盛夏之日，一只青蛙同他的伴侣说道：quot;我担心我们的夜歌打搅了住在岸上房子里的人们。quot;

    他的伴侣答道：quot;哎呀，难道他们白天的谈话没有打扰了我们的寂静吗？quot;雄蛙说：quot;让我们别忘了，也许我们在夜间唱得太多哩。quot;

    他的伴侣道：quot;让我们也别忘了，他们在白天闲谈叫嚷得太过分啊。quot;

    雄蛙说：quot;牛蛙用他那上帝禁止的轰鸣吵醒了整个街坊，你觉得如何呢？quot;他的伴侣答道：quot;哎，政治家、牧师和科学家都来到岸边，使空气里充满了喧闹而又毫无韵律的声音，你又怎么说呢？quot;于是雄蛙提议：quot;哦，让我们比人类高明些吧。让我们在夜里保持沉默，把我们的歌儿藏在我们的心里，尽管月亮需要我们的节奏，繁星需要我们的韵律，都在发出呼吁呢。至少，让我们沉默一二夜，或者甚至三夜吧。quot;

    他的伴侣道：quot;很好，我同意。我们拭目以待你那宽容的心带来的后果。quot;

    那天夜里，群蛙默不作声，第二夜他们也没有作声，而第三夜又是默不作声。

    说也奇怪，住在湖边房子里的一个爱说话的妇人，第三天下楼来吃早餐时，大声对她的丈夫说道：quot;这三夜我都没有睡成。耳中听到蛙声时，我才睡得安安稳稳。不过，必定是出了什么事了。青蛙三夜没有唱歌了；我失眠缺觉得几乎要发疯了。quot;

    雄蛙听到了这一席话，向他的伴侣转过身来，眨巴着眼睛，说道：quot;我们因为默不作声也几乎要发疯了，难道不是吗？quot;他的伴侣答道：quot;是的，夜的寂静沉重地笼罩着我们。我现在明白了，我们毋须为这些人的安宁舒适而停止唱歌，他们非有喧闹的声音来充实他们的空虚不可。quot;

    那天夜里，月亮就不是白白的为青蛙的节奏而呼吁了，繁星就不是白白的为青蛙的韵律而呼吁了。

    the Frogs

    Upon a summer day a frog said to e, quot;I fear t urbed by our nig;

    And e ans;ell, do t annoy our silence during talking?quot;

    t;Let us not forget t oo muc.quot;

    And e ans;Let us not forget t tter and s overmuc;

    Said t; t tter and s overmuc;

    Said t; turbs t;

    And e replied, quot;Aye, and ician and t and tist ;

    t;ell, let us be better t us be quiet at nigs, even tars for our r least, let us be silent for a nigs.quot;

    And e said, quot;Very iful  ;

    t nig; and t t also, and again upon t.

    And strange to relate, talkative  on t ted to ;I  slept ts. I  somet  sung nos; and I am almost maddened ;

    turned to e and said,  maddened ?quot;

    And e ans;Yes, t o cease our singing for t of t needs fill tiness ;

    And t nig in vain for tars for their rhyme.

    Upon a summer day a frog said to e, quot;I fear t urbed by our nig;

    And e ans;ell, do t annoy our silence during talking?quot;

    t;Let us not forget t oo muc.quot;

    And e ans;Let us not forget t tter and s overmuc;

    Said t; t tter and s overmuc;

    Said t; turbs t;

    And e replied, quot;Aye, and ician and t and tist ;

    t;ell, let us be better t us be quiet at nigs, even tars for our r least, let us be silent for a nigs.quot;

    And e said, quot;Very iful  ;

    t nig; and t t also, and again upon t.

    And strange to relate, talkative  on t ted to ;I  slept ts. I  somet  sung nos; and I am almost maddened ;

    turned to e and said,  maddened ?quot;

    And e ans;Yes, t o cease our singing for t of t needs fill tiness ;

    And t nig in vain for tars for their rhyme.