Long ago there lived in a small fishing village by the southern shores of Japan a young fisherman named Urashima Taro. We will call him Taro in our story.
One bright day while he was walking along the seashore with his fishing pole, Taro saw a group of children jumping and running about. All of the children seemed very excited. They were shouting with glee and seemed to be standing over some object lying on the beach. When Taro came nearer to the children, he saw that they were tormenting a little turtle. They threw stones at it, and then each one took his turn kicking the poor turtle.
Taro felt great sympathy for the unfortunate turtle. He turned to the children and said, "Please don't be cruel to the little turtle. You should be kind to animals. If you will set the turtle free, I will give each of you some money."
So Taro bought the turtle's freedom from the thoughtless children. Then he took it to the water's edge and set it free. Soon the turtle disappeared into the blue waves and in a moment Taro could see it no more.
After a few days Taro again went fishing by the seashore. He cast his line into the water and, as he did so, he was surprised to see a big turtle appear from out of the waves.
The huge turtle approached Taro and said, "Hello, Taro-san! Don't you remember me?"
Taro stared at the turtle, and to his great surprise he saw that it was the same turtle whose life he had saved by rescuing it from the naughty children a few days before. But now the turtle was very large and looked very old.
Smiling at Taro, the turtle continued, "Thank you very much for your kindness to me the other day. You rescued me from those bad children. I wish to reward you for your kindness. If you wish to go, I will take you to the Coral Palace. It is a beautiful palace in the middle of a kingdom down under the sea. Please get on my back, Taro. Then we will begin our journey."
Taro was delighted with the invitation from the turtle. He jumped on the hard-shell back, and they started for the Coral Palace.
Into the depths of the blue sea they plunged. It was the first time Taro had been so far under the water, and it was probably the first time anyone had lived to see the bottom of the ocean.
The bottom of the ocean was a beautiful sight to Taro. For a minute he just blinked his eyes, for he could not believe what he saw. Strange and pretty grasses and trees grew on the bottom of the sea. They swirled and waved with the gentle current of the water. Glistening red, blue, and yellow fish of all sizes and shapes swam everywhere. Schools of tiny fish played among the pink and blue coral. Funny little sea horses fled from the larger fish. The shining coral reflected glittering shafts of light in every direction. Everything was like a dream. It was most beautiful and quiet.
The turtle was a swift swimmer, and soon Taro saw the gates of the Coral Palace in the distance.
At the palace, the queen awaited Taro. The queen was named Otohime, and she was delicate and sweet- looking. Otohime wore a long, white robe, and on her head rested a golden crown sparkling with many diamonds and pearls. As she moved, her skirt, which was covered with hundreds of pink shells, swayed and gleamed in the water. Each shell was like a twinkling star.
Behind Otohime stood twenty maids in waiting. Each wore a different-colored dress, and in their hair they had interwoven green seaweed.
With a smile on her tender face, Otohime spoke in a soft voice to Taro. "Welcome, Taro-san! It was so kind of you to have rescued my loyal turtle. All the inhabitants of my kingdom wish to reward you by entertaining you in my Coral Palace. You will see many strange and wonderful things beneath the sea."
And then she beckoned and said, "Come with me, Taro. We will go into the palace."
Taro followed Otohime, and the charming queen led him through one splendid room after another. Finally they came to a huge room filled with beautiful furniture and treasures. In the center of the room was a great table and it was laden with golden plates, knives, forks, and spoons, crystal glasses, silver trays, and delicate china.
The food upon the table was the strangest and most inviting food Taro had ever seen. Taro had never tasted such delicious dishes, and he did not know any of the names of the strange delicacies.
Otohime was a generous and charming hostess, and she offered Taro one wonderful dish after another.
Then, when Taro could eat no more, he was delighted to see many beautiful fish dance into the banquet hall. They swam before the table where Taro sat with the queen, and after they bowed and shyly smiled at the guest, the fish began to dance to a lovely tune.
