有趣的英文小故事:大名鼎鼎的跳蛙

【英文原文】

摘要：在加利福尼亚的卡拉维拉斯县，有个人名叫吉姆•斯迈里。他好打赌，见什么赌什么。要是有人跟他说“早上好”，他会说，这天早上不怎么样，不信就打个赌。

In Calaveras, California, there lived a man whose name was Jim Smiley. Jim enjoyed betting so much that he would bet on anything. If anyone said good morning to him, he would bet them that it was not a good morning. Whenever there was a horse race or a chicken fight, Jim would bet on it. He didn’t care which side he bet on, as long as he had a bet.

One day, Jim showed a frog to a stranger who had just arrived in Calaveras, and bet the stranger forty dollars that the frog can jump farther and faster than any other in Calaveras County. The stranger said he didn’t see anything about the frog different from any other, and if he had a frog he would bet Jim. Jim left his frog with the stranger and go out to find a frog for the stranger. Meanwhile, the stranger took out a bag of gunshot, forcing the frog’s mouth open and poured the shot into it.

Soon Jim returned with a frog for the stranger.The two frogs were put on the floor, and then each man gave his frog a push. The stranger’s frog hopped off smartly. But Jim’s frog just sat there, unable to move an inch. Jim had no choice. He gave forty dollars to the stranger, who took the money and started away. Jim picked up his frog, and found it extremely heavy. He turned it upside down, and the gunshot came out. He knew he had been fooled and, like a mad man, started running after the stranger.

As he ran, he passed one of his friends, who asked him where he was going.

"To catch a thief!" shouted Jim. "No matter how fast he may run, I'll catch him. I'll bet you five dollars!"