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伊索寓言:籠中鳥與蝙蝠 The Caged Bird and the Bat |
A singing bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a window, and had a habit of singing at night when all other birds were asleep. One night a bat came and grabbed the bars of the cage, and asked the bird why she was silent by day and sang only at night. "I have a very good reason for doing so," said the bird. "It was once when I was singing in the daytime that a hunter was attracted by my voice, and set his nets for me and caught me. Since then I have never sung except by night." But the bat replied, "It is no use doing that now, when you are a prisoner. If only you had done so before you were caught, you might still be free." 掛在窗外的鳥籠裡關著一隻會歌唱的鳥兒,她總在夜裡其他鳥兒入睡後唱歌。有一晚,一隻蝙蝠飛來攀在鳥籠的鐵條邊,詢問鳥兒為何白天安靜,只在夜裡歌唱。 「我會這麼做當然是有很好的理由,」鳥兒說:「這是因為我以前在白天唱歌時,一名獵人被我的歌聲吸引,撒網把我給捉住了,從那時候起我就只在夜裡唱歌了。」 但是蝙蝠卻回答:「你現在已經是籠中鳥,這麼做一點用也沒有了,要是你在被捕到之前就這麼做的話,說不定你至今仍逍遙自在呢。」 事情發生後才開始警覺提防也是徒然。 |
──────選自《FUN學伊索寓言:英語閱讀聽力訓練》 |