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冬天来了，鸟儿们全都飞到南方去了。有一只小鸟的翅膀折了，不能跟同伴们一起飞走了。在冰天雪地的世界里，小鸟觉得很孤单。大树林看起来很温暖，于是它就尽自己最大努力飞到树林里寻求帮助。 第一次它来到了桦树面前。‘‘美丽的桦树，”它说，"我的翅膀折了，我的朋友们都飞走了。能不能让我在你的枝杈上住一段时间，直到他们飞回来？" "不行，真的，”桦树回答说，“我们树林中的树都有自己的鸟儿要去帮助。我不能帮你。”"桦树不是很强壮，”小鸟自言自语道，“我去问问橡树。”于是小鸟说：“伟大的橡树，你真强壮。能不能让我在你的枝杈间住一段时间，直到春天我的朋友们飞回来?” “到春天！"橡树叫到，‘‘还有多么长的时间。我怎么知道这段时间里你会做些什么。鸟儿们总是想找吃的，说不定你会吃掉我的橡子。" 可怜的小鸟不知道该做什么。它的翅膀还不是很强壮，但是它尽自己的最大努力准备飞走。就在它飞走前，远处传来了一个声音：“小鸟，你要去哪？” "说实话，我也不知道。"小鸟难过的回答说，"我很冷。” "那就来这吧。”友好的云杉说，“如果你愿意的话，你可以住在我最温暖的树枝上。”"我的树枝不是很厚。’’友好的松树说，"但是我又高又壮，可以为你和云杉阻挡北风。” “我也可以帮忙。”小刺柏说，“我一个冬天都可以为你提供果子吃。每只鸟都知道我的果子很好吃。” 于是，云杉为孤独的小鸟提供了一个家;松树帮小鸟阻挡着寒冷的北风;刺柏为它提供果子吃。 早上，那些绿叶全都掉到了地上，因为晚上寒冷的北风来了，它所触碰过的每一片叶子都会凋零。 "我是不是可以碰森林中的每一片树叶？”北风欢快地说。 “不行。”森林之王说，“让那些帮助那只折了翅膀的小鸟的树留着它们的叶子吧。” 这就是为什么云杉、松树和刺柏的叶子总是绿的。 Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves Winter was coming, and the birds had flown far to the south. One little bird had broken its wing and could not fly with the others. It was alone in the cold world of frost and snow. The forest looked warm, and it made its way to the trees as well as it could, to ask for help. First it came to a birch tree. "Beautiful birch tree," it said, ‘• my wing is broken, and my friends have flown away. May ! live among your branches till they come back to me?" "No, indeed," answered the birch tree, "we of the great forest have our own birds to help. I can do nothing for you.” “The birch is not very strong，" said the little bird to itself. "I will ask the oak.” So the bird said，" Great oak tree, you are so strong，will you not let me live on your boughs till my friends come back in the springtime?” “In the springtime!” cried the oak. "That is a long way off. How do I know what you might do in all that time? Birds are always looking for something to eat, and you might even eat up some of my acorns." The poor little bird did not know what to do. Its wing was not yet strong，but it began to fly away as well as it could. Before it had gone far a voice was heard. " Little bird，" it said, " where are you going?” "Indeed, I do not know,” answered the bird sadly. " I am very cold.” “Come right here, then," said the friendly spruce tree. "You shall live on my warmest branch all winter if you choose." “My branches are not very thick,” said the friendly pine tree, " but I am big and strong，and I can keep the North Wind from you and the spruce.” “I can help, too，” said a little juniper tree. "I can give you berries all winter long, and every bird knows that juniper berries are good." So the spruce gave the lonely little bird a home ； the pine kept the cold North Wind away from it； and the juniper gave it berries to eat. In the morning all those green leaves lay on the ground, for a cold North Wind had come in the night, and every leaf that it touched fell from the tree. "May I touch every leaf in the forest?" asked the wind in its frolic. "No，” said the Forest King. "The trees that have been kind to the little bird with the broken wing may keep their leaves.” This is why the leaves of the spruce, the pine, and the juniper are always green. |
