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郊狼创造了世界，并造出所有的动物和鸟类生活在这个世界上。 完成这项工作后，他对自己说：“现在我可以四处漫游，欣赏我的杰作了。” 他对自己创造的美丽万物感到惊喜不已。湖泊波光粼粼，高山薄雾笼罩，辽阔草原绿苴茵茵。他看到老鹰在高空中优雅地滑翔。他观看强壮的灰熊在森林里笨拙地走动，嘲笑水獭在河水中溅水嬉戏时的滑稽动作。 几个月后，郊狼认为还需要再加一种东西。 “嗨，秃头！”他冲滑翔过的老鹰喊道，“通知所有动物和鸟类幵个会，我有一件大事要宣布。” “好的，头儿！我会照你的指示做的。"老鹰答道。老鹰拍打着宽阔的翅膀，一边高高飞过天空，一边高声传达这个消息。 动物和鸟围着郊狼坐成一个半圆。 他耐心等待一切窃窃私语、抓挠皮毛、梳理羽毛的事情都停下来，然后宣布："我决定创造一种新的动物——叫做人类。” “关于人类的外表和他们的特殊技能，我需要听听你们大家的建议。” 刹那间，动物们和鸟类的啁啾声、咆哮声和尖叫声四起。 “他们应该长毛。” “不，他们需要羽毛。” “你们都错了，他们需要……” "等一下，”郊狼大叫道，“你们大家一起说的话，我根本听不明白你们在说什么。现在一个一个来。" 山狮咆哮道："人类应该有像我一样洪亮的吼声，这样就可以威吓其他生物，还要有强健的牙齿和锋利的爪子。" “嗨”灰熊哼了一声说，“要是人类像你一样四处咆哮，他们就会吓跑一切，抓不到吃的。我同意他们应该有牙齿和爪子，而旦应该有毛可以保暖。’’ 水獭大叫：“他们应该会游泳，他们潜水的时候也会屏住呼吸。” "他们不需要会游泳，他们需要飞行，有巨大的爪子。”老鹰尖叫道，“这样他们可以从天空中俯冲下来扑向猎物，抓走他们。” "不！他们不需要飞行。”海狸大叫着，“水獭说的对，他们要会游泳，但他们需要一条像我这样的大大的扁平的尾巴，来帮助他们建立家园。” “鹿角！他们需要鹿角！”牡鹿大喊道，并骄傲地炫耀着自己那对巨大的鹿角。“哦，太棒了，让他们长出巨大的鹿角，那样就可以被夹在树丛和灌木之间了。”小灰鼠尖声讥讽道。于是大家立刻又开始了新一轮的讨论。 “皮毛……" “牙齿……” “翅膀……大尾巴……” “四条腿……” "停！”郊狼大声喊道。大家都停止了喊叫，看着他。 “你们都太自负了，想要人类长得和你们一样而不是成为不同的物种。” 他接了挠下巴上的毛，做出了决定。 "我打算赐给他们叫做手和手指的东西，手指很灵活，可以做很多事情。人类能够制造工具用来狩猎，并且会做东西来穿，所以他们不需要皮毛，而且他们能够建造房屋居住。他们会像我一样聪明。” "哇！手指！"动物们一边感叹一边点头，“哇！像郊狼一样聪明！” "他们将用两只脚走路而不是四条腿。” "两只脚？”小灰鼠疑惑地问道，“这有点奇怪。” '‘两只脚有什么不好的？”灰熊咆哮道，他伸直身体站了起来，“我想用两只脚走路的话，我也能用两只脚走路。" "你这么一说，两只脚走路也不是那么奇怪哦。”灰鼠吱吱地叫着，从灰熊那大得能轻易踩死她的脚掌边溜走了。 "在这里等着，我去取些黏土。"郊狼说。他去附近的河边，挖了一些红色的黏土带回到开会的地方来。 “看我捏出来，你们就知道人类长什么样了。”郊狼开始打造那块黏土。 郊狼捏出一个手指时大家都静静地看着。几个小时过去了，夜幕降临了。 “看起来不错。”灰鼠打着哈欠说。 夜空中星光闪烁，动物和鸟儿都坐在那儿睡着了。 郊狼没有睡，他干了一晚上，打磨修整那个红色的手指。 第二天清晨，大家都醒来了，有的吸着鼻子，有的打着响鼻，有的用爪子或是翅膀揉揉眼睛赶跑瞌睡。郊狼的新物种诞生了，他们在四周走来走去。 ‘‘你们认为怎么样？"郊狼骄傲地问道。 “哦，那就是个人啊。”山狮说，“我饿了，我想要去找早餐了。” “我也是。"灰熊咕哝着。 海狸和水獺决定离开，以免被吃掉。 “打扰一下，”灰鼠对人说：“你们有谁看到一块奶酪吗？我想我的奶酪少了一点。”她抖动着胡须，急急忙忙地跑走了。 所有的动物和鸟类都四散开去，寻找食物去了。 郊狼看着他们离开,转身对人类说："我觉得他们对你印象不太深刻啊。"他说,“不过不用担心，你很快就能找到自己的位置，和他们和平相处的。”这就是郊狼创造了人类的传说。 Coyote made the world and all the animals and birds that lived in it. When he had finished he said to himself, “Now I will wander around and admire my good work.” He was amazed at the beautiful things he had created. The shimmering lakes, high mountains shrouded1 in mist and broad sweeping plains covered in lush grass. He saw the eagle gliding gracefully, high in the sky. He watched the powerful grizzly bear lumbering2 through the forest and laughed at the playful antics of the otters as they splashed about in their river home. After a few months Coyote decide that one more thing was needed. “Hey Baldy!” he shouted to Eagle as he glided by. “Call all the animals and other birds to a meeting. I have something big to announce!” “OK Chief, consider it done!” replied Eagle. And flapping his broad wings he soared away across the sky, shouting the news. The animals and birds gathered in a semicircle around Coyote. He waited until all the murmuring, scratching of fur and rustling of feathers had stopped. “I’ve decided to create another creature-called human people” he announced. “And I want suggestions from all of you on what they should look like and the special skills they should have.” The animals and birds started chattering, growling and screeching all at once. “They Should have fur.” “No, they need feathers.” “You’re wrong! They need...55 “Hold on!” yelled Coyote. “I can’t understand you when you all talk at once. Now, one at a time.” Mountain Lion growled. “People should have a loud