Alba grows pumpkins in her garden. This year she wants to win the town contest. The prize is for the biggest pumpkin. She waters her pumpkin every day. She even talks to it.
阿尔芭在她的花园里种南瓜。今年她想赢得镇上的比赛。奖品是给最大的南瓜的。她每天给她的南瓜浇水。她甚至还对它说话。
But the pumpkin stays small. In October, it is as small as a melon. Her neighbor's pumpkin is as big as a chair.
可是南瓜一直很小。到了十月，它只有一个甜瓜那么大。她邻居的南瓜却有一把椅子那么大。
On contest day, the town square is full. The pumpkins sit in a long line. The judges measure each pumpkin. Alba puts her pumpkin at the end.
比赛那天，镇广场上挤满了人。南瓜排成长长的一排。评委们给每个南瓜量尺寸。阿尔芭把她的南瓜放在最末尾。
People look at it and smile. "Is that a pumpkin?" a boy asks.
人们看着它，笑了。“那是南瓜吗？”一个男孩问。
Alba laughs. "It is a baby," she says.
阿尔芭笑了。“它是个宝宝，”她说。
A man with a giant pumpkin wins the big prize. Alba claps for him. She does not win.
一位带着巨大南瓜的男人赢得了大奖。阿尔芭为他鼓掌。她没有获奖。
The next day, the town has a pie contest. Alba has a plan. She cuts her small pumpkin and bakes a pie. The kitchen smells sweet.
第二天，镇上有一场派比赛。阿尔芭有了一个计划。她切开她的小南瓜，烤了一个派。厨房里香香甜甜的。
She puts the pie on the long table. The judges taste it. One judge closes her eyes. Then she writes a big number on her paper.
她把派放在长桌上。评委们品尝了它。一位评委闭上了眼睛。然后她在纸上写下了一个很大的分数。
Alba wins the pie table. A judge asks, "What is the secret?"
阿尔芭赢得了派桌的冠军。一位评委问：“秘诀是什么？”
"A small pumpkin," Alba says. She smiles and cuts the judge a second slice.
“一个小南瓜，”阿尔芭说。她笑着又给评委切了第二块。
