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很久以前，森林里住着一只大老鼠，其他成百上千只老鼠尊称他为大王。 一只狡猾的狼看到这群老鼠以后，开始盘算着怎样才能把他们捉住。他很想吃他们的肉，但怎样才能捉住他们呢？他想出了一个办法。他来到老鼠洞附近的一个角落处候着。看到有只老鼠走过来,他就后腿着地，站在那儿。 鼠王问狼:“狼，你为什么用后腿站着？” “因为我前腿跋了，”狡猾的狼说，“前腿一着地我就疼得厉害。” “那你为什么张着大口？''老鼠问狼。 “我张着口是要尽可能多地吸入空气，”狼说，"我平时就靠呼吸空气维持生命，空气是我每天唯一的食物。我不能跑,不能走，就这样呆在这里哪儿也不能去。但我一点也不抱怨老天的不公。”老鼠们一走，狼就放下前腿躺下来。 鼠王非常同情狼，每天早晨和夜晚他都要叫上其他老鼠，一起来到狼那里，陪他聊天。狼看起来那么可怜，但他却毫无怨言。 每次鼠群离开的时候,狼都把走在最后的一只老鼠抓住吃掉。然后他擦擦嘴,假装什么事情都没有发生过。 老鼠们发现每天晚上睡觉之前，总会有只老鼠神秘失踪。于是他们问鼠王这是怎么回事。鼠王也拿不准，但他怀疑是狼干的。 于是，第二天，鼠王对其他老鼠说：“这一次离开狼的时候，你们先走，我殿后。” 他们就按计划行事。当鼠王最后一个离开狼的时候，狼突然猛扑过来。幸亏狼的动作不够快,鼠王才得以逃开。 "哼！这才是你真正要吃的食物吧。你的前腿也不瘸。现在，你的花招已经用尽了，狼先生。”说着这话，鼠王跳上了狼的喉拔，拼命地啃咬，狼很快断了气。 从那以后,老鼠们又重新过上了欢乐祥和的日子。 The Tricky Wolf and the Rats Once upon a time a Big Rat lived in the forest, and many hundreds of other Rats called him their Chief. A Tricky Wolf saw this troop of Rats, and began to plan how he could catch them. He wanted to eat them, but how was he to get them? At last he thought of a plan. He went to a corner near the home of the Rats and waited until he saw one of them coming. Then he stood up on his hind legs. The Chief of the Rats said to the Wolf, “Wolf, why do you stand on your hind legs?” “Because I am lame,” said the Tricky Wolf. “It hurts me to stand on my front legs.” “And why do you keep your mouth open?” asked the Rat. “I keep my mouth open so that I may drink in all the air I can，’’ said the Wolf. “I live on air； it is my only food day after day. I can not run or walk, so I stay here. I try not to complain.” When the Rats went away the Wolf lay down. The Chief of the Rats was sorry for the Wolf, and he went each night and morning with all the other Rats to talk with the Wolf, who seemed so poor, and who did not complain. Each time as the Rats were leaving, the Wolf caught and ate the last one. Then he wiped his lips, and looked as if nothing had happened. Each night there were fewer Rats at bedtime. Then they asked the Chief of the Rats what the trouble was. He could not be sure, but he thought the Wolf was to blame. So the next day the Chief said to the other Rats, “You go first this time and I will go last.” They did so, and as the Chief of the Rats went by, the Wolf made a spring at him. But the Wolf was not quick enough, and the Chief of the Rats got away. “So this is the food you eat. Your legs are not so lame as they were. You have played your last trick, Wolf.” said the Chief of the Rats, springing at the Wolf’s throat. He bit the Wolf and the wolf died soon. |
