1.The earth-worm is also called the dew-worm，because it likes to come out of its hole and creep about when the grass is wet with dew.It is a very long and thin animal，being often a foot long，yet less than one-quarter of an inch in thickness.
2.Its body is composed of more than one hundred rings，all joined together.At first you cannot see that the worm has any head.But if you look very closely，you will see that one end of the body is more pointed than the other，and that when the worm moves，this pointed end goes first.The pointed end is its head.
3.In the head there is a slit or mouth，by which the worm is able to feed on decayed plants.The earth-worm swallows a great deal of the earth or mould in which it lives，because this earth always contains some decayed leaves or roots.This vegetable matter forms the animal‘s food，and the useless part of the mould is carried to the top of the hole or burrow in which the worm lives.
SECTION OF FRONT PART OF WORM（蚯蚓前部截面图）4.Have you ever seen the“worm-casts，”or little curly heaps of fine mould which the earth-worm leaves behind it？In swallowing the mould to feed on the vegetable matter which it contains，the little animal does a great deal of good，for it breaks up the mould so finely that it changes a hard and barren①soil into a rich soil in which plants can grow well.
5.The earth-worm has no legs；how，then，does it move？If we wash a worm in water till it is quite clean，and then look at the under side of its body，we shall see eight stiff little bristles②on each of its many rings.
6.These bristles point backwards.If we move a finger along the worm from the head to the tail，the body feels quite smooth；but if we gently rub the worm the other way-from the tail to the head-we can easily feel the stiff bristles.
7.The earth-worm’s body is very elastic.It pushesBRISTLES（刚毛）its head forward in the direction in which it wants to go；it then sticks into the soil the bristles which are near the head，and pulls forward the rest of its body.
8.The body of the earth-worm is covered with slime③，whichhelps it to burrow in the ground，for its wet slimy body passes easily through the soft earth.
①Barren，unfruitful；waste.
②Bristles，stiff hairs standing straight out.
③Slime，moist，sticky substance.
9.A great many worms live in the soil of every field and garden.If you wish to see how many worms there are，you should go out into your garden or to a grassy lawn①on a warm，damp eveningafter dark，and take a lantern with you.Then you will see perhaps hundreds of worms，each keeping just the end of its tail in its hole or burrow，and moving its head and body about in search of water and food.You must step very softly；for if the earthworms hear you coming，they will quickly pull themselves back into their holes with a sudden start，as if their bodies were elastic bands.
10.Worms are eaten by birds when they come to the top of the ground，and they are chased and eaten by moles when they burrow under it.It was said of a good man that he “would not hurt a worm.”I hope that no child who reads this book will everwantonly②injure these harmless and very useful little creatures.
SUMMARY
The earth-worm has a very long and thin body composed of a great many rings.The pointed end of the worm is its head，in which there is a slit or mouth.The worm feeds on the decayed plants contained in the soil in which it lives.The useless part of the mould it leaves behind as “worm-casts.”The worm is of very great use in breaking up the mould，and making it fit for plants.It has no legs，but moves along by means of the stiff bristles on each of its rings.Its body is very elastic，and is covered with a slime which helps it to burrow.Worms come out chiefly in the dewy evenings.They are eaten both by birds and by moles.
【中文阅读】
1．蚯蚓又叫露水虫（dew-worm），因为当天气潮湿、小草上挂满露水时，它就喜欢钻出自己的洞穴到处爬行。这是一种身体很长却又非常纤细的动①Lawn，a smooth piece of grass in front of or near a house.
②Wantonly，without any proper reason；recklessly.
物，长度通常跟我们的脚长度相仿，但宽度却不会超过四分之一英寸。2．蚯蚓的身体由一百多个彼此相连的环节组成。一眼看去，蚯蚓似乎没有脑袋。然而，仔细观察就会发现，它身体的一端比另一端稍尖，当它蠕动时这一头首先进行移动。这就是蚯蚓的头。
3．它的头上有一个狭缝（嘴巴），蚯蚓就是通过这个器官进食一些腐烂的植物①。蚯蚓需要吞食大量的泥土或烂泥，因为其中包含很多腐烂的树叶或树根。这些包含植被的物质构成了蚯蚓的食物，而那些毫无用处的烂泥则被蚯蚓运到自己所栖息的洞穴顶部。
4．你有没有看到过“蚯蚓粪便”，也就是蚯蚓排出的卷曲状小块烂泥？这种小动物吞食烂泥，吸收其中的腐殖质，而这种生活习惯使得植物受益匪浅，因为经过了蚯蚓的吞食和排泄，这些原本贫瘠的硬土变成了肥沃的泥土，适合植物的生长。
5．蚯蚓没有腿，是如何移动的呢？如果你将蚯蚓放入水中彻底清洗，然后仔细观察它身体下方，就会发现每个环状结构的两侧都长有八根坚硬的刚毛。
6．这些刚毛朝向后方。用一根手指从蚯蚓的头部摸向其尾部，就会感觉它的身体非常光滑；然而，如果我们换个方向来抚摸蚯蚓（从尾部到头部），就很容易感觉到它身上的坚硬刚毛。
7．蚯蚓的身体非常灵活。如果它想朝某个方向前进，就会将头部指向那里，然后把头部附近的刚毛插入土壤中向前推动身体。
8．蚯蚓的身体外包裹着粘液，这样可以帮助它在泥土中钻行，因为黏滑、湿润的身体能够轻松地在柔软的泥土中穿梭。
9．每一片田野与花园的土壤中都生活着许多蚯蚓。如果你想看看多到什么程度，就应该挑选一个温暖、潮湿的夜晚，打着灯笼走到花园或者茂盛的草丛中。然后你大概就能看到数百条蚯蚓，尾巴都在洞中，头部与身体却在到处移动，寻找水与食物。你必须要轻轻落下脚步，因为它们一旦发现你靠近的话就会立刻缩回到洞中，像弹簧一般迅速。
10．当蚯蚓爬到地面上的时候，鸟儿就会捕食它们；当它们蜷缩在土壤中的时候，鼹鼠又会对它们展开搜捕。善良的人“连虫子都不忍心伤害”②。我希望读到这本书的孩子们，都不会故意去伤害这种没有害处却又十分有用的小生灵。
译注
①蚯蚓不吃活的植物，所以一般对植物不构成危害。
②在英语中，（someone）“would not hurt a worm”是一个习语，形容某人心地善良，类似中国的“扫地不伤蝼蚁命”。另外，你可能听说过一种广泛流传的说法，蚯蚓切成两半会长成两条蚯蚓，但这是一种误传。蚯蚓属于环节动物门，已经发展了比较复杂的各类器官，再生能力没有那么强。只有一部分种类的蚯蚓，切成两半之后前面的一半会活下来。不过，扁形动物门的涡虫（flatworms），是一种更加低等的动物，切成两半之后确实能长成两条。
CONDENSATION