小學(xué)英語英語故事童話故事The Toad癩蛤蟆

TheToad癩蛤蟆

Thewellwasdeep,andthereforetheropewaslong;thewheelwentaroundwith

difficultywhenthewaterfilledbuckethadtobepulledupoverthesideofthewell.

Thesuncouldnevermirroritselfdowninthewater,nomatterhowbrightlyitshone;

butasfardownasitsrayspenetrated,greenweedsweregrowingfrombetweenthe

stones.

Therewasafamilyoftoadslivingdownthere.Itwasanimmigrantfamilywhich,

asamatteroffact,hadcomedownthereheadlonginthepersonoftheoldtoadmother,

whowasstillliving.Thegreenfrogsthatswaminthewaterhadmadetheirhomes

thereforamuchlongertime,buttheyacknowledgedtheircousinsandcalledthem

“wellguests./zThelatter,however,hadnothoughtsofeverleaving,theyfoundit

verycomfortablehereonthedryland,astheycalledthewetstones.

MammaFroghadoncetraveled;she'dbeeninthebucketwhenithadgoneup,butthe

lightabovehadbeentoostrongforherandgivenherafrightfulpainintheeyes.

Luckilyshehadmanagedtogetoutofthebucket.She，dfallenintothewaterwith

atremendoussplashandbeenlaidupforthreedayswithabackache.Shedidn'thave

muchtotellabouttheworldabove,butshedidknow,andsodidalltheothers,

thatthewellwasn，tthewholeworld.MammaToad,ontheotherhand,mighthavetold

themafewthingsaboutit,butsheneveransweredwhenanyoneinquired,sothey

stoppedinquiring.

〃Bigandugly,fatandloathsome,sheis!〃saidtheyounggreenfrogs.〃Andherbrats

aregettingtobejustlikeher!，z

“Maybeso,〃saidMammaToad,〃butoneofthemhasajewelinitshead,ifIdon，t

haveitmyself!zz

Andthegreenfrogslistenedandstaredather,andastheydidn'tlikethisnews,

theymadefacesatheranddiveddowntothebottom.Buttheyoungtoadsstretched

outtheirhindlegsproudly.Eachofthemthoughtitwastheonewhichhadthejewel,

sotheyallkepttheirheadsquiterigid,butatlasttheybegantoaskwhatitwas

theyhadtobeproudofandjustwhatajewelwas,anyway.

〃It'ssomethingsogloriousandprecious,，zsaidMammaToad,“thatIcan，tdescribe

it.It'ssomethingyouwearforyourownpleasureandothersbecomeirritatedover.

Butasknomore,forIwon，tanswer.〃

“Well,Ihaven'tgotthejewel,saidthesmallestToad,whichwasasuglyasit

couldbe.〃WhyshouldIhaveanythingsosplendid?Andifitirritatesothers,why,

itwouldnJtpleaseme.No,allIwantistogetuptothetopofthewellsometime

andtakeonepeepout!Itmustbewonderfulupthere!，z

“Betterstaywhereyouare,〃saidtheoldToad.〃You'reathomehere,andyouknow

whatit'slike.Keepawayfromthebucket,oritmaysquashyou!Andevenifyou

didgetsafelyintoityoumightfallout.Noteveryonecancomedownasluckily

asIdidandkeeplimbsandeggsallsafeandsound.〃

“Croak!〃saidthelittleone;andthatwasthesameaswhenwehumanssay,〃0h!〃

Ithadsuchagreatdesiretogetuptothetopofthewellandlookout;itfelt

anintenselongingforthegreenthingsupthere.Andnextmorning,whenthebucket,

1

filledwithwater,wasbeingpulledupandhappenedtopauseforaninstantbeside

thestonewheretheToadsat,thelittlecreaturequiveredthroughandthroughand

thenjumpedintothebucket.Itsanktothebottomofthewater,whichsoonwasdrawn

upandemptiedout.

“Phooie,whatanuisance!，zsaidthemanwhenhesawit."That'stheugliestthing

rveeverseen!z/AndthenhekickedwithhisheavywoodenshoeattheToad,which

cameclosetobeingcrippled,butmanagedtoescapeintothemiddleofsometall

nettles.Itsawstalkafterstalkaroundit;itlookedupwardandsawthesunshining

ontheleaves,makingthemquitetransparent.

FortheToaditwasthesameasitisforuswhenwecomesuddenlyintoagreatforest,

wherethesunshinesbetweenleavesandbranches.

〃It'smuchprettierherethandowninthatwell!Youcouldstayhereforyourwhole

lifetime!，zsaidthelittleToad.Itlaythereforanhour;itlaytherefortwohours.

“Nowwhatcouldtherebeoutside?SinceI'vecomethisfarImightaswellgofarther.z/

Soitcreptasfastasitcould,untilitcameoutintotheroad,wherethesunshone

onit;andthenitwaspowderedwithdustasithoppedacrosstheroad.

