The drop of water 一滴水
作者：古文学 时间：2017/12/18 8:50:13 阅读：次 类别：英语童话
THEDROPOFWATER一滴水
OFcourseyouknowwhatismeantbyamagnifyingglass-oneofthoseroundspectacle-glassesthatmakeeverythinglookahundredtimesbiggerthanitis?Whenanyonetakesoneoftheseandholdsittohiseye,andlooksatadropofwaterfromthepondyonder,heseesaboveathousandwonderfulcreaturesthatareotherwiseneverdiscernedinthewater.Buttheretheyare,anditisnodelusion.Italmostlookslikeagreatplatefulofspidersjumpingaboutinacrowd.Andhowfiercetheyare!Theytearoffeachother’slegs.andarmsandbodies,beforeandbehind;andyettheyaremerryandjoyfulintheirway.
Now,thereoncewasanoldmanwhomallthepeoplecalledKribble-Krabble,forthatwashisname.Healwayswantedthebestofeverything,andwhenhecouldnotmanageitotherwise,hediditbymagic.
Therehesatoneday,andheldhismagnifying-glasstohiseye,andlookedatadropofwaterthathadbeentakenoutofapuddlebytheditch.Butwhatakribblingandkrabblingwasthere!Allthethousandsoflittlecreatureshoppedandsprangandtuggedatoneanother,andateeachotherup.
"Thatishorrible!"saidoldKribble-Krabble."Canonenotpersuadethemtoliveinpeaceandquietness,sothateachonemaymindhisownbusiness?"
Andhethoughtitoverandover,butitwouldnotdo,andsohehadrecoursetomagic.
"Imustgivethemcolor,thattheymaybeseenmoreplainly,"saidhe;andhepouredsomethinglikealittledropofredwineintothedropofwater,butitwaswitches’bloodfromthelobesoftheear,thefinestkind,atninepenceadrop.Andnowthewonderfullittlecreatureswerepinkallover.Itlookedlikeawholetownofnakedwildmen.
"Whathaveyouthere?"askedanotheroldmagician,whohadnoname-andthatwasthebestthingabouthim.
"Yes,ifyoucanguesswhatitis,"saidKribble-Krabble,"I’llmakeyouapresentofit."
Butitisnotsoeasytofindoutifonedoesnotknow.Andthemagicianwhohadnonamelookedthroughthemagnifying-glass.
Itlookedreallylikeagreattownreflectedthere,inwhichallthepeoplewererunningaboutwithoutclothes.Itwasterrible!Butitwasstillmoreterribletoseehowonebeatandpushedtheother,andbitandhacked,andtuggedandmauledhim.Thoseatthetopwerebeingpulleddown,andthoseatthebottomwerestrugglingupwards.
"Look!look!hislegislongerthanmine!Bah!Awaywithit!Thereisonewhohasalittlebruise.Ithurtshim,butitshallhurthimstillmore."
Andtheyhackedawayathim,andtheypulledathim,andatehimup,becauseofthelittlebruise.Andtherewasonesittingasstillasanylittlemaiden,andwishingonlyforpeaceandquietness.Butnowshehadtocomeout,andtheytuggedather,andpulledherabout,andateherup.
"That’sfunny!"saidthemagician.
"Yes;butwhatdoyouthinkitis?"saidKribble-Krabble.
"Canyoufindthatout?"
"Why,onecanseethateasilyenough,"saidtheother.
"That’sParis,orsomeothergreatcity,forthey’reallalike.It’sagreatcity!"
"It’sadropofpuddlewater!"saidKribble-Krabble.
THEEND
OFcourseyouknowwhatismeantbyamagnifyingglass-oneofthoseroundspectacle-glassesthatmakeeverythinglookahundredtimesbiggerthanitis?Whenanyonetakesoneoftheseandholdsittohiseye,andlooksatadropofwaterfromthepondyonder,heseesaboveathousandwonderfulcreaturesthatareotherwiseneverdiscernedinthewater.Buttheretheyare,anditisnodelusion.Italmostlookslikeagreatplatefulofspidersjumpingaboutinacrowd.Andhowfiercetheyare!Theytearoffeachother’slegs.andarmsandbodies,beforeandbehind;andyettheyaremerryandjoyfulintheirway.
Now,thereoncewasanoldmanwhomallthepeoplecalledKribble-Krabble,forthatwashisname.Healwayswantedthebestofeverything,andwhenhecouldnotmanageitotherwise,hediditbymagic.
Therehesatoneday,andheldhismagnifying-glasstohiseye,andlookedatadropofwaterthathadbeentakenoutofapuddlebytheditch.Butwhatakribblingandkrabblingwasthere!Allthethousandsoflittlecreatureshoppedandsprangandtuggedatoneanother,andateeachotherup.
"Thatishorrible!"saidoldKribble-Krabble."Canonenotpersuadethemtoliveinpeaceandquietness,sothateachonemaymindhisownbusiness?"
Andhethoughtitoverandover,butitwouldnotdo,andsohehadrecoursetomagic.
"Imustgivethemcolor,thattheymaybeseenmoreplainly,"saidhe;andhepouredsomethinglikealittledropofredwineintothedropofwater,butitwaswitches’bloodfromthelobesoftheear,thefinestkind,atninepenceadrop.Andnowthewonderfullittlecreatureswerepinkallover.Itlookedlikeawholetownofnakedwildmen.
"Whathaveyouthere?"askedanotheroldmagician,whohadnoname-andthatwasthebestthingabouthim.
"Yes,ifyoucanguesswhatitis,"saidKribble-Krabble,"I’llmakeyouapresentofit."
Butitisnotsoeasytofindoutifonedoesnotknow.Andthemagicianwhohadnonamelookedthroughthemagnifying-glass.
Itlookedreallylikeagreattownreflectedthere,inwhichallthepeoplewererunningaboutwithoutclothes.Itwasterrible!Butitwasstillmoreterribletoseehowonebeatandpushedtheother,andbitandhacked,andtuggedandmauledhim.Thoseatthetopwerebeingpulleddown,andthoseatthebottomwerestrugglingupwards.
"Look!look!hislegislongerthanmine!Bah!Awaywithit!Thereisonewhohasalittlebruise.Ithurtshim,butitshallhurthimstillmore."
Andtheyhackedawayathim,andtheypulledathim,andatehimup,becauseofthelittlebruise.Andtherewasonesittingasstillasanylittlemaiden,andwishingonlyforpeaceandquietness.Butnowshehadtocomeout,andtheytuggedather,andpulledherabout,andateherup.
"That’sfunny!"saidthemagician.
"Yes;butwhatdoyouthinkitis?"saidKribble-Krabble.
"Canyoufindthatout?"
"Why,onecanseethateasilyenough,"saidtheother.
"That’sParis,orsomeothergreatcity,forthey’reallalike.It’sagreatcity!"
"It’sadropofpuddlewater!"saidKribble-Krabble.
THEEND