自私的鳄鱼

A Children’s Moral Story 儿童道德故事

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Deep in the forest in the river lived a
large crocodile.
He was a very selfish crocodile. He didn't
want any other creature to drink or bathe
in the river. He thought it was his river.
Every day he shouted to the creatures of
the forest, “Stay away from my river.”
“It's my river,” the crocodile told the
other animals fiercely. “If you come into
my river, I’ll eat you all.”

森林深处的河里住着一条大鳄鱼。他是一条
非常自私的鳄鱼。 他不想让任何其他生物在
河里喝水或洗澡。 他以为那是他的河。他每
天都对森林里的生物大喊：“远离我的河
流。”“这是我的河，”鳄鱼凶狠地告诉其
他动物。 “如果你进入我的河里，我会把你
们都吃掉。”

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So, there were no fish, no tadpoles, no
frogs, no crabs, no crayfish in the river.
All were afraid of the selfish crocodile.
The forest creatures kept away from the
river as well. Whenever they were thirsty,
they would go for miles to drink in other
rivers and streams.
Every day the crocodile lay on his great
big back in the sun picking his big sharp
teeth with a stick.

所以，河里没有鱼，没有蝌蚪，没有青
蛙，没有螃蟹，没有小龙虾。所有人都
害怕这只自私的鳄鱼。森林里的生物也
远离河流。 每当口渴的时候，他们就会
不远千里到其他的江河小溪去喝水。鳄
鱼每天都躺在阳光下，用它巨大的背脊
用棍子剔除它锋利的牙齿。
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But early one morning, the forest was
awakened by a loud groaning sound.
Something or someone was in terrible
pain. The creatures thought that it was
an animal caught by the crocodile but
as the sun came out brightly, they saw
that it was the crocodile who was in
great pain.
He was lying on his big back holding
his swollen jaw and he was crying real
tears.

但一天清晨，森林被一阵巨大的呻吟声吵醒。
某事或某人正承受着巨大的痛苦。 动物们以
为这是一只被鳄鱼抓住的动物，但当太阳出
来时，它们看到是鳄鱼正在承受巨大的痛苦。
他仰面躺着，捂着肿胀的下巴，流着真正的
泪水。
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The forest creatures drew closer but not
too close.
Some of the creatures felt sorry for the
crocodile.
“What's the matter with him?” asked a
deer.
“I don't know,” said a squirrel.
“Maybe he's going to die,” chirped a
bird.
“If that happens, it'll be safe to go into
the river,” grunted a wild pig.

森林里的生物靠近了一些，但并没有靠得太
近。有些生物为鳄鱼感到难过。“他怎么
了？” 一只鹿问道。“我不知道，”松鼠说。
“也许他要死了，”一只鸟叽叽喳喳地说。
“如果发生这种情况，就可以安全地进入河
里了。”一头野猪咕哝道。
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The animals thought about this. They
hung from branches. They hung from
vines. They buzzed in the air, and they
shook their heads as they watched the
great big crocodile in pain. No animal
tried to help the crocodile.
Suddenly a little mouse appeared.
Sniffing the air, the mouse ran along the
crocodile's tail and then onto his tummy.
The other forest creatures stared with
shock at what the mouse was doing.

动物们思考着这个问题。 它们挂在树枝上。
它们挂在藤蔓上。 他们在空中嗡嗡作响，看
着那头痛苦不堪的大鳄，纷纷摇头。 没有动
物试图帮助鳄鱼。突然出现了一只小老鼠。
老鼠嗅着空气，沿着鳄鱼的尾巴跑，然后跑
到鳄鱼的肚子上。其他森林生物震惊地看着
老鼠的举动。
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“Look at that mouse!” chatted a
monkey. “He's either very brave or
mad.”
He's going to be eaten for sure,” said
an iguana.
The mouse crept along the crocodile's
big neck and into his open mouth.
There was a hush in the forest. The
mouse got hold of something and
pulled and pulled and pulled. Then he
put it on his shoulder and walked out
of the crocodile's mouth.

