the Chinese New Year, Nian would climb out of the ocean.
每一年的中国新年之际，年兽会从大海里爬出来。

He would look for people to eat.
年兽会抓人作为食物。

Nian liked to eat children best.
年最喜欢吃小孩子。

People would run away and hide in a cave.
那个时候，人们都会跑到山洞里躲起来。

One New Year's Eve, a very old man came.
有一年的除夕，一位老人来了。

He said he could scare away the beast.
他说自己可以吓跑年兽。

No one believed him so they hid in the cave.
人们不相信他的话，纷纷躲到洞里。

That night, people heard boom, bang, and clang.
那天晚上，人们听到“噼里啪啦”“轰隆隆”的声音。

They heard Nian roar.
他们听到年兽的咆哮。

On New Year's morning, the old man was gone.
新年的早晨，老人离开了。

Nian was gone, too, and he never came back again.
年兽也走了，再也没有回来过。

The old man had left a bag for them.
老人留了一个包给他们。

Inside, they found red shirts, fire crackers, tin pans and sticks.
里面有红色的衣服、爆竹、锡锅和木棍。

Nian was afraid of noise and the color of red!
年兽害怕噪音和红颜色！

Now, on New Year's Eve, people know how to keep Nian away.
现在，在除夕夜里，人们知道了怎样来驱赶年兽。

They wear bright red, light firecrackers, and make noise all night long!
他们穿着红色的衣服，点燃爆竹和鞭炮，一整夜都噼里啪啦响个不停！