《The Mixed-Up Chameleon》
On a shiny green leaf sat a small green chameleon.
在一片闪亮的绿叶上趴着一只绿色的小变色龙。
It moved onto a brown tree and turned brownish.
它爬到褐色的树干上就变成了褐色。
Then it rested on a red flower and turned reddish.
它停在一朵红色的花朵上就变成了红色。
When the chameleon moved slowly across the yellow sand , it turned yellowish.
当它慢慢爬过一片黄沙地,就变成了黄色。
You could hardly see it.
你几乎很难发现它。
When the chameleon was warm and had something to eat , it turned sparkling green.
变色龙暖和又有东西吃的时候,就变成亮丽的绿色。
But when it was cold and hungry , it turned and dull.
当它又冷又饿时,它就变成暗淡的灰色。
When the chameleon was hungary , it sat still and waited.
变色龙饿了,就一动不动的趴着等待。
Only its eyes moved-up , down , sideways-until it spotted a fly.
仅仅是眼睛上上下下,忽左忽右的转动——直到盯住了一只苍蝇。
Then the chameleon's long and sticky tongue shot out and caught the fly.
那时,变色龙的长长的,黏黏的舌头就会射出去,捉住苍蝇。
That was its life.It was not very exciting.
那就是它的生活,一点激情也没有。
But one day...
直到有一天...
...the chameleon saw a zoo !
...变色龙看到了动物园!
It had never seen so many beautiful animals.
它从来没有见过这么多漂亮的动物。
The chameleon thought:How small I am , how slow , how weak !
变色龙想:我身材太小,行动太慢,身体太弱!
I wish I could be big and white like a polar bear.
我要是能像北极熊又大又白就好了。
And the chameleon's wish came true.
变色龙梦想成真了。
But was it happy?No !
可是它快乐吗?一点也不快乐。
I wish I could be handsome like a flamingo.
我要像火烈鸟那样漂亮。
I wish I could be smart like a fox.
我要像狐狸那样优雅。
I wish I could swim like a fish.
我要像鱼儿会游泳。
I wish I could run like a deer.
我要像鹿会奔跑。
I wish I could see things for away like a giraffe.
我要像长颈鹿那样看得很远很远。
I wish I could hide in a shell like a turtle.
我要像乌龟那样能藏在壳里。
I wish I could be strong like an elephant.
我要像大象那样强壮。
I wish I could be funny like a seal.
我要像海豹那样有趣。
I wish I could be like people.
我还想像人那样。
Just then a fly flew by.
这时,一只苍蝇飞过。
The chameleon was very hungry.
变色龙觉得饿极了。
But the chameleon was very mixed-up.
槽糕的是,它只是拼拼凑凑起来的。
It was a little of this and it was a little of that.
有点像这个,又有点像那个。
And it couldn't catch the fly.
它已经捉不到苍蝇了。
I wish I could be myself.
“我要成为我自己。”
The chameleon's wish came true.And it caught the fly !
变色龙如愿以偿,它又能捉到苍蝇了!