中國寓言故事雙語版 第114期:蛤蟆夜哭

In the past, there was a man named Ai Zi who was fond of sailing on the sea.

從前，有個叫艾子的人，喜歡在海上航行。

One night, Ai Zi had his boat moored near a small island Around midnight, he seemed to hear someone weeping or talking under the water.

一天晚上，船停泊在一個小島的附近。大約半夜時分，他彷彿聽到水底下有人發出哭泣的聲音，又好像有人在說話。

So he listened intently, and soon he heard someone say:

於是，他認認真真地聽了下去。一會兒，他聽到有人說:

“Yesterday the Dragon King issued an order that all living creatures with tails in water are to be beheaded.

.“昨天龍王下了命令，水中的動物，凡是有尾巴的都必須斬首。

I am an alligator and have a tail. I am very frightened of being slaughtered, so I am crying.

我是矍，有尾巴，非常害怕遭到殺戮，所以哭了起來。

You are a toad and don’t have a tail. What are you weeping for?”

你是蛤蟆，又沒有尾巴，哭什麼呀?”

After a while, Ai Zi seemed to hear someone answer:

一會兒，他彷彿又聽到有人回答說:

“Though I have no tail now, I am afraid that I may be traced back to the time when I was a tadpole with a tail then, so I am weeping.”

“我現在雖然沒有尾巴，但是我害怕會追究到我蟒螞年代的事情上去，因爲那時候我是有尾巴的，所以哭泣。”