Why Rabbit Has Crooked1 Back Legs为什么兔子后腿是弯曲的

Once upon a time， a long time ago， there lived arabbit with four long legs. Rabbit was a beautifulcreature2. Everyone said so. But the truth was， althoughRabbit might be beautiful on the outside， he was not sobeautiful on the inside. He was a very lazy creature. Hedid not do his share at collecting food or taking care ofthe forest.

One sunny day， Rabbit went in search of acomfortable place to laze3. It was such a perfect day.Rabbit looked at the sunlight sparkling4 off the water inthe river.“How cool that looks，”Rabbit said to himself.He jumped in. Soon， his legs got tired of pushing himalong and keeping him afloat5. Rabbit wiggled6 hisnose.“This is too much trouble，”he sighed7.

Rabbit kicked back to land and looked around. Helooked up at the trees. The leaves were shaking in thewarm breeze8. It was a beautiful sound， a bit noisy butpeaceful all the same. “Yes，”Rabbit nodded to himself.“That’s what I need.”He easily climbed up the tree. Thebranches9 were low which helped as they were heavy withfruit. Rabbit sighed happily. This was perfect. There wasfood to eat simply by reaching out his hand. Except for themonkeys， who were busily picking fruit to take home totheir families， no one could see him. He was hidden in therustling10 leaves. So no one would bother11 him.

The leaves rustled ever moreloudly. They seemed to be trying totell him something， but Rabbit wastoo lazy to listen. Instead， he lookedup at the sky through the rustling leaves above himand sighed happily.

When the breeze picked up and became a strong wind，the monkeys began to swing by on their way home. Eachmonkey had one arm full of fruit and one arm free to swing from branch to branch.As each monkey passed him， each suggested， “Rabbit， move to a stronger treebranch. That branch is too weak to hold you when the wind is blowing.”

“Later， perhaps，”Rabbit yawned12.

Suddenly， there was a gust13 of very strong wind. It cracked14 the branch onwhich Rabbit was resting in two pieces. One piece stayed on the tree. The otherpiece， the piece holding Rabbit， fell to the ground， carrying Rabbit with it. The fallwas a bad one. Rabbit’s two back legs were broken.

Two kind monkeys dropped to his side. “We need to bring this fruit to ourfamilies， but we can each offer you one arm. You can hobble15 between us until wereach the doctor. The doctor will set your legs so that they heal16 correctly.”

“That’s very kind of you.”Rabbit smiled. “Maybe tomorrow. Not today. Itdoesn’t hurt that much， really. And besides，”Rabbit yawned，“it’speaceful here， under the trees.”

Rabbit lazed at the bottom of the trees for nearly a week. The monkeys， themoles17， and even the ants18 brought him food to eat as they scurried19 past doingwhatever monkeys and moles and ants do. The food left by the ants was not veryhelpful actually， but still， it was very kind of them to offer. Even the rain helped tokeep him comfortable. It rained just enough to fill Rabbit’s mouth now and thenwith cool clean water so that he was not thirsty. Rabbit was quite satisfied.

But， when two days went by without rain， Rabbit sighed heavily. The fruit hehad been eating provided some moisture20， but he began to want a long， cool drinkof water. Rabbit stretched21 and moved to stand up. His eyes widened in surprise.His legs would not straighten22. His legs had healed， but they had healed in acrooked way.

“God of the tree，”Rabbit cried.“I need your help！ ”

“I cannot help you，”the Tree God whispered23， sounding like the wind.“Youhave done this to yourself.”

There was no talking to the god of the tree. Rabbit knew that the god of the treenever changed his mind. Besides， he knew he deserved24 his punishment. He hadbeen too lazy.

But the tree god was not finished. “Because of you， all rabbits everywhere willbe born with bent back legs. From now on and for all time， each rabbit must do hispart for his family and for the forests. Any rabbit who does not will starve25. Thatincludes you， Rabbit. The bent back legs will remind you to stay busy.”

With a gulp26， Rabbit nodded. “I will get to work right away.”And so he did.Rabbit put away his lazy ways. He became very quick. He hopped27 very fast. Henever waited. If he had something to do， he did it right away.

Rabbit stayed very busy for many weeks， but he was lonely. Other rabbitsthought he was ridiculous28. Most had not yet discovered that their own childrenwould be born with crooked back legs， just like Rabbit， and they were not as kindas other animals in the forest， animals like the monkeys and the moles and the ants，who still smiled at Rabbit as they scurried about doing whatever monkeys and molesand ants do to stay busy.

Time passed. One day， Rabbit hopped by the home of the Tree God. At the footof the tree， he found a beautiful rabbit collecting fruit that had fallen from the tree.She smiled gently at Rabbit. He stopped and helped her collect food. In the way ofrabbits， it was not long before she happily agreed to become his wife. “Thank you，Tree God，”Rabbit whispered as they hopped away， together.