A river was running towards the valley and the plain, but when it came to a rock, it was afraid and started trembling.
The rock said: “Hi, where are you going?”
The river said timidly, “I'm going to the valley and the plain. They are waiting for me.”
The rock made fun of the river and said, “You are still very young. Go back to the hill immediately, and don't come back here again!”
Startled, the river said, “I can only go forwards. There is no river that goes backwards.”
The rock became angry and said, “Speak no more! If you don't go back, you will have to change your direction!”
The river helplessly asked, “Where should I go?”
“Go anywhere you like, just don't come close to me!”
More and more water gathered as the river hesitated. Then it began to get out of control. The river surged over the rock. When it saw the rock being tossed about pitifully, it said, “Only a weak person will make a detour. A person who is strong will only go ahead, and nothing will stop him!”
【助读词汇】
-timidly adv. 胆小地，羞怯地
-startle vt. 使人（或动物）惊吓，使吓一跳
-surge vi.（波涛般）汹涌，（波涛、洪水等）汹涌；奔腾
-toss vi. 上下摇晃，摇动，颠簸，翻来覆去
-detour n. 便道，绕路 vi. 绕路而行 vt. 使绕道
【参考译文】
河流与岩石
一条河流向山谷和平原，但当流到一块岩石边时，它因害怕而开始颤抖。
岩石说：“喂！你要去哪里？”
河羞怯地说：“我要去山谷和平原那里，它们在等着我。”
岩石戏弄河说：“你还很小，马上回到山里，别再回到这里来！”
河感到吃惊，说：“我只能往前流，河绝不会倒流。”
岩石生气了，说：“别再说了！你要不倒流，那就必须改变流向！”
河无奈地说：“那我该怎么办呢？”
“你爱怎么流就怎么流，只是别靠近我！”
在河犹豫的时候，水流越聚越多，随后就开始失控了。河汹涌着漫过岩石。看到岩石被可怜地冲来冲去，河说：“只有弱者才会绕道，强者只会勇往直前，任何东西都无法阻挡它！”
【人生启迪】
生活像一粒深埋在地下的种子，只有勇往直前才能冲破厚厚的泥土，延续自己的生命，才能将生命的绿色伸向蓝天。生活需要勇往直前。纵使暗夜无边，只要心中有路，光明就在前面。