中國寓言故事雙語版 第81期:鷸蚌相爭
One day, a clam proudly opened its shells to sun itself on the river bank.
一天，一隻河蚌得意洋洋地張開殼，在河灘上曬太陽。
A snipe passed by the clam and stretched its bill to peck at the clam's flesh.
有一隻鷸鳥，從河蚌身邊走過，就伸出嚎去啄河蚌的肉。
The clam hurriedly closed its shells and tightly grasped the snipe's bill between them.
這時候，河蚌急忙把殼合上，緊緊地夾住了鷸鳥的詠。
Despite all its efforts, the snipe could not extricate its bill.
鷸鳥用盡力氣，也拔不出它的嚎來。
The clam could not get itself free to return to the river either.
河蚌也脫不了身，不能回到河裏去了。
Then the clam and the snipe began to quarrel.
河蚌和鷸鳥就爭吵了起來。
The snipe said angrily: "If it doesn't rain for one or two days, there will be no water.
鷸鳥氣呼呼地說:“一天不下雨，兩天不下雨，沒有了水。
And you can't return to the river, then surely you will die anyway."
你回不了河，總是要死的。”
The clam also said angrily: "If I don't let go of you for one or two days, you won't be able to pull out your bill. Don't hope that you can live."
鷸河蚌也氣呼呼地說:“一天不放你，兩天不放你，你的詠拔不出來，也別想活。”
Neither the clam nor the snipe would give in, and they kept on grappling.
河蚌和鷸鳥誰也不讓誰，爭吵個不停。
At this moment, a fisherman came along the riverside with a fishing net.
這時候，有個捕魚的人，提着魚網，沿着河邊走來。
He was very glad to see the snipe and the clam at a deadlock.
看見鷸鳥和河蚌相持不下，他非常高興。
Without the least effort, he caught them both, put them into his fish basket and carried them home.
毫不費力地把它們兩個一齊捉住，塞進魚簍裏，帶回家去了。
