Why Rabbit Has Crooked1 Back Legs为什么兔子后腿是弯曲的

杨舟

Once upon a time， a long time ago， there lived arabbit with four long legs. Rabbit was a beautifulcreature2. Everyone said so. But the truth was， althoughRabbit might be beautiful on the outside， he was not sobeautiful on the inside. He was a very lazy creature. Hedid not do his share at collecting food or taking care ofthe forest.

One sunny day， Rabbit went in search of acomfortable place to laze3. It was such a perfect day.Rabbit looked at the sunlight sparkling4 off the water inthe river.“How cool that looks，”Rabbit said to himself.He jumped in. Soon， his legs got tired of pushing himalong and keeping him afloat5. Rabbit wiggled6 hisnose.“This is too much trouble，”he sighed7.

Rabbit kicked back to land and looked around. Helooked up at the trees. The leaves were shaking in thewarm breeze8. It was a beautiful sound， a bit noisy butpeaceful all the same. “Yes，”Rabbit nodded to himself.“Thats what I need.”He easily climbed up the tree. Thebranches9 were low which helped as they were heavy withfruit. Rabbit sighed happily. This was perfect. There wasfood to eat simply by reaching out his hand. Except for themonkeys， who were busily picking fruit to take home totheir families， no one could see him. He was hidden in therustling10 leaves. So no one would bother11 him.

The leaves rustled ever moreloudly. They seemed to be trying totell him something， but Rabbit wastoo lazy to listen. Instead， he lookedup at the sky through the rustling leaves above himand sighed happily.

When the breeze picked up and became a strong wind，the monkeys began to swing by on their way home. Eachmonkey had one arm full of fruit and one arm free to swing from branch to branch.As each monkey passed him， each suggested， “Rabbit， move to a stronger treebranch. That branch is too weak to hold you when the wind is blowing.”

“Later， perhaps，”Rabbit yawned12.

Suddenly， there was a gust13 of very strong wind. It cracked14 the branch onwhich Rabbit was resting in two pieces. One piece stayed on the tree. The otherpiece， the piece holding Rabbit， fell to the ground， carrying Rabbit with it. The fallwas a bad one. Rabbits two back legs were broken.

Two kind monkeys dropped to his side. “We need to bring this fruit to ourfamilies， but we can each offer you one arm. You can hobble15 between us until wereach the doctor. The doctor will set your legs so that they heal16 correctly.”

“Thats very kind of you.”Rabbit smiled. “Maybe tomorrow. Not today. Itdoesnt hurt that much， really. And besides，”Rabbit yawned，“itspeaceful here， under the trees.”

Rabbit lazed at the bottom of the trees for nearly a week. The monkeys， themoles17， and even the ants18 brought him food to eat as they scurried19 past doingwhatever monkeys and moles and ants do. The food left by the ants was not veryhelpful actually， but still， it was very kind of them to offer. Even the rain helped tokeep him comfortable. It rained just enough to fill Rabbits mouth now and thenwith cool clean water so that he was not thirsty. Rabbit was quite satisfied.

But， when two days went by without rain， Rabbit sighed heavily. The fruit hehad been eating provided some moisture20， but he began to want a long， cool drinkof water. Rabbit stretched21 and moved to stand up. His eyes widened in surprise.His legs would not straighten22. His legs had healed， but they had healed in acrooked way.

“God of the tree，”Rabbit cried.“I need your help！ ”

“I cannot help you，”the Tree God whispered23， sounding like the wind.“Youhave done this to yourself.”

There was no talking to the god of the tree. Rabbit knew that the god of the treenever changed his mind. Besides， he knew he deserved24 his punishment. He hadbeen too lazy.

But the tree god was not finished. “Because of you， all rabbits everywhere willbe born with bent back legs. From now on and for all time， each rabbit must do hispart for his family and for the forests. Any rabbit who does not will starve25. Thatincludes you， Rabbit. The bent back legs will remind you to stay busy.”