roar like mine to frighten other creatures—and strong teeth and daws.” “Huh!” snorted Grizzly Bear. “If people go around roaring like you do, they’ll scare everything off and not catch anything to eat. I agree about the teeth and claws—and they should have fur to keep warm!” Otter shouted “They should be able to swim and hold their breath when they dive under water!” “They don’t need to swim! They need to fly and have big claws.” screeched Eagle. “Then they can swoop3 down on things from the sky and carry them off!” “No! They don’t need to fly” shouted Beaver. “Otter is right. They do need to swim— but they need a large flat tail like mine to help them build their home.” “Antlers4! They need antlers” snorted Stag, proudly showing off his huge set. “Oh great! Give them big antlers that will get caught in trees and bushes.” squeaked little Grey Mouse. Everyone started talking at once again. “Fur...” “Teeth …” “Wings …” “Big tail...” “Four feet…” “Stop!” growled Coyote loudly. Everyone stopped yelling and looked at him. “You’re all so vain. You want the human people to look like you instead of them being different.” He scratched the fur on his chin while he made some decisions. “I，m going to give them things called hands and fingers. Fingers are flexible and can do lots of things. Human people will be able to shape things to hunt with, make things to wear-so they won’t need fur! And they’ll be able to build homes to live in. They will be smart like me!” “Oooh! Fingers!” said the animals, nodding their heads. “Oooh! Smart like Coyote!” “And they’ll walk on two feet instead of four!” “Two feet?” questioned little Grey Mouse. “That’s a bit strange.” “What’s wrong with two feet?” bellowed Grizzly Bear, stretching himself up to his full height. “I walk on two feet when I want to!” “Now you mention it, two feet aren’t that strange.” squeaked Grey Mouse, edging away from those big feet that could easily squash her. “Wait here while I get some clay.” said Coyote. He went to the nearby river bank, scooped up some red clay and brought it back to the meeting. “Watch as I shape this and you’ll see what the human people will look like.” He started to mould the clay. Everyone watched as Coyote shaped a figure. Hours passed and night fell. “It’s looking good.” yawned Grey Mouse. As the stars twinkled in the sky, the animals and birds fell asleep where they sat. Coyote did not sleep. He worked through the night, moulding and shaping the red figure. Next morning everyone woke, snuffling5 and snorting and rubbing the sleep from their eyes with a wing or a paw. Coyote’s new creature was alive and walking around. “What do you think?” he asked, proudly. “So that’s a human.” said Mountain Lion. “I’m hungry. I think I’ll look for breakfast.” “Me too!” mumbled Grizzly Bear. Beaver and Otter decided to leave before they were eaten. “Excuse me!” said Grey Mouse to the human. “Have you seen a piece of cheese anywhere? I think I’ve lost a bit!” And she scurried6 off，twitching7 her whiskers. All the animals and birds began to wander off, looking for food. Coyote watched them then turned to the human. “I don’t think they’re impressed with you.” he said. “Never mind. You’ll find your place with them soon enough.” And that was how Coyote created people. |
