(原版)澳大利亞語文第五冊(cè) LESSON 28

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LESSON 28 ASK THE RABBIT

ASK THE RABBIT

Ⅰ

THERE was once a silly donkey who went one day strolling down the road, chewing a bit of thistle and feeling as fine as a June morning.

Presently he came to a trap where a lion had been caught, and was roaring so loudly that the donkey stopped in amazement. Indeed, it was remarkable that the villagers had not heard the commotion ［1］ long before, and had not come out and killed him; but perhaps the wind was the other way. Silly stood looking at the lion for some time, and, finding that he was securely trapped, began to question the royal brute, saying:

PRESENTLY HE CAME TO A TRAP.

What are you doing in there, Lion?

Let me out! roared the other. "Let me out at once, you miserable slave!"

Oh, yes! sneered ［2］ Silly—who had not very good manners. "Let you out and then get eaten for my trouble! I think not. I am not so foolish as that, thank you"; and he laughed with pleasure, "Hee-ee-augh!" for he considered himself a very fine fellow indeed.

The lion saw that this wouldn't do, so he changed his tone, and began to beg and flatter instead of threatening.

Donkey, he said in his most winning voice, "you certainly are a very handsome and clever chap. And I wish you would kindly push up that wretched bar which holds the door shut, and then I can get out. Will you do that, you kind and wise donkey?"

You can't hoodwink ［3］ me, was the reply.

I don't want to be eaten.

Eaten! cried the lion in the most injured tone he could manage. "What ever put that thought into your head, I wonder. How could you imagine ［4］ such a thing? I do not eat my friends, Never!" And he looked as mild as milk, the deceitful ［5］ old rascal!

Naturally enough Silly was pleased at being called the lion's friend, and, donkey-like, he raised the bar which held the door, while the lion pushed from the inside, and in a moment he was free. And the very first thing he did was to knock down poor Silly and prepare to make a meal of him.

Oh, oh, oh! cried the wretched donkey. "What are you doing?"

I am very hungry indeed, replied the lion. "Don't interrupt me."

But you promised solemnly not to eat me, pleaded Silly.

Pooh, pooh! the wicked lion answered. "I don't remember saying anything of the sort. Of course I am going to eat you."

The poor donkey gave himself up for lost, and began to bemoan ［6］ his fate. "I think it very unfair," he whimpered ［7］ .

What! roared his captor. "Do you dare to say that I am unfair? Now you deserve to die, and I shall eat you without the least hesitation"; and he lashed his sides with his wicked tail and growled horribly.

Well, whined the miserable donkey, "all I can say is that it is unfair, and any one I might ask to be a judge would say the same."

The lion, greatly enraged at this was about to begin his dinner at once, when a sudden thought came into his evil old head. "If he can get some one else into this business to be a judge ," he reflected ［8］ , "what is to prevent me from having the judge himself for breakfast to-morrow? That's a fine idea!"

So, to Silly's astonishment, the lion, who had been holding his prey tightly,——and it hurt, too,—removed his paws and allowed him to get up. Then the wicked old brute addressed him. "Donkey," he said, "you have remarked that any judge would say that I was unfair. Now we will find a judge and see about it, and I only hope that, when he hears the case, it will not be the worse for you, sir."

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［1 ］ commotion: Fuss, hubbub, noise.

［2 ］ sneered: Said with scorn.

［3 ］ hoodwink: Deceive, treat as if blind, impose on.

［4 ］ imagine: Think, fancy.

［5 ］ deceitful: False, unable to be believed.

［6 ］ bemoan: Whine about, complain miserably.

［7 ］ whimpered: Said with tears.

［8 ］ reflected: Thought over, considered.