英语故事The Crocodiles Tail.docx

英语故事The Crocodiles Tail.docx

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英语故事TheCrocodilesTail

英语故事

TheCrocodile’sTail

　　Thecrab，thejackalandthecrocodilehadonethingincommon.Theyateanything，absolutelyanything.Thecrocodileevenatethejackal，whenhecouldcatchhim！

　　Besidesbeingverygreedy，thecrocodilealsohadtheworsttemperofanyoneintheforest.Noonecouldbenastier.Noteventhewart-hog.Noteventhebuffalo.Noteventheelephantwhenhehadnose-bleed.

　　Whenthecrocodileinareallybadmood，hecaughthistailbetweenhisteethandslitheredroundandroundincirclesintheoozymudoftheriverbank.

　　Onthishotandhungry，dryanddustyday，thecrocodilewasintheworstofallpossiblemoods.

　　’Whereiseveryone？

’hegrunted.

　　Hehadbeenlyingbythedrinkingplaceattheedgeoftheriverfortwowholedays.Notasinglecreaturehadcomeoutoftheforesttodrink.Theonlysoundhehadheardwasthehowlingofthejackal.Iftherewasonecreaturewhosevoicethecrocodilehated，itwasthejackal.

　　’Typical！

’snortedthecrocodile.‘Nothoughtforothers！

Mybellyisemptierthanahollowlogandnoonecomestobeeaten.Noteventhatworthlessjackal.Theforestwouldbebetterwithouthim.’

　　Theonlycreatureinsightwasthecrab，whosehardshellprotectedhimfromthecrocodile.Now，thecrabandthecrocodilewerenotexactlyfriends，buttheyrubbedalongtogetherliketwooldporcupines，keepingawatchfuleyeoutforeachother’sbadmoods.Thecrabwasfullofcuriosityandhadavoicelikevinegar.Hedidnotlikethetasteofithimself.Hewalkedsideways，tryingtoedgeintoeverybodyelse’sconversation.

　　’Well！

’snappedthecrocodile.‘Whereiseveryone？

’

　　’Ifyouwanttocatchthem，’saidthecrab，inhistartvoice，‘it’stimeyoulearnttosmile.’

　　’Idosmile，’saidthecrocodile，whopracticedeveryday.

　　’Noonebelievesyou，’saidthecrab.‘That’sthetrouble.’

　　’Whataboutthatbeastlyjackal？

’askedthecrocodile.‘He’susuallydownheretwoorthreetimesaday.’

　　’Themorehestaysawaythebetter，’saidthecrab.‘Hesnuffleslikepigforroots.Haveyouheardhimsnore？

’

　　’IfIgotthatclose，’saidthecrocodile，‘hewouldneversnoreagain，Ipromiseyou.’

　　’Youwouldnoteathim！

’squeakedthecrabinahorrifiedvoice.Thehimselfwouldeatlastweek’sdinneroramonkey’sdustbin，ifhecould，buthelikedtopretendthatheonlyatethebest.

　　’Icouldeataswampsnakerightnow，’saidthecrocodile.‘Myteetharefallingout，I’msohungry.’

　　’Whynotgoandcatchsomething？

’askedthecrab.‘Youarecleverenough，’hesaid，‘mostofthetime.’

　　’It’snogood，’moanedthecrocodile.‘Theyallhide.Nomusthavediedatleastfivedaysbefore.Hewasfeelingquitefullandrathercomfortable.Foronceinhislife，hefeltjustalittlesorryforthecrocodile.Itwasprobablyafoolishthingtofeel.

　　’CanIhelp？

’askedthecrab.

　　’Well，’saidthecrocodile，becomingalittlemorecheerful.‘Nowyoumentionit，youcan.Goandinvitethejackaldownforadrink.Tellhimit’squitesafeandI’llnothurthim.Tellhim.Iknowhemustbeverythirsty.’

　　Thecrabwentsidewaysuptheriverbanktowardsthelineofmangrovetrees.Helookedasifhehadaguiltysecret.Insidetheforestitwascoolandfullofshadows.Sunlightslippedbetweentheleaves.

　　Thejackalwassittingonagianttree-root，eatingthelastofaguineafowlandsnufflinglikeadogatthebottomofadoor.

　　’Thatlooksgood，’saidthecrab.

　　’Thatis，’saidthejackal.

　　’Ibetthatmakesyouthirsty，’saidthecrab.

　　’Thatdoes，’saidthejackal.

　　’Whynotcomewithmetotheriverforaquickdrink？

’saidthecrab.

　　’Thatcrocodile，’saidthejackal.Hewastoobusygnawingthebonesoftheguineafowltosaymorethantwowordsatatime.

　　’Noneedtoworryabouthim，’saidthecrab.‘Hehaseatenoncetoday.Youwillfindhimveryfriendlynow.’

　　’Toofriendly，’saidthejackal.

　　’Hewillbeveryhurtifyoudon’tcome，’saidthecrab.‘Heespeciallywishedtohaveawordwithyou.’

　　’Notlikely，’saidthejackalandturnedhisbackonthecrab.

　　’Verywell，then，’saidthecrab.‘I’llgoandtellhim.’

　　Hesidledoffdowntotheriverbankagain.

　　Assoonashehadgone，thejackaltrottedafterhim，keepingtotheshadows.Hehadbehindalogattheedgeoftheforest，wherehecouldhearwhatthecrabandthecrocodilesaidbutcouldnotbeseenbythem.

　　’Ishecoming？

’askedthecrocodile，openinghisgreatjawswithahungrygrin.

　　’No，’saidthecrab.‘Herefuses.’

　　Thecrocodilesnappedatadragonflyandmissed.

　　’DidyoutellhimIwouldbefriendly？

’heasked.

