A Man once bought a Parrot and gave it the run of his house. It revelled in its liberty, and presently flew up on to the mantelpiece and screamed away to its heart's content. The noise disturbed the Cat, who was asleep on the hearthrug. Looking up at the intruder, she said, “Who may you be, and where have you come from?” The Parrot replied, “Your master has just bought me and brought me home with him.” “You impudent bird,” said the Cat, “how dare you, a newcomer, make a noise like that? Why, I was born here, and have lived here all my life, and yet, if I venture to mew, they throw things at me and chase me all over the place.” “Look here, mistress,” said the Parrot, “you just hold your tongue. My voice they delight in; but yours—yours is a perfect nuisance.”
有个人买了只鹦鹉，让它可以在屋内自由活动。鹦鹉狂喜不已，一下子就飞到了壁炉台上，心满意足地大喊大叫。这声音吵到了睡在壁炉前地毯上的猫。看着这个闯入者，猫说：“你是谁啊，从哪里来的？”鹦鹉回答说：“你的主人刚刚买了我，带我回了家。”猫说：“你这只粗鲁无礼的鸟，你一个新来的，怎么敢这么大吵大闹的？哎呀，我可是生在这里，长在这里，一辈子都生活在这里，如果我敢叫唤，他们就会朝我扔东西，追得我满世界跑。”“喂，听我说，猫小姐，”鹦鹉说，“你呢，还是管住自己的嘴巴吧。我的声音让人们喜欢，而你的声音则讨人嫌。”