The Velveteen Rabbit · chapter 2 of 4
What Is Real
什么是真的
The Old Horse explains what it means to be Real, and the boy takes the rabbit everywhere. Then one summer evening the rabbit is left alone in the grass.
Read what you hear
- The Velveteen Rabbit 老马，什么是真的？是有腿，有手吗？
Lǎo Mǎ, shénme shì zhēn de? Shì yǒu tuǐ, yǒu shǒu ma?
Old Horse, what is Real? Is it having legs and hands?
- The Skin Horse 不是，小兔子。真的不是这样的。
Bú shì, xiǎo tùzi. Zhēn de bú shì zhèyàng de.
No, little rabbit. Real isn't like that.
- The Skin Horse 有人爱你，爱了很久很久，你就是真的。
Yǒu rén ài nǐ, ài le hěn jiǔ hěn jiǔ, nǐ jiù shì zhēn de.
When someone loves you for a very, very long time, you become Real.
Chapter 2 is part of SayMei Stories ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Chapter 1 of The Velveteen Rabbit is free, and so are The Second Cup of Tea, Mulan, The Butterfly Lovers, Journey to the West: The Monkey King, Cinderella, The Night of the Nian, Chang'e and the Moon, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, Aesop's Fables, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Ugly Duckling, Pangu and Nüwa: How the World Began, Beauty and the Beast, The Magic Lotus Lantern, Alice in Wonderland, Zhong Kui the Demon Queller, The Odyssey, Robin Hood, Jiang Ziya Goes Fishing, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and The Hound of the Baskervilles from start to finish.
- The Velveteen Rabbit 那会疼吗？我有一点儿怕。
Nà huì téng ma? Wǒ yǒu yìdiǎnr pà.
Does it hurt? I'm a little scared.
- The Skin Horse 有时候会疼。可是真的玩具都不怕。
Yǒu shíhou huì téng. Kěshì zhēn de wánjù dōu bú pà.
Sometimes it hurts. But Real toys aren't afraid.
- The Velveteen Rabbit 那要很久很久吗？我要等多久？
Nà yào hěn jiǔ hěn jiǔ ma? Wǒ yào děng duō jiǔ?
Does it take a very long time? How long must I wait?
- The Skin Horse 是的。你会变旧，也不会那么好看。
Shì de. Nǐ huì biàn jiù, yě bú huì nàme hǎokàn.
Yes. You'll get old and won't look so pretty.
- The Skin Horse 可是男孩还是会爱你，很爱很爱你。
Kěshì nánhái háishi huì ài nǐ, hěn ài hěn ài nǐ.
But the boy will still love you, very much.
- The Velveteen Rabbit 我想变成真的。我可以等，我不怕。
Wǒ xiǎng biànchéng zhēn de. Wǒ kěyǐ děng, wǒ bú pà.
I want to become Real. I can wait. I'm not afraid.
- Nanny 该睡觉了！你要哪个玩具？
Gāi shuìjiào le! Nǐ yào nǎ gè wánjù?
Time for bed! Which toy do you want?
- The Boy 我不睡！我要……我要……我不知道！
Wǒ bú shuì! Wǒ yào… wǒ yào… wǒ bù zhīdào!
I won't sleep! I want... I want... I don't know!
- The Boy 我要小兔子！我要那只旧的小兔子！
Wǒ yào xiǎo tùzi! Wǒ yào nà zhī jiù de xiǎo tùzi!
I want the little rabbit! I want that old little rabbit!
- Nanny 那只旧兔子？好吧，给你。
Nà zhī jiù tùzi? Hǎo ba, gěi nǐ.
That old rabbit? Fine, here you go.
- The Boy 小兔子，晚安。明天我们一起去花园玩。
Xiǎo tùzi, wǎn'ān. Míngtiān wǒmen yìqǐ qù huāyuán wán.
Good night, little rabbit. Tomorrow we'll go play in the garden together.
- The Velveteen Rabbit 他要我！他真的要我！我好高兴！
Tā yào wǒ! Tā zhēn de yào wǒ! Wǒ hǎo gāoxìng!
He wants me! He really wants me! I'm so happy!
- The Boy 小兔子，每天晚上，你都要和我睡。
Xiǎo tùzi, měi tiān wǎnshang, nǐ dōu yào hé wǒ shuì.
Little rabbit, every night, you have to sleep with me.
- The Velveteen Rabbit 好，我每天晚上都和你睡。我在这儿。
Hǎo, wǒ měi tiān wǎnshang dōu hé nǐ shuì. Wǒ zài zhèr.
Yes, I'll sleep with you every night. I'm right here.
- Narrator 夏天来了。男孩每天都带着小兔子去花园。
Xiàtiān lái le. Nánhái měi tiān dōu dàizhe xiǎo tùzi qù huāyuán.
Summer came. Every day the boy took the little rabbit to the garden.
- Nanny 吃饭了！男孩，快回家吃饭！
Chīfàn le! Nánhái, kuài huíjiā chīfàn!
Dinner time! Boy, come home and eat!
- The Velveteen Rabbit 男孩！等等我！你忘了我啦！
Nánhái! Děngdeng wǒ! Nǐ wàng le wǒ la!
Boy! Wait for me! You forgot me!
- The Velveteen Rabbit 他走了……他真的忘了我。
Tā zǒu le… tā zhēn de wàng le wǒ.
He's gone... he really forgot me.
- The Velveteen Rabbit 天黑了。我一个人在草里，好冷啊。
Tiān hēi le. Wǒ yí gè rén zài cǎo lǐ, hǎo lěng a.
It's getting dark. I'm all alone in the grass, and it's so cold.
- Brown Rabbit 喂！草里是谁？谁在那儿？
Wèi! Cǎo lǐ shì shéi? Shéi zài nàr?
Hey! Who's in the grass? Who's there?
- The Velveteen Rabbit 我是小兔子。你是谁？你也是兔子吗？
Wǒ shì xiǎo tùzi. Nǐ shì shéi? Nǐ yě shì tùzi ma?
I'm a little rabbit. Who are you? Are you a rabbit too?
- Brown Rabbit 我是兔子，真的兔子！你为什么不动？
Wǒ shì tùzi, zhēn de tùzi! Nǐ wèishénme bú dòng?
I'm a rabbit, a Real rabbit! Why don't you move?
- The Velveteen Rabbit 我在等男孩。他会回来找我的。
Wǒ zài děng nánhái. Tā huì huílái zhǎo wǒ de.
I'm waiting for the boy. He'll come back for me.
- Brown Rabbit 别等了！来，跟我们一起去跳吧！
Bié děng le! Lái, gēn wǒmen yìqǐ qù tiào ba!
Stop waiting! Come on, jump with us!
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- How does a toy become Real, according to the Old Horse?
“有人爱你，爱了很久很久，你就是真的。”
- What will happen to a toy that becomes Real?
“你会变旧，也不会那么好看。”
- Which toy does the boy ask for at bedtime?
“我要小兔子！我要那只旧的小兔子！”
- Why is the rabbit alone in the garden?
“吃饭了！男孩，快回家吃饭！”……“他走了……他真的忘了我。”
- What does the wild rabbit ask him to do?
“别等了！来，跟我们一起去跳吧！”