With a gulp26， Rabbit nodded. “I will get to work right away.”And so he did.Rabbit put away his lazy ways. He became very quick. He hopped27 very fast. Henever waited. If he had something to do， he did it right away.

Rabbit stayed very busy for many weeks， but he was lonely. Other rabbitsthought he was ridiculous28. Most had not yet discovered that their own childrenwould be born with crooked back legs， just like Rabbit， and they were not as kindas other animals in the forest， animals like the monkeys and the moles and the ants，who still smiled at Rabbit as they scurried about doing whatever monkeys and molesand ants do to stay busy.

Time passed. One day， Rabbit hopped by the home of the Tree God. At the footof the tree， he found a beautiful rabbit collecting fruit that had fallen from the tree.She smiled gently at Rabbit. He stopped and helped her collect food. In the way ofrabbits， it was not long before she happily agreed to become his wife. “Thank you，Tree God，”Rabbit whispered as they hopped away， together.

Rabbit and his wife had many children. Just like all the other rabbit childrenall over the world， Rabbits children and their children and their childrenschildren were all born with crooked back legs.“Ifyou have something to do，”Rabbit would tell hischildren， “do it now， or the Tree God might bendyour front legs too， and then where would you be？”

All the little rabbits shivered29 at thehorrible30 thought of it， then ran off to collect foodfor the family， just as they did every day.

很久很久以前，曾經有一只长着四条长腿的兔子。兔子是一只美丽的动物。每个人都这么说。但事实是，虽然兔子的外表很美丽，但他的内在却不那么漂亮。他非常懒惰。他在收集食物或照看森林方面没有尽到自己的责任。

一个阳光明媚的日子，兔子去寻找一个舒适的地方消磨时光。这是如此完美的一天。兔子看着波光粼粼的河水。“看起来真酷。”兔子自言自语道。他跳进了水里。很快，他就厌倦了蹬腿前进和保持漂浮。兔子扭动着鼻子。“这太麻烦了。”他叹了口气说。

兔子跳回了地面，四处张望。他抬头看着树。树叶在暖风中簌簌摇动。

这是一种美妙的声音，有点吵，但依旧宁静。“是的。”兔子对自己点点头，“这就是我需要的。”他轻松地爬上了树。低矮的树枝帮上了忙，因为树枝上结满了沉甸甸的果实。兔子快乐地舒了口气。这太完美了。只要伸出他的手，就可以吃到食物。除了正忙着摘水果带回家给家人的猴子们，没有谁能看见他。他藏在沙沙作响的树叶里，所以没有人会打扰他。

树叶的沙沙声更响了。它们似乎想告诉他什么，但兔子懒得听。相反，他透过头顶沙沙作响的树叶仰望天空，快乐地舒了口气。

当微风吹起，变成强风时，猴子们开始在回家的路上荡来荡去。每只猴子用一只胳膊抱满水果，一只胳膊腾出来在树枝间摇摆。每只猴子从他身边经过时，都建议说：“兔子，挪到一根更粗壮的树枝上吧。那根树枝太脆弱了，刮风的时候，无法支撑住你。”

“稍后再说，也许吧。”兔子打了个哈欠。

突然，一阵强风袭来。它把兔子休息的那根树枝刮断成了两截。一截留在树上。另一截，也就是承载着兔子的那截，连带着兔子掉到了地上。这一摔摔得很惨。兔子的两条后腿摔断了。

两只善良的猴子落到他的身边。“我们需要把这些水果带给我们的家人，但我们每个人都可以伸一只胳膊扶你一把。你可以在我们之间蹒跚而行，直到我们联系到医生。医生会把你的腿接好，让它们正确地愈合。”

“你们真是太好了。”兔子笑了，“也许明天吧。今天不行。真的没那么疼。而且，”兔子打了个哈欠，“这里很安静，就在树底下。”