“Hereoneisreallyondryland,z/saidtheToad.〃I'mgettingalmosttoomuchof

agoodthing;itticklesrightthroughme!〃

Nowitreachedaditch,wheregrewforget-me-notsandmeadowsweet,whilebeyondit

wasahedgeofwhitethornandelderbushes,withconvolvuluscreepingandhanging

aboutit.Whatvividcolorsthereweretoseehere!Andhereflewabutterfly,too.

TheToadthoughtitwasaflowerthathadtornitselflooseinordertogetabetter

lookattheworld;that,ofcourse,wasveryreasonable.

〃IfIcouldonlymoveaboutlikethat!，zsaidtheToad."Croak!Oh!Howglorious!，z

Foreightdaysandnightsitsremainedbytheditchandfeltnowantoffood.Then

ontheninthdayitthought,〃0h,forward./zButwasthereanythingmorebeautiful

tobefoundanywhere?Perhapsalittletoadorsomegreenfrogs;therehadbeena

soundinthewindthenightbeforewhichhadseemedtoindicatetherewerecousins

intheneighborhood.

〃It'swonderfultobealive!Tocomeupoutofthatwellandlieinthebedofnettles,

tocreepalongandhopacrossthedustyroadandrestinthewetditch!Buton,further

forward!Imustfindfrogsoralittletoad;onecan，tdowithoutcompanions,after

all.Naturealoneisn，tenoughforone!，zAndsoitstarteditswanderingsagain.

Inafield,itcametoalargepondwithrushesaroundit,anditwentexploring

inthere.

〃It'stoowetforyouinhere,isn，tit?〃saidthefroginside."Butyou，requite

welcome.Areyouaheorashe?Notthatitmatters;you，reequallywelcomeineither

case.，z

Andsoitwasinvitedtoaconcertthatevening,afamilyconcert,withalotof

gaietyandfeeblevoices;weallknowthatsortofaffair.Therewerenorefreshments,

exceptfreedrinks-thewholepond,iftheycoulddrinkit.

“Nowr11betravelingon,〃saidthelittleToad,whichwasalwayscravingfor

somethingbetter.

2

Itsawthestarstwinkling,solargeandsoclear;itsawthenewmoonshine,and

itsawthesunrisehigherandhigher.

〃Ithinkrmstillinawell,butabiggerwell.Imustgethigherup!Ifeela

restlessness,alonging!/zAndwhenthemoonwasfullandround,thepoorcreature

thought,〃Iwonderifthatisthebucketthat，sletdown,andwhichImusthopinto

ifIwanttogethigher?Oristhesunthebigbucket?Howlargethatis,andhow

bright!Why,itcouldholdallofusatonce!Imustwatchformychance!Whata

brightnessthereisinmyhead!Idon，tbelievethejewelcouldshinemorebrightly.

ButIdon，thavethejewel,andIshallnotcryforit.No;stillhigherinbrightness

andhappiness!Ifeelconfidenceandyetfear.It'sahardsteptotake,butImust

takeit.On,furtherforward!Rightondowntheroad!”

Thenitmovedalonginleaps,asindeedsuchacreaturecan,untilitreachedthe

highwaywherehumanslived.Herewerebothflowergardensandvegetablegardens.

Itstoppedtorestbyacabbagegarden.

〃HowmanydifferentbeingstherearethatI'veneverknownof!Andhowgreatand

blessedtheworldis!Butyoumustkeeplookingaboutyou,insteadofalwayssitting

inthesameplace.z/Andsoithoppedintothecabbagegarden.〃Howgreenitishere!

Howprettyitishere!，z

“ThatIwellknow,saidtheCaterpillaronacabbageleaf.〃Myleafisthelargest

onehere;itcovershalftheworld,andtherestoftheworldIcandowithout!，z

“Cluck!Cluck!z/saidsomebody,andhenscamehoppingintothegarden.

ThefirstHenwasfarsighted;shespiedthewormonthecurlyleafandpeckedat

itsothatitfelltotheground,whereitlaytwistingandturning.TheHenlooked

atitfirstwithoneeyeandthenwiththeother,forshecouldn，tfigureoutwhat

wouldbecomeofthatwriggling.

〃Itisn，tdoingthatofitsownaccord,z/thoughttheHen,andsheraisedherhead

tostrikeagain.WhereupontheToadbecamesofrightenedthatitbumpedrightinto

theHen.

〃Sothatthinghasauxiliarytroopstofightforit!〃shesaid.〃Justlookatthat

vermin!，zThentheHenturnedaway.〃Idon51careaboutthatlittlegreenmouthful;

itwouldonlyticklemythroat!，zTheotherhensagreedwithher,andsoawaythey

went.

〃Igotawayfromherwithmywriggling,，zsaidtheCaterpillar.〃It'sgoodtokeep

yourpresenceofmind,butthehardestjobisahead-togetbackupontomycabbage

leaf.Whereisit?〃

ThenthelittleToadcameforwardtosympathize.Itwashappythatitsownugliness

hadfrightenedawaytheHen.

