LESSON 64 THE FOX AND THE CROW

THE FOX AND THE CROW

whis-ker ras-cal cho-sen

ruse cer-tain chuck-ling

1. A piping crow 〔1〕 lived near a creek on the border of a scrub. The crow was proud of his flute-like notes and spent an hour or so every morning on the dead limb of a gum-tree singing loudly—but always the same song.

In a hollow log near by dwelt a crafty 〔2〕 old fox.

2. One day, the crow found a large piece of meat on the bank of the creek. He flew with it to the gum-tree. The fox, who had been afraid to show even as much as a whisker all day, came out feeling very hungry.

3. When he saw the crow with the piece of meat, the water ran from his mouth in longing for it. He went under the gum-tree and called to the crow:

Jim Crow, he said, "the man who left that meat was talking to a girl near my log. He told her that he was going to offer a prize to the sweetest singer in the scrub.

4. "The girl remarked that you ought to win the prize, but he said that could not be, for you could only sing in the morning.

He has not yet gone far. Sing now; he will hear, and you are certain of the prize.

5. At the thought of being chosen as the first singer in the bush, the silly crow danced on the bough with glee, and piped at the top of his voice.

6. Down dropped the piece of meat, and away went the fox with it to his hollow log, chuckling over his clever ruse 〔3〕 .

7. But his joy did not last very long. The meat had been placed near the log as a bait for the fox, who had killed a goose two days before, and in a few minutes the rascal was dead.

注释

〔1〕 piping crow: The Australian magpie.

〔2〕 crafty: Sly; cunning.

〔3〕 ruse: A sly plan.