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一次，一只鸽子和一只小蝙蝠一起去旅行。一天傍晚，下起了大暴雨。两个小伙伴到处找地方避雨。但是所有的鸟都已经在巢中熟睡了。他们根本找不到地方。后来他们来到老猫头鹰住的树洞前。 "我们在这敲敲门试试，"精明的蝙蝠说：“我知道这个老家伙肯定没睡。哎，猫头鹰先生！"它尖叫着，"我们两个在外面饱受风吹雨打，您能开开门让我们进去避避雨，呆一晚上吗？” 自私的老猫头鹰粗声粗气地把他们让了进来。很不情愿地让他们跟自己共进晚餐。可怜的鸽子太累了，几乎什么都没吃。但是贪婪的蝙蝠一看到吃的就来了精神。而且马上开始奉承老猫头鹰。夸它是多么的聪明，勇敢，而又慷慨。虽然大家都知道老猫头鹰即便有点聪明但一点儿也不勇敢。蝙蝠的这些称赞让老猫头鹰十分开心。 这时鸽子一句话都没说。她静静地坐在那里盯着蝙蝠，为自己听到的那些言不由衷的奉承感到十分的惊讶。突然，猫头鹰转向了她。 "你，粉红眼睛的小姐，"他粗暴地说，"你一直很小心地保持沉默。难道你没有什么要说的吗？" 但是鸽子低下头,为自己的同伴感到十分羞愧。她只说："噢，猫头鹰先生，我真的很感激您的热情好客,感谢您让我在这过夜，但是我只能说这些。我无法像蝙蝠那样对您说那些好听的。我从来就不会这一套。但无论如何，我还是要谢谢您。 ‘‘什么！”蝙蝠叫了起来，装作很惊讶的样子，“这难道就是你想对我们好心的主人说的吗？我真为你感到羞耻！你根本就不配享受猫头鹰先生的热情款待。你根本就不配呆在这儿” 鸽子还是保持沉默。 "你是个不受欢迎的客人，"猫头鹰怒吼道，"你是只不懂得感激的鸟，小姐，蝙蝠说的对，你根本就不配我对你的热情款待，根本就不配呆在这。出去！从我这出去！赶紧出去！” “就是，把她赶出去!”蝙蝠应和着，拍打着自己那毛茸茸的翅膀。 就这样，那两只铁石心肠的鸟扑向可怜的小鸽子，把她赶了出去，让她独自呆在暴风雨的黑夜中。 可怜的鸽子！整个晚上她都呆在外面遭受暴风雨的打击，而这仅仅是因为她讲了真话，而没有奉承那虚荣的老猫头鹰。黎明的时候，她拖着疲惫的身体飞到鹰国王的法庭上，诉说了自己的遭遇。鹰国王听了之后非常生气。 “让那只爱奉承，狠心肠的蝙蝠永远不能在白天飞离自己的巢穴。"它说，"至于猫头鹰，因为上次它对鹪鹩太不好了，所以我已经给了它相同的惩罚了。从此以后所有的鸟都不要理他们。让它们永远都呆在黑暗中无法享受白昼的乐趣。" "至于你,小鸽子，你应当记住这个教训，不要同那些奉承者结伴，它们肯定会给你带来麻烦的。但是你是如此单纯，如此诚实，所以你会永远受到爱戴。为了表示我们对你的喜爱，你的名字将被诗人用来同‘爱’这个词押韵@。” 注:鸦子dove，与爱love押尾韵. The Dove Who Spoke the Truth The dove and the little bat once went on a journey together. When it came toward night a storm arose, and the two companions sought everywhere for a shelter. But all the birds were sound asleep in their nests. They could find no welcome anywhere until they came to the hollow tree where old Master Owl lived. "Let us knock here," said the shrewd bat, “I know the old fellow is not asleep. What ho, Master Owl! he squeaked, "will you let in two storm-tossed travelers for a night's lodging?” Gruffly the selfish old owl bade them enter, and grudgingly invited them to share his supper. The poor dove was so tired that she could scarcely eat, but the greedy bat's spirits rose as soon as he saw the viands. He was a sly fellow, and immediately began to flatter his host. He praised the owl，s wisdom and his courage and his generosity — though every one knew that however wise old Master Owl might be, he was not brave at all. All this flattery pleased the owl. During this time the dove had not uttered a word. She sat quite still staring at the bat, and wondering to hear such insincere speeches of flattery. Suddenly the owl turned to her. "As for you, Miss Pink-Eyes," he said gruffly, "you keep careful silence. Pray, have you nothing to say?” But the dove hung her head, ashamed of her companion, and said very simply, "0 Master Owl，I can only thank you with all my heart for the hospitality and shelter which you have given me this night. I cannot flatter nor make pretty speeches like the bat. I never learned such manners. But ! thank you.” “What!" cried the bat, pretending to be shocked, " Is that all you have to say to our obliging host? I am ashamed of you! You do not deserve such hospitality. You do not deserve this shelter.” The dove remained silent. "Truly, you are an unamiable guest,” snarled the owl, "You are an ungrateful bird, Miss, and the bat is right. You do not deserve this generous hospitality which I have offered, this goodly shelter which you asked. Away with you! Leave my dwelling! Be off, say!” "Yes, away with her!" echoed the bat, flapping his leathery wings. And the two heartless creatures fell upon the poor little dove and drove her out into the dark and stormy night. Poor little dove! All night she was tossed and beaten about shelterless in the storm, because she had been too truthful to flatter the vain old owl. But when the bright morning dawned，draggled and weary as she was，she flew to the court of King Eagle and told him all her trouble. Great was the indignation of that noble bird. For his flattery and his cruelty let the bat never presume to fly abroad until the sun goes down," he cried. “As for the owl, I have already doomed him to this punishment for his treatment of the wren. But from now on let no bird have anything to do with either of them, the bat or the owl. Let them cover themselves in darkness and shun the happy light of day.” "As for you, little dove, let this be a lesson to you to shun the company of flatterers, who are sure to get you into trouble. But you shall always be loved for your simplicity and truth. And as a token of our affection your name shall be used by poets to rhyme with LOVE." |
