“This fruit SO large，on vine SO small，”surveying once，exclaimed a bumpkin．“What could he mean who made US all？He’S left this pump—kin out of place．If I had ordered in the case，on that oak it should have hung—a noble fruit as ever swung to grace a tree SO firm and strong．In。deed，it was a great mistake，as this discovery teaches，that I myself did not partake his counsels whom my curate preaches．All things had then in order come；this acorn，for example，not bigger than my thumb，had not disgraced a tree SO ample．The more I think，the more 1 wonder to see outraged proportion’S laws，and that without the slightest cause；god sure—ly made an awkward blunder．”
With such reflections proudly fraught，our sage grew tired of mighty thought．and threw himself on Nature’S lap，beneath an oak—t0 take his nap．Plump on his nose，by lucky hap，an acorn fell：he waked，and in the matted beard that graced his chin，he found the cause of such a bruise as made him different language use．“O！O！”he cried，“I bleed！I bleed！ And this is what has done the deed！But，truly，what had been my fate，had this had half a pumpkin’S weight！I see that God had reasons good，and all his works well understood．”Thus home he went in humbler.
moodpumpn n．南瓜grace n．优雅，慈悲，风度
V．使优美
disgrace n．耻辱；丢脸的人；失宠
V．使丢脸，使蒙受耻辱；贬黜；使失宠
proponion n．比例，部分，均衡
V．使成比例，分摊，使均衡
humble V．使……卑下；贬抑；挫败
adj．卑下的，粗陋的，谦逊的
橡果和南瓜
在测量过南瓜后，一个乡下人大喊道：“南瓜这么大，藤却这么细，造物主是什么意思呢？南瓜被他放错了地方吧。如果由我来安排，它就会被挂到橡树上——这样高贵的果实理应挂在同样强壮、高贵的树上。实际上，就如同这一发现所教导我们的，这的确是一个严重的错误。神父说世间的一切都被上帝安排得尽善尽美，我完全不理解这句话。可是，就说橡果吧，还没我的拇指大呢，竟然结在那么高大的树上，真是有失体面。我越想越觉得不协调。上帝在这件小事上太马虎大意了。”
这种想法使他飘飘欲仙起来，于是因这深刻的思考而疲惫，我们的圣人就躺在大自然的膝盖上——一棵橡树底下睡着了。突然，落下来一个橡子，刚好打在他的鼻子上。他惊醒后，发现鼻子擦伤了。赶紧摸着长满胡须的下巴换了说法。“噢！噢！”他喊道，“我流血了！我流血了！这到底是怎么回事！但是，假如砸到我的橡果，真有哪怕是南瓜一半重的话，那我该有多惨啊！我明白了，上帝做事确实有道理。现在，我懂了。”就这样，他谦逊地往回走。
开心一刻
Such a LOng DogOnce there was a blind．One day when he was walking，he steppedthe head of the dog who was sleeping．The dog barked for a while．Theblind man went on for miles，this time he stepped the other dog’S tail，s0 this dog barked．The blind man had thought that it was the first dog，so he said in surprise．“It’s a wonder that the dog is SO long．”
如此长的狗
从前有个瞎子。一天，他在行走时踩着了一只正在睡觉的狗的脑袋。狗“汪汪汪”地叫了一阵。这人又往前走，这回踩着的是另外一只狗的尾巴。狗又“汪汪汪”地叫起来。瞎子以为还是那条狗，惊诧地说：“奇怪，这只狗可真够长的。”
