A KITE AND A BUTTERFLY 风筝和蝴蝶

A kite soared to the clouds and called out from on high to a butterfly down below in the valley.

“I can assure you that I can scarcely make you out. Confess now that you feel jealous when you watch my so lofty flight.”

“Jealous? No, indeed! You have no business to think so much of yourself. You fly high, it is true; but you are always tied by a string. Such a life, my friend, is very far removed from happiness. I'm little elated, but I can fly wherever I wish. I don't like to spend all my life on someone else's amusement.”

一只风筝飞入云端，在高处冲下面山谷里的一只蝴蝶喊：

“我告诉你，这儿高得我几乎快认不出来飞在下面的是你了。承认吧，看我飞得这么高，你嫉妒我。”

“嫉妒你？才不是呢！你快别高看自己了。没错，你是飞得高，可是绳子拴着你呢。朋友，你这种生活离幸福差得远哪。我是没你那么得意，不过我想往哪儿飞就往哪儿飞。我可不想一辈子都供人消遣。”

-soar [sɔː(r)] v. 高飞

on high在高处；在天空

-lofty [ˈlɒftɪ] adj. 高耸的

如果幸福的代价是牺牲自由，这种“幸福”无疑不值得追逐。