13.青蛙求王记, The Frogs Desiring a King (qīng wā qiú wáng jì)

yī qún qīng wā zài cháo shī de zhǎo zé dìlǐ kuài lè bìng zì yóu de shēng huó zhe，

一群青蛙在潮湿的沼泽地里快乐并自由的生活着，

tā men rèn yì de xī shuǐ 、 yóu xì ，jì bù yòng guǎn bié rén ， yě méi yǒu rén lái gān shè tā men 。 

它们任意地嬉水、游戏，既不用管别人，也没有人来干涉它们。

kě shì ， yǒu xiē qīng wā rèn wéi zhè zhǒng shēng huó fāng shì bù duì ，

tā men yìng gāi yǒu yī gè wáng hé yī tào kě xíng de xiàn fǎ 。

它们应该有一个王和一套可行的宪法。

yú shì ， wā qún jué dìng xiàng tā men de zhū bì tè shén tí chū yāo qiú 。

于是，蛙群决定向它们的朱庇特神提出要求。

tā men shuō: “ zhì gāo de zhū bì tè shén  yɑ ,qiú nǐ gěi wǒ men yī gè jūn wáng lái tǒng zhì hé zhì lǐ wǒ men bā !” 。

它们说，“至高的朱庇特神呀，求你给我们一个君王来统治和治理我们吧！”。

zhū bì tè shén xiào huà tā men de yào qiú ，

朱庇特神笑话它们的要求，

jiāng yī kuài ér dà mù tóu rēng jìn zhǎo zé lǐ ，

将一块儿大木头扔进沼泽里，

shuǐ miàn jiàn qǐ le jù dà de làng huā 。

水面溅起了巨大的浪花。

wā qún bèi tū rú qí lái de  hùn luàn xià huài  le ，

蛙群被突如其来的混乱吓坏了，

fēn fēn tiào dào àn shàng guān kàn zhè jù dà yòu kě pà de guài wù 。

纷纷跳到岸上观看这巨大又可怕的怪物。

dàn shì ， guò liǎo yī huì ér ， kàn jiàn guài wù méi yǒu dòng jìng ，

yǒu yī 、 liǎng zhī dǎn zǐ dà de qīng wā jiù guò qù kào jìn mù tóu chá kàn jīu jìng ，

有一、两只胆子大的青蛙就过去靠近木头察看究竟，

tā men shèn zhì hái gǎn qù chù pèng tā ，jiàn tā hái shì sī háo bù dòng 。   

它们甚至还敢去触碰它，见它还是丝毫不动。 

rán hòu ， dǎn zǐ zuì dà de qīng wā yīng xíong biàn suǒ xìng tiào shàng mù tóu ，

然后，胆子最大的青蛙英雄便索性跳上木头，

zài shàng miàn kāi shǐ tiào wǔ ， yú shì suǒ yǒu de qīng wā dōu xiào fǎng tā 。   

在上面开始跳舞，于是所有的青蛙都效仿它。

guò le yī duàn ér shí jiān ， qīng wā men měi tiān dōu zuò zhe tóng yàng de shì qíng ， 

过了一段儿时间，青蛙们每天都做着同样的事情，

zhú jiàn duì tǎng zài tā men dāng zhōng de “ xīn mù tóu wáng ” bù yǐ wéi rán le ，

逐渐对躺在它们当中的“新木头王”不以为然了，

jué dé“ mù tóu wáng ” duì tā men yī wú shì chù。

觉得“木头王”对它们一无是处。

yú shì ， yòu qiú gào zhū bì tè shén ，

于是，又求告朱庇特神，

duì tā shuō ： “ wǒ men yào yī gè zhēn zhèng de jūn wáng ， yī gè néng gòu tǒng zhì wǒ men de jūn wáng。”

对它说：“我们要一个真正的君王，一个能够统治我们的君王。”

zhèràng zhū bì tè shén hěn shēng qì ， yú shì gěi tā men yī zhī dà guàn ，

这让朱庇特神很生气，于是给它们一只大鹳，

zhè zhī guàn lì kè jiāng zhǎo zé dì lǐ suǒ yǒu de qīng wā chī dé gān gān jìng jìng ，

