Why Bears Have Short Tails

Why bears have short tails?

为什么熊的尾巴短呀？

Long ago, Bear was not like he is today. Back then, he had a long tail. Back then, he was always hungry. Then a long, hard winter came, and Bear changed forever. That winter, it got cold. Then it got colder. The river froze, and Bear could not fish.

很久很久以前，熊和现在长得不一样。 那时候，他长着一条长长的尾巴。 那时候，他总是饿肚子。 后来一个漫长又难熬的冬天来了，熊从此彻底变了样。 那年冬天，天气变冷了。 之后越来越冷。 河面结冰了，熊没法钓鱼了。

All the animals were hungry. Well, almost all the animals. Fox was never hungry. He always had fish. He had big fish and little fish. He had long fish and short fish.

所有的动物都饿肚子。 好吧，几乎所有动物都这样。 狐狸从来不会饿。 他总有鱼吃。 他有大鱼也有小鱼。 他有长条的鱼也有短乎乎的鱼。

One day, Fox went out to fish. Bear was so hungry that he stole one of Fox's big fish. The big fish was good. It was so good that Bear went back the next day. This time he stole a little fish. Bear was about to eat the little fish when Fox came back.

有一天，狐狸出门钓鱼。熊太饿了，就偷了狐狸的一条大鱼。 大鱼味道好极了。实在太好吃了，熊第二天又回来了，这次他偷了一条小鱼。 熊正准备吃小鱼的时候，狐狸回来了。

Bear said, Oh Fox, I am so sorry. Teach me to catch fish in the frozen river. Then I will never steal your fish again. Fox asked, Teach you? Oh yes Bear, I will teach you.

熊说：“哎呀狐狸，真对不起。请教我怎么在结冰的河里钓鱼吧，那样我 再也不会偷你的鱼了。”狐狸问：“教你？好呀熊，我会 教你的。”

Bear and Fox went to the frozen river. Fox made a hole in the ice. He said, Put your tail in the hole. Then you will feel the fish pulling at your tail. So Bear put his long tail in the hole. Fox asked, Can you feel the fish pulling? Bear said, Yes, I can. They are pulling hard. I am catching some fish. Can I pull up my tail now?

熊和狐狸来到结冰的河边。狐狸在冰上凿了个洞，他说： “把你的尾巴伸进洞里，然后你就能感觉到鱼拽你的尾巴啦。”于是 熊把他的长尾巴伸进了洞里。狐狸问：“你感觉到鱼拽尾巴了吗？” 熊说：“嗯，感觉到啦。它们拽得好用力，我钓到鱼啦。我现在可以把尾巴拉上来吗？”