染色的豺
2009-12-31 00:00:00
閱讀與作文(英語初中版) 2009年12期
A prowling jackal once fell into a large vessel full of dye.When he returned home all his astonished friends said， \"What has befallen you?\"
He answered， with a curl of his tail， \"Was there ever anything in the world so fine as I am? Look at me! Let no one ever presume to call me jackal again. '
\"What， then， are you to be called?\" asked they.
\"Peacock.You will henceforth call me peacock，\" replied the jackal， strutting up and down in all glory.
\"But，\" said his friends， \"a peacock can spread his tail magnificently. Can you spread your tail?\"
\"Well， no， I cannot quite do that，\" replied the jackal.
\"And a peacock，\" continued they， \"can make a fine melodious cry. Can you make a fine melodious cry?\"
\"It must be admitted，\" said the pretender， \"that I cannot do that either. \"
\"Then，\" retorted they， \"it is quite evident that if you are not a jackal， neither are you a peacock.\" And they drove him out of their company.
有一次，一只四處覓食的豺掉進了一個大染缸里。他回到家中，同伴都非常吃驚，紛紛問道:“你怎么了?”
豺卷著尾巴反問道:“難道這世界上有什么能像我這樣美嗎?你們瞧，有誰還會再把我叫做豺呢?”
豺的同伴問:“那么，叫你什么呢?”
“孔雀，從此以后你們就叫我孔雀?！辈蛞贿呎f著，一邊神氣活現(xiàn)、美滋滋地走過來走過去。
他的朋友又問:“但是，孔雀能展開五彩繽紛的尾羽。你能展開你的尾巴嗎?”
豺回答說:“噢，不行啊，我還做不到那樣?！?/p>
朋友接著又問:“孔雀的鳴叫聲優(yōu)美動聽。你的叫聲美妙動聽嗎?”
“應(yīng)該承認(rèn)，”這只假孔雀說，“我的叫聲可沒有那般美妙好聽啊?！?/p>
“那么，”朋友們紛紛說，“顯然，如果你不是豺，你也不是孔雀?！闭f罷，他們將這只豺趕了出去，不再與其為伴。