这只鹳立刻将沼泽地里所有的青蛙吃得干干净净，

zhè shí qīng wā hòu huǐ yǐ jīng lái bù jí le 。

这时青蛙后悔已经来不及了。

gù shì shì shuō ： zì yóu shèng yú cán bào de tǒng zhì 。

故事是说：自由胜于残暴的统治。

The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp that just suited them;

yī qún qīng wā zài cháo shī de zhǎo zé dìlǐ kuài lè bìng zì yóu de shēng huó zhe，

they went splashing about caring for nobody and nobody troubling with them.

tā men rèn yì de xī shuǐ 、 yóu xì ，jì bù yòng guǎn bié rén ， yě méi yǒu rén lái gān shè tā men 。 

But some of them thought that this was not right,

kě shì ， yǒu xiē qīng wā rèn wéi zhè zhǒng shēng huó fāng shì bù duì ，

that they should have a king and a proper constitution, 

tā men yìng gāi yǒu yī gè wáng hé yī tào kě xíng de xiàn fǎ 。

so they determined to send up a petition to Jove to give them what they wanted.  

yú shì ， wā qún jué dìng xiàng tā men de zhū bì tè shén tí chū yāo qiú 。

"Mighty Jove," they cried, "send unto us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order."  

tā men shuō: “ zhì gāo de zhū bì tè shén  yɑ ,qiú nǐ gěi wǒ men yī gè jūn wáng lái tǒng zhì hé zhì lǐ wǒ men bā !” 。

Jove laughed at their croaking, 

zhū bì tè shén xiào huà tā men de yào qiú ，

and threw down into the swamp a huge Log,

jiāng yī kuài ér dà mù tóu rēng jìn zhǎo zé lǐ ，

which came down splashing into the swamp.  

shuǐ miàn jiàn qǐ le jù dà de làng huā 。

The Frogs were frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their midst,

wā qún bèi tū rú qí lái de  hùn luàn xià huài  le ，

and all rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster;

fēn fēn tiào dào àn shàng guān kàn zhè jù dà yòu kě pà de guài wù 。

but after a time, seeing that it did not move,

dàn shì ， guò liǎo yī huì ér ， kàn jiàn guài wù méi yǒu dòng jìng ，

one or two of the boldest of them ventured out towards the Log,

yǒu yī 、 liǎng zhī dǎn zǐ dà de qīng wā jiù guò qù kào jìn mù tóu chá kàn jīu jìng ，

and even dared to touch it; still it did not move.

tā men shèn zhì hái gǎn qù chù pèng tā ，jiàn tā hái shì sī háo bù dòng 。   

Then the greatest hero of the Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing up and down upon it,

rán hòu ， dǎn zǐ zuì dà de qīng wā yīng xíong biàn suǒ xìng tiào shàng mù tóu ，

thereupon all the Frogs came and did the same;

zài shàng miàn kāi shǐ tiào wǔ ， yú shì suǒ yǒu de qīng wā dōu xiào fǎng tā 。   

and for some time the Frogs went about their business every day

guò le yī duàn ér shí jiān ， qīng wā men měi tiān dōu zuò zhe tóng yàng de shì qíng ， 

without taking the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their midst.

zhú jiàn duì tǎng zài tā men dāng zhōng de “ xīn mù tóu wáng ” bù yǐ wéi rán le ，

But this did not suit them,

jué dé“ mù tóu wáng ” duì tā men yī wú shì chù。

so they sent another petition to Jove,

yú shì ， yòu qiú gào zhū bì tè shén ，

and said to him, "We want a real king; one that will really rule over us."  

duì tā shuō ： “ wǒ men yào yī gè zhēn zhèng de jūn wáng ， yī gè néng gòu tǒng zhì wǒ men de jūn wáng。”

Now this made Jove angry, so he sent among them a big Stork 

zhèràng zhū bì tè shén hěn shēng qì ， yú shì gěi tā men yī zhī dà guàn ，

that soon set to work gobbling them all up.  

zhè zhī guàn lì kè jiāng zhǎo zé dì lǐ suǒ yǒu de qīng wā chī dé gān gān jìng jìng ，

Then the Frogs repented when too late.

zhè shí qīng wā hòu huǐ yǐ jīng lái bù jí le 。

Better no rule than cruel rule.

gù shì shì shuō ： zì yóu shèng yú cán bào de tǒng zhì 。