That night, after I had hung my stocking, I lay awake a long time, pretending to be asleep and keeping alert to see what Santa Claus would do when he came. At last I fell asleep with a new doll and a white bear in my arms. Next morning it was I who waked the whole family with my first "Merry Christmas!" I found surprises, not in the stocking only, but on the table, on all the chairs, at the door, on the very window-sill; indeed, I could hardly walk without stumbling on a bit of Christmas wrapped up in tissue paper. But when my teacher presented me with a canary, my cup of happiness overflowed.

　　圣诞夜，我把自己的长袜挂好后，躺在床上久久不能入眠。于是，我一边装作睡着的样子，一边又保持着警觉，我想看看圣诞老人会在什么时候来。最后，我还是搂着我的新娃娃和小白熊睡着了。第二天一早，我第一个起来唤醒全家人，并且祝他们“圣诞快乐”。令我惊奇不已的是，礼物不仅仅藏在袜子里，连桌子上、椅子上、门边，还有窗台上都堆满了礼物。事实上，在薄纱纸包装的圣诞礼物堆中，我几乎难以迈步了。当老师把一只金丝雀当做礼物送给我时，我简直从心里乐开了花。

　　Little Tim was so tame that he would hop on my finger and eat candied cherries out of my hand. Miss Sullivan taught me to take all the care of my new pet. Every morning after breakfast I prepared his bath, made his cage clean and sweet, filled his cups with fresh seed and water from the well-house, and hung a spray of chickweed in his swing.

　　小蒂姆是如此地温顺，它在我的手指上跳来跳去，还从我手里叼樱桃蜜饯吃。苏立文小姐教会了我怎样照顾新宠物。每天早餐后，我就会为小鸟洗澡，还要把它的笼子打扫干净，再给它的小杯子里添上新鲜的种子和清水，最后还要在它的秋千上悬挂一朵绽开的繁缕。

　　One morning I left the cage on the window-seat while I went to fetch water for his bath. When I returned I felt a big cat brush past me as I opened the door. At first I did not realize what had happened; but when I put my hand in the cage and Tim’s pretty wings did not meet my touch or his small pointed claws take hold of my finger, I knew that I should never see my sweet little singer again.

　　一天早晨，我把鸟笼放在了窗边的椅子上，然后去为它打洗澡水。就在我返回来开门时，我感觉到有一只大猫从身边溜了过去。起初我并没有意识到会出事，但是当我把手伸进笼子里时，才发现已经摸不到蒂姆漂亮的翅膀了，它尖细的小爪子也没有握住我的手指。那一刻，我知道我再也见不到我可爱的小歌唱家了。