The Frogs and Their King青蛙和他们的国王

孙志美

Once upon a time， the Frogs decided to ask Jupiter， the king of the gods， for a King of their own. Jupiter was amused.

“Here you are，” he said， throwing a log of wood with a splash into the lake where they lived. “Here is a king for you.”

The Frogs dived under the water in fright， burrowing as deep into the mud as they could. After a time one of the braver ones swam cautiously to the surface to take a look at the new King.

“He looks very quiet.” said the Frog.“Perhaps he is asleep.”

The log stayed quite still on the smooth lake and one by one more Frogs came up to take a look.

They swam closer and closer until at last they leaped right on top of it， quite forgetting that they had been frightened.

Young Frogs began to use it as a diving board； old Frogs sat sunning themselves on it； mother Frogs taught their tadpoles their first， wobbly jumps on its bark.

One day an old Frog said： “This is a dull king of a King， you know. I thought we wanted someone to keep us in order. This one just lies around and lets us do what we please.”

So the Frogs went once more to Jupiter.

“Cant you give us a better King？” they asked. “Someone who will be a bit more active than the one you sent before？”

Jupiter was not in a good mood.

“Silly little animals，”he thought. “I shall give them just what they deserve this time.”

He sent a long-legged stork to the lake.

The Frogs were very impressed and crowded admiringly round.

But before they could even begin the speeches of welcome they had prepared， the stork stuck his long beak into the water and began to gobble up as many Frogs as he could see.

“Thats not what we meant at all，” gasped the Frogs as they dived once more into the mud. But this time Jupiter would not listen.

“I only gave you what you asked for，” he said， “Perhaps it will teach you not to complain about things so much.”

从前，青蛙们向众神之王丘比特请求，给他们分派一个国王。丘比特觉得很可笑。

“给你们，”他说着向青蛙们生活的湖里扑通一声抛下一根圆木。“这就是你们的国王。”

青蛙们惊恐地潜到水里，尽量往泥土深处藏。过了一会儿，一只勇敢的青蛙小心翼翼地游到水面，来看看他们的新国王。

“他看起来很安静，”这只青蛙说，“可能是睡着了吧。”

圆木静静地浮在平静的湖面上。青蛙们纷纷来看一看他们的新国王。

他们越游越近，最后竟跳到圆木上，完全忘记了他们最初的恐惧。

小青蛙们用它来作跳板；老青蛙坐在上面晒太阳；青蛙妈妈在树皮上教小蝌蚪们最基本的摇摆式跳跃的动作。

有一天，一只老青蛙说：“这个国王太迟钝了，我想，我们需要的是一个使我们守秩序的国王。这个国王只是躺在那儿，任由我们随意活动。”

于是，青蛙们又去找丘比特。

“您不能给我们派一个更好的国王吗？”他们问，“派一个比先前您派去的那个更活跃的国王？”

丘比特情绪不好。

“愚蠢的小动物，”他心想，“这回我要把他们应得的给他们。”

他派了一只长脚鹤到湖里去。

青蛙对鹤的印象极为深刻，他们满怀崇敬地围拢过来。

可是，还没等他们致准备好了的欢迎词，鹤就把他的长嘴伸进水里了，看见青蛙就大口地吞食。

“这根本不是我们的本意，”青蛙们喘着气，又钻进了泥土里。可是，这一次，丘比特不再理会他们了。

“我只是给了你们所要求的，”他说，“也许这会给你们一个教训，不要抱怨太多。”