讀點好英文:The Frogs and Their King 青蛙和它們的國王

The Frogs and Their King 青蛙和它們的國王

Once upon a time the frogs decided to ask Jupiter, the king of the gods, for a King of their own. Jupiter was amused.

“Here you are，”he said, throwing a log of wood with a splash into the lake where they lived.“Here is a king for you.”

The frogs dived under the water in fright, burrowing as deep into the mud as they could. After a time, one of the braver ones swam cautiously to the surface to take a look at the new King.

“He looks very quiet，”said the frog.“Perhaps he is asleep.”

The log stayed quite still on the smooth lake and one by one more frogs came up to take a look. They swam closer and closer until at last they leaped right on top of it, quite forgetting that they had been frightened.Young frogs began to use it as a diving board；old frogs sat sunning themselves on it；mother Frogs taught their tadpoles their first, wobbIy jumps on its bark.

One day an old frog said：“This is a dull kind of a King, you know. I thought we wanted someone to keep us in order.This one just lies around and lets us do what we please.”

So the frogs went once more to Jupiter.

“Can't you give us a better King?”they asked.“Someone who will be a bit more active than the one you sent before?”

Jupiter was not in a good mood.

“Silly little animals，”he thought.“I shall give them just what they deserve this time.”

He sent a long-legged stork to the lake.

The frogs were very impressed and crowded admiringly round. But before they could even begin the speeches of welcome they had prepared, the stork stuck his long beak into the water and began to gobble up as many frogs as he could see.

“That's not what we meant at all，”gasped the frogs as they dived once more into the mud. But this time Jupiter would not listen.

“I only gave you what you asked for，”he said.“Perhaps it will teach you not to complain about things so much.”

從前，青蛙們決定向眾神之王丘比特請求，請求給它們分派一個國王。丘比特覺得很可笑。

“給，”他說著向青蛙們生活的湖里拋下一根圓木，“這就是你們的國王。”

青蛙們驚恐地潛到水里，盡量往泥土深處藏。過了一會兒，一只勇敢的青蛙小心翼翼地游到水面，來一睹它們這位新國王的真面目。

“它看起來很安靜，”這只青蛙說，“可能是睡著了吧?！?/p>

圓木靜靜地浮在平靜的湖面上。青蛙們紛紛出來看它們的國王。它們越游越近，最后竟跳到圓木上了，完全忘記了它們最初的驚恐。小青蛙用它來做跳板；老青蛙坐在上面曬太陽；青蛙媽媽在樹皮上教小蝌蚪們最基本的搖擺式跳躍的動作。

有一天，一只老青蛙說：“這個國王太遲鈍了，我想，我們需要的是一個能讓我們守秩序的國王。這個國王只是躺在那兒，任由我們隨意活動?！?/p>

于是，青蛙們又去找丘比特。

“您能給我們派一個更好的國王嗎？”它們問，“派一個比先前那個活躍點兒的國王?！?/p>

丘比特情緒很不好。

“愚蠢的小動物，”他心想，“這回我要把它們應(yīng)得的給它們?！?/p>

他派了一只長腳鸛到湖里去。

青蛙們極為感動，它們欽佩地圍攏過來。可是，還沒等它們致那準備好了的歡迎辭，鸛就把它的長嘴伸進了水，看見青蛙就大口地吞食。

“這根本不是我們的本意，”青蛙們喘著氣，又鉆到泥土里去了?？墒沁@一次，丘比特不再理會它們了。

“我只是給了你們所要求的，”他說，“也許這會給你們一個教訓(xùn)，不要抱怨太多。”