中國成語寓言故事81:The Snipe Grapples with the Clam鷸蚌相爭(雙語)
One day, a clam proudly opened its shells to sun itself on the river bank. A snipe passed by the clam and stretched its bill to peck at the clam's flesh.
一天,一只河蚌得意洋洋地張開殼,在河灘上曬太陽。有一只鷸鳥,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. Despite all its efforts, the snipe could not extricate its bill.
這時候,河蚌急忙把殼合上,緊緊地夾住了鷸鳥的詠。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,不能回到河里去了。
Then the clam and the snipe began to quarrel.
河蚌和鷸鳥就爭吵了起來。
The snipe said angrily:
鷸鳥氣呼呼地說:
"If it doesn't rain for one or two days, there will be no water. And you can't return to the river, then surely you will die anyway."
“一天不下雨,兩天不下雨,沒有了水,你回不了河,總是要死的。”
The clam also said angrily:
鷸河蚌也氣呼呼地說:
"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."
“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. At this moment, a fisherman came along the riverside with a fishing net. He was very glad to see the snipe and the clam at a deadlock. Without the least effort, he caught them both, put them into his fish basket and carried them home.
河蚌和鷸鳥誰也不讓誰,爭吵個不停。這時候,有個捕魚的人,提著魚網,沿著河邊走來。看見鷸鳥和河蚌相持不下,他非常高興,毫不費力地把它們兩個一齊捉住,塞進魚簍里,帶回家去了。
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