him seemed so cheerful.

“看，” 它們說，“太陽多明亮，雲朵在藍天上飄浮。

“See,” they said, “how the sun shines, and the clouds float in the blue sky.

你難道沒有聞到花兒和灌木叢散發的甜美香氣嗎？

do you not smell the sweet perfume from flower and bush?

你為什麼哭泣呀，老柳樹？”

wherefore do you weep, old willow-tree?”

然後柳樹就給它們講了蕎麥的傲慢自大，以及隨之而來的懲罰。

then the willow told them of the haughty pride of the buckwheat, and of the punishment which followed in consequence.

這就是一天傍晚我請求麻雀們給我講個故事時，它們講給我聽的故事。

this is the story told me by the sparrows one evening when I begged them to relate some tale to me.