〃Whatmakesyouthinkthat?”askedtheCaterpillar.〃Iwriggledawayfromhermyself.

You'reindeedveryunpleasanttolookat!Letmegetbacktomyownplace.NowI

cansmellcabbage;I'mnearmyownleaf!There'snothingsobeautifulasone'sown.

ButImustgetuphigher.zz

，zYes,higher!/zsaidthelittleToad."Higherup!ItfeelsjustasIdo,butitisn，t

inagoodhumortoday,becauseofitsfright.Weallwanttogetuphigher!，zAnd

itlookedupashighasitcould.

3

Astorksatinhisnestontheroofofthefarmhouse;heclatteredandthestork

motherclattered.

〃Howhighuptheylive!”thoughttheToad.〃IfonlyIcouldgetupthere!/z

Inthefarmhouselivedtwoyoungstudents;onewasapoet,theotheranaturalist.

TheonesangandwrotewithgladnessofallthatGodhadcreated,asitwasmirrored

inhisheart;hesangofitinshort,clear,andrich,imposingverses.Theother

tookholdofthecreationitself,yes,andtookitapartwhenitneededanalyzing.

HetreatedourLord'sworklikeagreatpieceofarithmetic;subtracted,multiplied,

wantedtoknowitoutsideandinside,andtotalkofitwithintelligence,with

completeunderstanding;andyethetalkedofitwithgladnessandwithwisdom.They

weregood,happypeople,bothofthem.

/zWhy,thereisagoodspecimenofatoad,〃saidtheNaturalist.〃Imusthaveitto

preserveinalcohol!/z

〃Youhavetwoalready,，zsaidthePoet."Letitstaythereinpeaceandenjoyitself.，z

“Butit'ssobeautifullyugly!，zsaidtheother.

〃Ifwecouldfindthejewelinitshead,〃saidthePoet,“thenImyselfwouldgive

youahandatsplittingitopen.，z

“Thejewel!/zsaidtheother.〃Howwellyouknowyournaturalhistory!，z

“Butisn，ttheresomethingverysplendidabouttheoldfolklegendthatthetoad,

theugliestofcreatures,oftenhashiddeninitsheadthemostpreciousofjewels?

Isn'titmuchthesamewithpeople?Wasn?tthereajewellikethathiddeninAesop,

andSocrates,too?”

TheToaddidn'thearanymore,andhadn'tunderstoodhalfofwhatithadheard.The

twofriendswenton,anditescapedbeingpreservedinalcohol.

“Theyweretalkingaboutthatjewel,too,〃saidtheToad.〃It'sgoodthatIdon，t

haveit;otherwiseIwouldhavegotintotrouble.，z

Thentherewasaclatteringonthefarmer*sroof.FatherStorkwasgivingalecture

tohisfamily,andtheywerealllookingdownaskanceatthetwoyoungmeninthe

cabbagegarden.

〃Ahumanbeingisthemostconceitedofcreatures,，zsaidtheStork.

“Hearhowtheygoonjabbering,andyettheycan'tevenmakeasmuchnoiseasarattle!

Theycrowovertheireloquence,theirlanguage!Afinelanguagethatis!Itbecomes

moreunintelligibleeventothemwitheachday'sjourney.Wecanspeakourlanguage

thewholeworldover,inDenmarkorinEgypt.Asforflying,theycan，tdothatat

all.Theycrawlalongbymeansofaninventiontheycallarailway,buttherethey

oftengettheirnecksbroken.IgettheshiversinmybillwhenIthinkofit!The

worldcanexistwithoutpeople.Wecouldwelldowithoutthem.Mayweonlyhavefrogs

andearthworms!〃

〃My,thatwasapowerfulspeech!z/thoughtthelittleToad.〃Whatagreatmanheis,

andhowhighhesitsupthere!Ineversawanyonethathighbefore.Andhowwell

hecanswim!”itexclaimed,forjustthentheStorksoaredoffintotheairon

outstretchedwings.

4

AndthenMotherStorktalkedinthenest.ShetoldaboutthelandofEgyptandthe

wateroftheNile,andofallthewonderfulmudtherewastobefoundinforeign

countries;itsoundedentirelynewandcharmingtothelittleToad.

〃ImustgettoEgypt!z/itsaid.〃IfonlytheStorkwouldtakemealong,orifone

ofitsyoungsterswould.Iwoulddothelittleonesomefavorinturn,onhiswedding

day.Yes,I'11gettoEgypt,becauseI'mlucky!AllthelongingandyearningIfeel

issurelybetterthanhavingajewelinone'shead.，z

Andstillithadthetruejewel!Thateternallonginganddesiretogoupward,ever

upward,wasthejewel,anditshonewithinthelittleToad,shonewithgladness,

shonebrightly.

Atthatverym