野鸭沃利的故事

一时的享受变成了一世的桎梏。野鸭沃利的故事再次验证了那句老话:"生于忧患,死于安乐。"

A flock of wild ducks were flying in formation1), heading south for the winter. They formed a beautiful V in the sky, and were admired by everyone who saw them from below.

One day, Wally, one of the wild ducks in the formation, spotted something on the ground. It was a barnyard with a flock of tame2) ducks who lived on the farm. They were waddling3) around on the ground, quacking4) merrily and eating corn that was thrown on the ground for them every day. Wally liked what he saw. "It sure would be nice to have some of that corn," he thought to himself. "And all this flying is very tiring. I'd like to just waddle around for a while."

So after thinking it over a while, Wally left the formation of wild ducks, made a sharp dive, and headed for the barnyard. He landed among the tame ducks, and began to waddle around and quack merrily. He also started eating corn. The formation of wild ducks continued their journey South, but Wally didn't care. "I'll rejoin them when they come back North in a few months," he said to himself.

Several months went by and sure enough, Wally looked up and spotted the flock of wild ducks in formation, heading north. They looked beautiful up there. And Wally was tired of the barnyard. It was muddy and everywhere he waddled, there was nothing but duck doo5). "It's time to leave." said Wally.

So Wally flapped6) his wings furiously and tried to get airborne7). But he had gained some weight from all his corn-eating, and he hadn't exercised his wings much either. He finally got off the ground, but he was flying too low and slammed into the side of the barn. He fell to the ground with a thud8) and said to himself, "Oh, well, I'll just wait until they fly south in a few months. Then I'll rejoin them and become a wild duck again."

When the flock flew overhead once more, Wally again tried to lift himself out of the barnyard. But he simply didn't have the strength. Every winter and every spring, he saw his wild duck friends flying overhead, and they would call out9) to him. But his attempts to leave were all in vain10).

Eventually Wally no longer paid any attention to the wild ducks flying overhead. He hardly even noticed them. He had, after all, become a barnyard duck.

一群野鸭排着整齐的队形飞往南方过冬。他们在空中组成一个美丽的"V"字,地面上的人抬头仰望,无不赞叹。

一天,队伍中的野鸭沃利,发现了地面上的一些东西。原来在谷仓前的一块空地上,一群农场养的家鸭在摇摆着走来走去,欢快地嘎嘎叫着,啄食着人们每天撒在地上喂它们的谷物。沃利喜欢眼前的景象。"吃点儿那种谷物应该不错,"他暗想:"这样的飞行实在是令人疲惫不堪。我还真想下去溜达一会儿。"

于是,考虑片刻之后,沃利离开了野鸭队伍,一个急速俯冲,朝着谷仓飞去。他落在了家鸭群中,开始四处踱来踱去,欢叫个不停,还吃起了地上的谷物。天上的野鸭群继续着他们的南方之旅,但沃利毫不在意。"几个月后,等他们飞回北方的时候,我再归队。"他自言自语道。

几个月过去了,果不其然,沃利仰望天空,找到了那群队形整齐的北归野鸭。他们在空中看起来很美。而沃利也早已在这块空地上待腻了。这里满是泥泞,所到之处都是鸭屎。"该离开这儿了。"沃利说。

于是沃利拼命拍打翅膀,试图飞上蓝天。可因为吃了谷物,他的体重增加了不少,再加上他不经常活动翅膀,所以尽管他最终飞离了地面,但却飞得很低,撞到谷仓的侧围上,砰的一声摔到了地上。沃利自言自语道:"哦,好吧,那就再等几个月,等他们再次南飞时,我再归队,再变回一只野鸭。"

当野鸭群再次飞过时,沃利又试图飞出谷仓,但他就是没有足够的力气飞起来。每年的冬天和春天,沃利都能看到他的野鸭朋友们飞过,他们也会呼唤沃利,但沃利的努力却总是徒劳。

最终,沃利不再去关注那些头顶飞过的野鸭群,甚至对他们视而不见。他终究变成了一只家鸭。