兔子在树底下懒散地待了将近一个星期。猴子、鼹鼠，甚至蚂蚁在匆忙路过做着各自的事情时都带来了食物给他吃。蚂蚁留下的食物实际上并没有什么帮助，但是他们提供帮助是好意。就连下雨也让他感到舒适。雨下得刚好，时不时有凉爽干净的水灌进兔子的嘴里，这样他就不渴了。兔子很满足。

但是，当有两天没下雨时，兔子就长吁短叹。他一直在吃的水果提供了一些水分，但他开始想要大口地喝清凉的水。兔子伸了伸懒腰，站了起来。他惊讶地睁大了眼睛。他的腿无法伸直。他的腿已经痊愈了，但却是以弯曲的方式痊愈的。

“树神啊。”兔子喊道，“我需要你的帮助！”

“我帮不了你。”树神低声说道，声音像风一样。“这是你咎由自取。”

兔子没有和树神说话。兔子知道树神从未改变过他的想法。此外，他知道自己罪有应得。他一直以来太懒了。

但树神并没有说完。“因为你，所有的兔子出生时都会有弯曲的后腿。从今往后，每只兔子都必须为自己的家庭和森林尽自己的一份力量。任何不这样做的兔子都会挨饿。这包括你，兔子。弯曲的后腿会提醒你们保持忙碌。”

兔子倒吸一口气，点点头。“我马上就去工作。”他确实这么做了。兔子收起了他的懒惰。他变得很麻利。他跳得很快。他从不等待。如果有什么事要做，他马上就做了。

兔子忙了好几个星期，但他很孤独。其他兔子觉得他很可笑。大多数兔子还没有发现，他们自己的孩子出生时会有弯曲的后腿，就像这位兔子一样。他们不像森林里的其他动物，比如猴子、鼹鼠和蚂蚁那样善良。当其他动物们匆忙做各自的事情时，他们仍然会对兔子微笑。

时间飞逝。一天，兔子跳到树神的家旁边。在树脚下，他发现一只美丽的兔子正在收集从树上掉下来的水果。她对兔子温柔地笑了笑。他停下来帮她收集食物。没过多久，她就以兔子的方式高兴地同意成为他的妻子。“谢谢你，树神。”他们一起跳走时，兔子小声说。

兔子和他的妻子有很多孩子。就像世界上所有其他兔子的孩子一样，兔子的子子孙孙生来就有弯曲的后腿。“如果你有什么事要做，”兔子会告诉他的孩子们，“现在就做，否则树神可能把你的前腿也弄弯，然后你可能会怎么样？”

想到那样可怕的事，所有的小兔子都不寒而栗，然后就像他们每天所做的一样，跑去给家人收集食物。

Notes

1. crooked. 弯曲的

2. creature. 生物；动物

3. laze . 偷懒；消磨时光；混日子

4. sparkle . 闪烁；闪耀

5. afloat  漂浮的

6. wiggle 使……扭动；摆动

7. sigh   叹气；叹息

8. breeze   微风；和风

9. branch  树枝；分枝

10. rustle  使……沙沙作响

11. bother  使……烦恼；使……担心

12. yawn. 打哈欠

13. gust . 一阵强风

14. crack. 破裂；裂开

15. hobble 蹒跚；跛行

16. heal  痊愈；康复

17. mole   鼹鼠

18. ant . 蚂蚁

19. scurry . 急赶

20. moisture . 潮气；水分

21. stretch . 伸出；伸长……胳膊或腿

22. straighten  使……变直

23. whisper 耳语；低语；小声说

24. deserve  值得；应受

25. starve. 使……挨饿；饿死

26. gulp. 因害怕或惊讶而倒吸气

27. hop. 齐足、或双足；跳行

28. ridiculous . 可笑的；荒谬的

29. shiver 因寒冷或害怕而颤抖

30. horrible . 可怕的；令人恐惧的