“ 看那只老鼠！” 和一只猴子聊天。 “他要

么非常勇敢，要么很疯狂。”他肯定会被吃
掉的。”一只鬣蜥说道。老鼠沿着鳄鱼的大
脖子爬进他张开的嘴里。森林里一片寂静。
老鼠抓住了什么东西，拉啊拉啊拉。 然后扛
在肩上，从鳄鱼嘴里走了出来。 7
There was a loud cheer from the
astonished forest creatures.
The crocodile sat up and said, “I don't
feel any more pain, it's all gone.”
Then he saw the mouse walking down
his tummy carrying an enormous
crocodile tooth on his shoulder.
“Your bad tooth was giving you the
toothache,” said the mouse turning
around to face the now smiling
crocodile. “Do you want it back?”

森林里的生物们惊愕不已，发出一阵欢呼声。
鳄鱼坐了起来，说道：“我不再感到疼痛了，
一切都消失了。”然后他看到老鼠从肚子上
走下来，肩膀上扛着一颗巨大的鳄鱼牙齿。
“你的坏牙让你牙痛。”老鼠转过身面对微
笑的鳄鱼说道。 “你想把它拿回来吗？”
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“Oh! No, no, no, no! Get rid of it and
when you've done that, come back.
I'll have a present for you”
The mouse went and buried the bad
tooth under a tree and when he
returned, the crocodile had a nice
juicy nut waiting for him.
As the crocodile watched the mouse
eating the nut, he said to him,

“ 哦！ 不不不不！ 摆脱它，当你做到
这一点后，再回来。我会给你一份礼
物”老鼠去把坏牙埋在一棵树下，当
他回来时，鳄鱼有一个美味多汁的坚
果在等着他。鳄鱼看着老鼠吃坚果，
对他说：
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“You are very clever, getting rid of my
toothache and kind too. I am so grateful
but what shall I do if my toothache
comes back?”
“Don't worry. I'll help you take care of
your teeth,” answered the mouse
nibbling the juicy nut.
Soon the crocodile and the mouse were
the best of friends.
And one day the crocodile sent all the
animals in the forest and river an
invitation:

“ 你很聪明，治好了我的牙痛，也很善良。
我很感激但如果我的牙又痛了怎么办？”
“不用担心。 我会帮助你照顾你的牙齿。”
老鼠一边啃着多汁的坚果一边回答道。很快
鳄鱼和老鼠成了最好的朋友。有一天，鳄鱼
向森林和河流中的所有动物发出了邀请：
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“Please come to drink and bathe in the
river. I won't hurt you. The river
belongs to us all,” the crocodile said
most sincerely.
The forest creatures were not afraid to
drink and bathe in the river anymore.
Although the crocodile was sometimes
snappy, the forest creatures grew to
love him.
And before long, the river was full of
fish and tadpoles and crabs and
crayfish.

“ 请来河里喝水、洗澡。 我不会伤害你。 这
条河是我们大家的。”鳄鱼最真诚地说。森
林里的生物不再害怕在河里喝水、洗澡了。
尽管鳄鱼有时很暴躁，但森林里的生物却越
来越喜欢他。不久，河里就充满了鱼、蝌蚪、
螃蟹和小龙虾。 11
 学习和修行的佛法课程

Do not be proud and selfish. Be good and kind-hearted.

Selfishness will bring suffering. Always help the needy.

不要骄傲和自私。 做个善良的人。
自私会带来痛苦。 永远帮助有需要的人。

All living creatures are

Good begets good.
interconnected and
Bad begets bad.
interdependent.
Good acts bring happy results.
Live in harmony.
善生善。 坏事会产生坏事。
所有生物都是相互联系、
好的行为会带来幸福的结果。
相互依存的。和谐相处。
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 “Dhamma helps you to live more happily and wisely.
May you learn and practice the Dhamma diligently.”

“ 佛法帮助你生活得更加快乐和明智。愿你勤奋地学习和修行佛法。”
Credits: Mostly adapted from the site

结 束 The End
MissEmsBookwormRead Aloud

With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin
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