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1、TheWONDERFULPUMPNotmanyyearsagotherelivedonastony,barrenNewEnglandfarmamanandhiswife.Theyweresober,honestpeople,workinghardfromearlymorninguntildarktoenablethemtosecureascantylivingfromtheirpoorland.Theirhouse,asmall,one-storiedbuilding,stoodupontheside
2、ofasteephill,andthestoneslaysothicklyaboutitthatscarceanythinggreencouldgrowfromtheground.Atthefootofthehill,aquarterofamilefromthehousebythewindingpath,wasasmallbrook,andthewomanwasobligedtogothereforwaterandtocarryitupthehilltothehouse.Thiswasatedious
3、task,andwiththeotherhardworkthatfelltohersharehadmadehergauntandbentandlean.Yetshenevercomplained,butmeeklyandfaithfullyperformedherduties,doingthehousework,carryingthewaterandhelpingherhusbandhoethescantycropthatgrewuponthebestpartoftheirland.Oneday,as
4、shewalkeddownthepathtothebrook,herbigshoesscatteringthepebblesrightandleft,shenoticedalargebeetlelyinguponitsbackandstrugglinghardwithitslittlelegstoturnover,thatitsfeetmightagaintouchtheground.Butthisitcouldnotaccomplish;sothewoman,whohadakindheart,rea
5、cheddownandgentlyturnedthebeetlewithherfinger.Atonceitscamperedfromthepathandshewentontothebrook.Thenextday,asshecameforwater,shewassurprisedtoseethebeetleagainlyinguponitsbackandstrugglinghelplesslytoturn.Oncemorethewomanstoppedandsethimuponhisfeet;and
6、then,asshestoopedoverthetinycreature,sheheardasmallvoicesay:"Oh,thankyou!Thankyousomuchforsavingme!"Halffrightenedathearingabeetlespeakinherownlanguage,thewomanstartedbackandexclaimed:"Lasakes!Surelyyoucan'ttalklikehumans!"Then,recoveringfromheralarm,sh
7、eagainbentoverthebeetle,whoansweredher:"Whyshouldn'tItalk,ifIhaveanythingtosay?"'Causeyou'reabug,"repliedthewoman."Thatistrue;andyousavedmylife--savedmefrommyenemies,thesparrows.Andthisisthesecondtimeyouhavecometomyassistance,soIoweyouadebtofgratitude.B
8、ugsvaluetheirlivesasmuchashumanbeings,andIamamoreimportantcreaturethanyou,inyourignorance,maysuppose.But,tellme,whydoyoucomeeachdaytothebrook?""Forwater,"sheanswered,staringstupidlydownatthetalkingbeetle."Isn'tithardwork?"thecrea