关键字:小说寓言
生词表:
One bright day while he was walking along the seashore with his fishing pole, Taro saw a group of children jumping and running about. All of the children seemed very excited. They were shouting with glee and seemed to be standing over some object lying on the beach. When Taro came nearer to the children, he saw that they were tormenting a little turtle. They threw stones at it, and then each one took his turn kicking the poor turtle.
Taro felt great sympathy for the unfortunate turtle. He turned to the children and said, "Please don't be cruel to the little turtle. You should be kind to animals. If you will set the turtle free, I will give each of you some money."
So Taro bought the turtle's freedom from the thoughtless children. Then he took it to the water's edge and set it free. Soon the turtle disappeared into the blue waves and in a moment Taro could see it no more.
After a few days Taro again went fishing by the seashore. He cast his line into the water and, as he did so, he was surprised to see a big turtle appear from out of the waves.
The huge turtle approached Taro and said, "Hello, Taro-san! Don't you remember me?"
Taro stared at the turtle, and to his great surprise he saw that it was the same turtle whose life he had saved by rescuing it from the naughty children a few days before. But now the turtle was very large and looked very old.
Smiling at Taro, the turtle continued, "Thank you very much for your kindness to me the other day. You rescued me from those bad children. I wish to reward you for your kindness. If you wish to go, I will take you to the Coral Palace. It is a beautiful palace in the middle of a kingdom down under the sea. Please get on my back, Taro. Then we will begin our journey."
Taro was delighted with the invitation from the turtle. He jumped on the hard-shell back, and they started for the Coral Palace.
Into the depths of the blue sea they plunged. It was the first time Taro had been so far under the water, and it was probably the first time anyone had lived to see the bottom of the ocean.
The bottom of the ocean was a beautiful sight to Taro. For a minute he just blinked his eyes, for he could not believe what he saw. Strange and pretty grasses and trees grew on the bottom of the sea. They swirled and waved with the gentle current of the water. Glistening red, blue, and yellow fish of all sizes and shapes swam everywhere. Schools of tiny fish played among the pink and blue coral. Funny little sea horses fled from the larger fish. The shining coral reflected glittering shafts of light in every direction. Everything was like a dream. It was most beautiful and quiet.
The turtle was a swift swimmer, and soon Taro saw the gates of the Coral Palace in the distance.
At the palace, the queen awaited Taro. The queen was named Otohime, and she was delicate and sweet- looking. Otohime wore a long, white robe, and on her head rested a golden crown sparkling with many diamonds and pearls. As she moved, her skirt, which was covered with hundreds of pink shells, swayed and gleamed in the water. Each shell was like a twinkling star.
Behind Otohime stood twenty maids in waiting. Each wore a different-colored dress, and in their hair they had interwoven green seaweed.
With a smile on her tender face, Otohime spoke in a soft voice to Taro. "Welcome, Taro-san! It was so kind of you to have rescued my loyal turtle. All the inhabitants of my kingdom wish to reward you by entertaining you in my Coral Palace. You will see many strange and wonderful things beneath the sea."
And then she beckoned and said, "Come with me, Taro. We will go into the palace."
Taro followed Otohime, and the charming queen led him through one splendid room after another. Finally they came to a huge room filled with beautiful furniture and treasures. In the center of the room was a great table and it was laden with golden plates, knives, forks, and spoons, crystal glasses, silver trays, and delicate china.
The food upon the table was the strangest and most inviting food Taro had ever seen. Taro had never tasted such delicious dishes, and he did not know any of the names of the strange delicacies.
Otohime was a generous and charming hostess, and she offered Taro one wonderful dish after another.
Then, when Taro could eat no more, he was delighted to see many beautiful fish dance into the banquet hall. They swam before the table where Taro sat with the queen, and after they bowed and shyly smiled at the guest, the fish began to dance to a lovely tune.
关键字:小说寓言
生词表:
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