A frog lived in a shallow well.

一只青蛙住在一口浅井里。

One day, it met beside the well a large soft-shelled turtle which had just crawled up from the sea.

有一天，青蛙在井边碰上了一只刚从海里爬上来的大鳖。

The frog bragged¹ to the turtle: "Look, how happy I am to live here!

青蛙对大鳖夸口说:“你看，我住在这里多么快乐!

When I feel glad, I would bounce for a while near the well; and when I am tired,

高兴了，就在井边跳跃一阵子;疲倦了，

I would return to the well to sleep and rest for a while by the brick hole.

就回到井里，睡在砖洞边上休息一会儿。

Sometimes, I would quietly soak my whole body in the water, showing only my head and mouth.

有时候，我静静地把全身泡在水里，只露出头和嘴巴;

Sometimes, I would stroll in the soft mud, which is very comfortable.

有时候，在软绵绵的泥浆里散散步，也很舒服。

None of those tiny crabs² and tadpoles³ can compare with me.

那些螃琪和蛾鲜，它们谁也比不上我。

I am the master of this well, free and unrestrained.

我是这个井的主人，自由自在。

Why don't you come often to play in the well?"

你为什么不常到井里来游玩游玩呢!”

Hearing this, the turtle was itching⁴ to go down to take a look.

大鳖听了青蛙的话，心里痒痒的，准备下去看看。

But before he put his left foot into the well, his right foot stumbled.

但是它的左脚还没伸进去，右脚就已经绊住了。

He quickly retreated two steps and told the frog about the sea:

它连忙后退了两步，把大海的情形告诉青蛙，说:

"Have you ever seen the sea?

“你见过大海吗?

The sea is very, very wide, over 1,000 1i.

海很大很大，哪止千里;

The sea is very, very deep, over 1,000 zhang (3'/3 metres).

海很深很深，哪止千丈。

In ancient times, in nine years out of ten there were floods, but the water in the sea did not rise much.

古时候，十年里有九年发大水，但是海里的水涨高不了多少。

Later, in seven years out of eight there were droughts, but the water in the sea did not drop much.

后来，八年里有七年要大旱，可是海里的水也不见得浅了多少。

Neither big floods nor big droughts can affect the sea.

大涝和大旱都影响不了大海。

Only living in the sea can you feel real happiness!”

住在大海里，才是真正的快乐呢!”

Amazed at what the big turtle had said, the frog was dumbstruck.

听了大鳖的这一番话，青蛙非常吃惊，呆在那里，无话可说了。