寓言故事：会说话的鱼 3页

  Onceuponatime,aworkerwhowasverypoorfoundsomeworkasafisherman"shelper.Hewaspaidafewfishaday,andthiskepthimandhiswifealive,thoughbarely（勉强）.Onedaytheworkercaughtanespeciallyprettylittlefish.Asheturneditoverinhishands,hethought,"Why,whatamarvelous（不可思议的）fishthisis!"Suddenlythefishspoketohim,inahumanvoice.    "Seehere,brotherman!JustmomentsagoIwasplayingwithmyfriends,andIgotcaughtinyournet.NowhereIaminyourhands,sufferingandprobablydying!Myparentsandmyplaymatesmustbesearchingformeandworryingterriblyaboutme."Nowthefishwasgasping.（喘息）    "Pleasehavepityonme.Throwmebackintothewater!"              Theworkergazedat（凝视）themarveloustalkingfish.Coulditbetrue?Wasitpossiblethatafishlivesalifefilledwithjoysandsorrows,also?    Hequicklythrewthefishbackintothewater."Allright,myprettylittlefish,goalongandplayagain--Idon"twantyourparentsandfriendstoworryanymoreaboutyou!"   Whentheworker"sboss,thefisherman,sawthis,hebecameveryangry.   "Youfool!"heshoutedangrilytotheworker."Ihiredyoutocatchfish,nottothrowthembackintothewater!You"reaworthlessfool!Begone(走开!滚蛋!)withyou--Idon"teverwanttoseeyouagain!"   Andthepoorworkerwalkedsadlyhome."WhatshallItellmywife?"hewailed(悲叹),muchafraidofwhatwouldhappentothemwithouthisjob.   Hewaswalkingalongtheroaddeepinhisunhappythoughts,whensuddenlyhesawaMonster(怪物)inhumanshapecomingtowardhim.TheMonsterwasdrivingaveryfinecowbeforehim.   "Goodday,brother,"saidtheMonster."Whydoyouseemsosad?"   Theworkertoldhimhisstory.   "Seehere,myfriend,"saidtheMonster."I"mgoingtodoyouafavor.Doyouseethiscow?I"llletyoukeepherforthreeyears.She"llgiveyouplentyofgoodmilkeveryday,andyouandyourwifewillnevergohungry.Butlistencarefullytothiscondition:Whenthreeyearshavepassed,Iwillcomeandaskcertainquestionsofyou.Ifyouanswerthemcorrectly,thecowwillbeyours.Butifyoudon"t,thenI"lltakebothofyoualongwiththecow,anddowhateverIwantwithyou.So--doyouaccept?"   Theworkerthought,"Isupposeit"sbettertotakethecownowthantogohungry.Atleastwe"llbeabletosellthemilkandliveforthreeyears,andthenwe"llseewhathappens.Maybewe"llbeluckyenoughtoanswerthosequestions."Soheacceptedtheterms,tookthecowandwenthomerelieved(得到安慰的)andhappy.   Indeed,thecowgaveplentyofgoodmilk,enoughfortheworkerandhiswifetodrinkandtosell,andin thisway,providethenecessitiesoflife.   Intheevenings,theworkerandhiswifewouldoftensittogetherattheirdoor,thinkingabouttheMonster.Theytriedtoimaginewhattheanswersmightbe.Butastheyhadnoclue(线索)whatsortofquestionstheMonsterwouldask,theywouldalwaysendtheirtalkswithasigh(叹息)andgotobedwithtroubledhearts.Daybyday,theendofthethreeyearsgrewcloserandcloser.   Oneevening,ahandsomeyouthcameuptothem.   "Goodevening!"hesaid."Iamsotired,anditisgettingdark.Ifyouplease,mayIspendthenightunderyourroof?"   "Ofcourseyoumay,onlytonightyoumustknowthatsomethingterribleisgoingtohappentous!Threeyearsago,wetookacowfromaMonster.Hetolduswecouldkeepthecowforthreeyears,butattheendofthattimehecouldcomeandaskussomequestions.Ifweanswerthosequestionscorrectly,thenthecowwillbeourstokeep,butifwecan"tthenwewillbecometheMonster"sprisonersforever.Soifyoustaywithustonight,becarefulthatnoharmcomestoyou!"   "Isee,"saidtheyouth."Well,ifitisallrightwithyou,I"djustassoonstaythenight."Andsohedid.   Exactlyatmidnight,aloudknockwasheardatthedoor.   "Who"sthere?"   "ItisI,theMonster!Threeyearshavepassed.Thetimehascometoanswermyquestions!"   "We"llneverbeabletoanswerthem!"wailedthepoorworkerandhiswife,clutching(紧握)ateachother"sshoulders.   Suddenly,theyouthsteppedtowardthedoor.Hesaidtothem,"Don"tworry,I"llanswerforyou."   "I"mhere,waiting!"growledtheMonsteroutside.   "AndI"mherealso,"calmlyansweredtheyouthbehindthedoor.   "Verywell,then,"saidthemonster."Whereareyoufrom?"   "I"mfromtheothersideofthesea."    "Howdidyougethere?"   "Ridingalameflea(跳蚤)!"   "Thentheseamusthavebeenverysmall?"    "Notatall.Evenaneaglecouldn"tflyacrossit!"   "Thenthateaglemusthavebeenafledgling(刚学飞的幼鸟)?"   "Notatall.Theshadowofhiswingswouldcoverawholecity!"   "Thenthecitymusthavebeenverysmall?"   "Notatall.Aharecouldn"trunfromoneendofittotheother."   TheMonsterwasspeechless.Itdidn"tknowwhatotherquestionstoask.Hestoodtheresilentlyatthedoorforsometime,thendisappearedintothedarkness.   Thepoorworkerandhiswifewereoverjoyed.Theyandtheyouthcelebrated(庆祝)untildawn.   Whendawnwasbreaking,theyouthsaiditwastimeforhimtotakehisleave.   "Oh,no,wecan"tallowyoutogo!"criedthecouple."Yousavedourlives.Telluswhatwecandotothankyou.""Youdon"thavetothankme,"repliedtheyouth."Imustbeonmyway.""Atleasttelluswhoyouare!"beggedtheworker.   "Ifyoumustknow,"saidtheyouth,"Akindnessisneverlost,evenifyouthrowitintothewater.Iamthatlittletalkingfishthatyouthrewbackintothesea!"   Havingsaidthesewords,hedisappeared.