　　’Ofcourse，’saidthecrab.‘Hedidn’tbelieveme.’

　　’Hewasright，’snortedthecrocodile.‘I’mnotfriendlynow.I’mfurious.Howdareherefuse！

Washethirsty？

’

　　’Histonguelookedasdryasanoldanionskin，’saidthecrab.

　　’Thenwewillplayabettertrickonhim，’saidthecrocodile.‘GoandtellhimI’mdead.’

　　’Hewillnotbelievethateither，’saidthecrab.

　　’Hewillifheisthirstyenough，’snarledthecrocodile.‘I’llliehalf-waybetweentheforestandtheriver.WhenhecomespastmeI’llsnaphimup.Ipromiseyou，I’lllookasdeadasafishfloatingupside-down.’

　　’Thatsoundsverydead，’agreedthecrab，lickinghislipsatthethought.

　　’Getsomeflowers，’saidthecrocodile，‘andspreadthemoverme.Makealotofnoise，asifyoureallythinkthatI’mdead.Doyouunderstand？

’

　　Thecrocodiledraggedhimselfupthebankandlaydownbesidethelogwherethejackalwashiding.Helaydownasdeadasadrunkenmonkey.Thecrabscuttledoffandfoundsomebrilliantorchids.Hescatteredthemoverthecrocodile.

　　’Thecrocodileisdead！

’hewailedinavoicelikesandpaperontheskin.‘Thecrocodileisdead！

’

　　’Idiot！

’whisperedthecrocodilethroughthesideofhismouth.‘Goandfindthejackalandtellhimquickly.Idon’twanttolieherealldaywaitingforhim.’

　　’Iseemtobedoingallthework，’complainedthecrab.‘WhatdoIgetoutofit？

’

　　’Stopgrumblingandgetonwithit，’mutteredthecrocodile.‘Ifwecatchhimyoucanpickmyteethafterwardsforscraps.’

　　’Verykind，’saidthecrabsarcastically.

　　Hewentoffintothemangrovetreestofetchthejackalagain.Meanwhilethejackalhadslippedawayfromhishiding-placebackintotheforest.

　　’Fancythatoldfooltryingatricklikethatonme，’hechuckledtohimself.‘Andtrustthatsneakycrabtodoallthedirtyworkforhim.’

　　Hewaspickinghisearcleanwithhisbacktoenailwhenthecrabfoundhim.

　　’Psst？

’saidthecrab，nudginghimintheside.‘Takeyourfootoutofyourearandlistentome.’

　　’What’sthat？

’saidthejackal.‘Ican’thear.’

　　Thecrabnippedhislegwithapincer.

　　’Ouch！

’yelpedthejackal.‘Thatwasunnecessary.Whatdoyouwant？

’

　　’Thecrocodileisdead，’saidthecrab.

　　’Sincewhen？

’askedthejackal，suspiciously.

　　’Sincejustnow，’saidthecrab.‘He’sasdeadasthatguineafowlyouate.’

　　’Iwanttoseeformyself，’saidthejackal.

　　’Comeon，then，’saidthecrab.

　　Theywalkedbacktotheriverbankandeverynowandthenthejackalstartedlaughingtohimself.

　　’What’sfunny？

’askedthecrab.

　　’Oh，’saidthejackal，‘Iwasjustwonderingifyoufoundithardtowalksidewaysallthetime.’

　　’Nothankyou，’saidthecrabinasharp，stuffyvoice.‘Ithelpsmetoseebackwardsandforwardsatthesametime.’

　　’Veryuseful，’saidthejackal，hidinghissmile.

　　’There，’saidthecrab.‘Thereisthecrocodile.Dead.’

　　’Imustadmit，’saidthejackal，‘thathedoeslooklikeadeadcrocodile.’

　　’Itoldyouso，’saidthecrab.

　　Thejackallookedhardatthecrocodile，whowasdoinghisbesttoholdhisbreathandtokeepvery，verystill.

　　’Areyouquitesurehe’sdead？

’askedthejackal.

　　’OfcourseIam，’saidthecrab.‘Youcanwalkrightpasthimandcomeforadrinkwithoutanyfear.’

　　Thejackalkepthisdistancefromthecrocodileandshoutedoutsuddenly，‘Areyoudead，there，oldmancrocodile？

’

　　Thecrocodileverynearlyopenedhiseyesandansweredbuthemanagedtokeeponlyingstill.

　　’Satisfied？

’askedthecrab.

　　’Well，I’mjustabitpuzzled，’mutteredthejackal.

　　’Whatisitnow？

’askedthecrab，whowasgettingprettyimpatient.

　　’Iwasthinking，’saidthejackal，thatIneverdidseeadeadcrocodilekeepthatstillbefore.’

　　’Isthattrue？

’saidthecrab.

　　’Theydosaythatareallydeadcrocodileisneverabsolutelystill，’saidthejackal.‘Histailgoesonwaggingforanhourortwoafterhedies.Likeachickenthatkeepsonrunning.’

　　’Well，Inever，’saidthecrab.

　　’It’strue，’saidthejackal.

　　Justthen，thecrocodile’stailbegantomove.Justthetipofit.Justalittle.

　　’Idodeclare，youareright，’saidthecrab.

　　’Iknow，’laughedthejackal.‘IdodeclareIam.Ihadyouthen，oldmancrocodile，’helaughed.‘Goodtoseeyoustillalive！

’

　　Andwiththatheranlaughingbackintotheforest.

　　Youcanimaginehowbad-temperedthecrocodilewaswhenhelosthisonlymealoftheweek.Hewasmorebad-temperedthanarhinoceroswithanitch.Eventhecrabfoundittoomuchtobear.Hewenttofindsomewhereelsetoliveandleftthecrocodiletosulkbyhimselfinthemangroveswamp.