At the edge of a foreststood a big tree. Its branches spread out majestically and so did its roots. It shielded people from the sun, and provided shelter to countless birds and other small creatures in its branches. It buzzed1) with activity all the time.
在一片树林的边缘，矗立着一棵大树。它枝繁叶茂，盘根错节。大树为人们遮挡阳光，为枝杈上不计其数的鸟儿和小动物们遮风避雨。它那里从早到晚都很热闹。
At the foot of the tree grew a little plant. The plant was willowy2) and delicate, and tended to keel over at the touch of the slightest breeze.
大树的脚下长着一棵小树苗，它枝条柔软纤弱，似乎被微风轻轻一吹便会倒下。
One day, the two neighbors were having a little chat.
一天，这两个邻居闲聊开来。
"Well, little one," said the tree to the plant, "Why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground, and raise your head boldly in the air as I do?"
“哎，小家伙！”大树对小树苗说，“你为什么不像我一样把脚深深地扎入地下，大胆地把头昂向天空呢？”
"I see no need to do so," whispered the plant with a smile. "Actually, I think I may be safer this way."
“我觉得没有必要这样做，”小树苗微笑着低声说，“其实，我觉得我这样会更安全些。”
"Safer!" sneered3) the tree. "Are you suggesting that you're safer than I am? Do you know how deep my roots are buried, how thick and strong my trunk is? Even if two men hold hands they would not be able to surround my trunk. Who could possibly pluck4) me by the roots or bow my head to the ground?" And the tree turned away5) from the plant in a great huff6).
“更安全！”大树冷嘲热讽起来，“你是说你比我更安全吗？你知道我的根扎得有多深，我的树干有多么粗壮吗？即使两个人手拉着手，都不能环抱住我的树干。有谁能将我连根拔起，或是把我推倒在地呢？”说着，大树怒气冲冲，扭转脸去，不再搭理小树苗。
But the tree was to regret its words very soon. One evening a great hurricane7) arose in the region. It hurled8) the trees off their roots and almost completely destroyed the forest. It uprooted the big tree and threw it away with great force.
但是，很快大树就会后悔自己说了这番话。一天晚上，强烈的飓风侵袭了这片地区。狂风将一棵棵树连根拔起，整片树林几乎被摧毁殆尽。那棵大树也被连根拔起，被狂风卷向远方。
When the storm had passed, the villagers living nearby surveyed the damage. Mighty trees that had once almost touched the sky were now reduced to stumps9) or worse. The forest was littered10) with their carcasses11).
风暴过后，附近的村民查看了损失情况。曾经的参天大树如今只剩下树桩，有的甚至连树桩都荡然无存。整片树林遍地残枝败叶，一片狼藉。
But there was one exception: the little plant. The plant had been tossed and turned under the fury of the hurricane, and bent completely. But when the hurricane ended, it sighed and stood upright again.
但是，有一个例外：那棵小树苗。它也经历了飓风的狂暴，整个枝干完全被折弯。但飓风过后，它长叹了口气，又重新挺立起来。
No trace remained of its mighty neighbor though.
而小树苗那高大的邻居却已是了无踪影。
1．buzz [bʌz] vi. (常用进行时态)充满低沉嘈杂的(谈话、活动)声音(with)
2．willowy [ˈwɪləʊi] adj. 柔韧的，易弯曲的
3．sneer [snɪə(r)] vi. 嗤笑，嘲笑
4．pluck [plʌk] vt. 拔；摘，采
5．turn away: (使)转变方向；把(脸等)转过去；转过脸去，不看
6．huff [hʌf] n. (一阵)发恼，愤怒
7．hurricane [ˈhʌrɪkeɪn] n. 【气】飓风
8．hurl [hɜː(r)l] vt. 猛投；力掷
9．stump [stʌmp] n. 树墩，树桩；(无枝叶的)残株，残干
10. litter [ˈlɪtə(r)] vt. [常用于被动语态] 使充满(with)
11. carcass [ˈkɑː(r)kəs] n. (鸟、兽的)尸体；(宰后去脏去头的)畜