The Hare and the Tortoise

Once upon a time,in a beautiful green forest,there lived a Harewho was very,very fast.He was the fastest animal in the entire forest,and he never let anyone forget it.He would zip past the other animals like a flash of lightning,his long ears streaming behind him,his powerful legs kicking up clouds of dust."Look at me!" he would shout as he raced by."I am the fastest!I am the greatest!No one can beat me!"

从前，在一片美丽的绿色森林里，住着一只跑得非常非常快的兔子。他是整个森林里最快的动物，而且他从来不让人忘记这一点。他像一道闪电一样从别的动物身边飞掠而过，两只长耳朵在脑后飘着，有力的双腿扬起阵阵尘土。"看看我！"他一边飞奔一边喊，"我是最快的！我是最棒的！没人能赢得了我！"

All the other animals were tired of the Hare's boasting.The Squirrel was tired of it.The Fox was tired of it.Even the slow old Badger,who rarely said anything at all,was tired of it.They would roll their eyes whenever the Hare started talking about himself."Here we go again," the Fox would mutter under his breath.

所有别的动物都受够了兔子的自吹自擂。松鼠受够了，狐狸受够了，连话少得几乎不开口的慢性子老獾也受够了。每次兔子一开始夸夸其谈，他们就会翻白眼。"又来了。"狐狸会低声嘟囔。

One sunny morning,the Hare was bragging louder than ever.He stood on a tree stump in the middle of the forest clearing,beating his chest."I challenge anyone in this forest to a race!" he declared."Anyone at all!The Fox?The Deer?The Wolf?It doesn't matterwho you are.I will beat every single one of you.I am the undisputed champion of the forest!"

一个阳光灿烂的早晨，兔子吹牛吹得比平时更响了。他站在森林空地中央的一个树桩上，拍着胸脯。"我向这森林里的任何一个人挑战赛跑！"他宣布道，"谁都行！狐狸？鹿？狼？不管你是谁，我会打败你们每一个人。我是这森林里无可争议的冠军！"

The animals looked at each other nervously.Nobody wanted to race the Hare.They all knewhow fast he was.An uncomfortable silence fell over the clearing.The Fox studied his paws.The Deer examined the leaves on a tree.The Wolf suddenly found a passing cloud very interesting.

动物们紧张地你看看我，我看看你。谁也不想跟兔子比赛。大家都知道他有多快。空地上弥漫着令人不自在的沉默。狐狸低头研究起自己的爪子，鹿端详起树上的叶子，狼突然对天上飘过的一朵云产生了浓厚的兴趣。

But then,from the back of the crowd,a quiet voice spoke up."I will race you."

可是就在这时候，从人群后面传来一个轻轻的声音。"我跟你比。"

Everyone turned around.It was the Tortoise.She stepped slowly forward,her shell polishedand shining,her head held high.She moved one slow,deliberate step at a time,but her eyes were steadyand determined.

大家都转过身去。是乌龟。她慢慢地走上前来，身上的壳擦得亮亮的，头抬得高高的。她一步一步走得又慢又稳，但眼神沉着而坚定。

The Hare stared at the Tortoise.Then he burst out laughing.He laughed so hardthat he fell off his stump.He laughed so hardthat tears rolled down his furry cheeks.He laughed so hardthat his belly hurt."You?" he gasped,wiping his eyes."You want to race ME?Oh,that is the funniest thing I have ever heard!You are the slowest creature in the entire forest!You move so slowlythat moss grows on your shell!This is going to be the easiest race of my entire life!"

兔子盯着乌龟看了看，然后一下子大笑了起来。他笑得从树桩上摔了下来，笑得眼泪顺着毛茸茸的脸颊往下淌，笑得肚子都疼了。"你？"他喘着气擦了擦眼睛，"你要跟我比赛？哦，这是我听过的最好笑的笑话了！你是整个森林里最慢的家伙！你走得那么慢，龟壳上都要长青苔了！这简直会是我这辈子最轻松的一场比赛！"

"I may be slow," said the Tortoise calmly,not at all bothered by the Hare's laughter,"but I am steady.And I believethat steady effort can win any race."

"我也许很慢，"乌龟平静地说，一点也没有被兔子的嘲笑所困扰，"但我走得稳。我相信，踏踏实实的努力，什么比赛都能赢。"