英语笑话:不要听信山鸡的话
A boy found an eagle’s egg and he put it in the nest of a prairie chicken. The eagle hatched and thought he was a chicken. He grew up doing what prairie chickens do — scratching at the dirt for food and flying short distances with a noisy fluttering① of wings.
It was a dreary life. Gradually the eagle grew older and bitter②. One day he and his prairie chicken friend saw a beautiful bird soaring③ on the currents of air, high above the mountains.
“Oh, I wish I could fly like that!” said the eagle.
The chicken replied, “Don’t give it another thought. That’s the mighty eagle, the king of all birds — you could never be like him!” And the eagle didn’t give it another thought.
He went on cackling④ and complaining about life. He died thinking he was a prairie chicken. My friends, you too were born an eagle. The Creator intended you to be an eagle, so don’t listen to prairie chickens!
中文译文】
一枚老鹰蛋被一个小男孩发现了，它被放进了一只山鸡的窝里。鹰被孵出来了，但他以为自己是一只山鸡。他长大了，做着山鸡所做的事——从泥土里翻找食物，做短距离的飞行，翅膀还“啪啪”作响。
生活非常沉闷。渐渐地鹰长大了，他也越来越苦恼。有一天，他和他的山鸡朋友看见一只美丽的鸟在天空翱翔，飞得比山还要高。
“噢，我要能飞那么高该多好啊!”鹰说。
山鸡回答说：“不要想了，那是凶猛无比的鹰，鸟中之王——你不可能像他一样!”于是鹰放弃了那个念头。
他继续咯咯地叫，不停地抱怨生活。最后他死了，依然认为自己是一只山鸡。朋友们，你也同样，你天生就是只雄鹰。造物主有意把你造就成一只雄鹰，所以不要听信山鸡的话!
你天生就是一只翱翔于天空的雄鹰，所以不要听信山鸡的话。
词汇讲解】
flutter v. 拍打
如：His heart fluttered with fear.
他害怕得心怦怦乱跳。
She fluttered her handkerchief from the train window as a good-bye.
她从火车窗口里伸出手挥动手帕道别。
bitter a. 痛苦的
如：False friends are worse than bitter enemies.
[谚]明枪易躲，暗箭难防。
I had to take the herb tea although it's bitter.
虽然汤药很苦，我还是不得不喝了。
Some beer and chocolate taste bitter.
有些啤酒和巧克力有苦味。
soar v. 高飞，翱翔
如：Set the bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in the sky.
鸟翼上系上了黄金，这鸟便永不能再在天上翱翔了。
His imagination resemble the wing of an ostrich. it enabled him to run, though not to soar.
他的想象力有类于鸵鸟的翅膀—虽未可以飞翔，犹可使他奔驰。
cackle v. 咯咯叫
如：The manager let us cut the cackle.
经理让我们不要闲谈。
The old woman gave a loud cackle.
老太太咯咯地笑起来。
