第4章 THE TWO GOATS 两只小羊

On a wild mountain, two goats met on a ledge just over a high cliff. The ledge was so narrow, that there was neither room for them to pass each other nor to turn round and go back. A steep rock rose straight above them — a deep dark chasm lay below! What do you think the two goats did?

One of them with great care laid himself down on the narrow ledge, pressing as close to the rock as he could. Then the other goat gently and softly stepped over his friend, till, safely past him, he could lightly bound away.

The goat that had lain down then drew himself up from his lowly place, safe and sound, free to spring again from rock to rock, and crop the sweet grass on the hills.

Two other goats had left the valley, and climbed far up the mountain. At length they met on the banks of a wild, rushing stream. A tree had fallen across the stream, and formed a bridge from the one side to the other.

The goats looked at each other, and each wished to pass over first.

They stood for a moment with one foot on the tree, each thinking that the other would draw back. But neither of them would give way,and they met at last on the middle of the narrow bridge!

They then began to push and fight with their horns, till at last their feet slipped, and both the goats fell into the swift flowing stream, and were lost in the waters!

Both might have been saved, if either of them had known how to yield at the right time.

Questions

Where did the first two goats meet? What above them? What lay below? How did they manage to pass one another? Where did the other two goats meet? What did each claim? What took place in the middle of the bridge? They were both lost, because neither of them?

Pronunciation

moun'-tain press'-ing light'-ly val'-ley mo'-ment

nar'-row gen'-tly him-self' rush'-ing mid'-dle

nei'-ther soft'-ly low'-ly fall'-en flow'-ing

Write

ledge ground yield swift

chasm climbed bridge stream

荒山上，两只山羊在悬崖峭壁处相遇。悬崖如此窄，两只山羊无法同时通过，也无法掉头回去。头顶上正对着的是一块陡峭的岩石，脚下就是又深又黑的深渊！你认为两只山羊会怎么做呢？

其中一只小心翼翼地躺在狭窄的悬崖上，尽可能紧紧地靠住岩石。这时另一只山羊温柔地轻轻地踩着他的朋友，直到它安全经过，轻轻地离开了。

那只躺着的山羊安然无恙地从地上站起来，又自由地从这块石头跳到那块石头，寻找山上甜美的草儿。

另外两只山羊已经离开了山谷，爬向远处的高山。最终它们在一条激流的河岸相遇。一棵倒了的大树横跨河两岸，形成了连接两岸的一座桥。

两只山羊彼此看了一下，都希望先过去。

它们都将一条腿踏在树上待了一会儿，每个都希望另一个会后退。但是它们谁都不肯放弃，他们最终在窄桥的中央相遇。

接着它们开始用角顶推彼此，直到最终它们脚一滑，两只山羊都掉进急流中，消失在水流里。

如果两只山羊中任何一个知道在正确的时刻懂得让步的话，它们或许都会获救。