一時(shí)的享受變成了一世的桎梏。野鴨沃利的故事再次驗(yàn)證了那句老話:"生于憂患,死于安樂。"
　　A flock of wild ducks were flying in formation1), heading south for the winter. They formed a beautiful V in the sky, and were admired by everyone who saw them from below.
　　One day, Wally, one of the wild ducks in the formation, spotted something on the ground. It was a barnyard with a flock of tame2) ducks who lived on the farm. They were waddling3) around on the ground, quacking4) merrily and eating corn that was thrown on the ground for them every day. Wally liked what he saw. "It sure would be nice to have some of that corn," he thought to himself. "And all this flying is very tiring. I'd like to just waddle around for a while."
　　So after thinking it over a while, Wally left the formation of wild ducks, made a sharp dive, and headed for the barnyard. He landed among the tame ducks, and began to waddle around and quack merrily. He also started eating corn. The formation of wild ducks continued their journey South, but Wally didn't care. "I'll rejoin them when they come back North in a few months," he said to himself.
　　Several months went by and sure enough, Wally looked up and spotted the flock of wild ducks in formation, heading north. They looked beautiful up there. And Wally was tired of the barnyard. It was muddy and everywhere he waddled, there was nothing but duck doo5). "It's time to leave." said Wally.
　　So Wally flapped6) his wings furiously and tried to get airborne7). But he had gained some weight from all his corn-eating, and he hadn't exercised his wings much either. He finally got off the ground, but he was flying too low and slammed into the side of the barn. He fell to the ground with a thud8) and said to himself, "Oh, well, I'll just wait until they fly south in a few months. Then I'll rejoin them and become a wild duck again."
　　When the flock flew overhead once more, Wally again tried to lift himself out of the barnyard. But he simply didn't have the strength. Every winter and every spring, he saw his wild duck friends flying overhead, and they would call out9) to him. But his attempts to leave were all in vain10).
　　Eventually Wally no longer paid any attention to the wild ducks flying overhead. He hardly even noticed them. He had, after all, become a barnyard duck.
　　一群野鴨排著整齊的隊(duì)形飛往南方過冬。他們?cè)诳罩薪M成一個(gè)美麗的"V"字,地面上的人抬頭仰望,無不贊嘆。
　　一天,隊(duì)伍中的野鴨沃利,發(fā)現(xiàn)了地面上的一些東西。原來在谷倉(cāng)前的一塊空地上,一群農(nóng)場(chǎng)養(yǎng)的家鴨在搖擺著走來走去,歡快地嘎嘎叫著,啄食著人們每天撒在地上喂它們的谷物。沃利喜歡眼前的景象。"吃點(diǎn)兒那種谷物應(yīng)該不錯(cuò),"他暗想:"這樣的飛行實(shí)在是令人疲憊不堪。我還真想下去溜達(dá)一會(huì)兒。"
　　于是,考慮片刻之后,沃利離開了野鴨隊(duì)伍,一個(gè)急速俯沖,朝著谷倉(cāng)飛去。他落在了家鴨群中,開始四處踱來踱去,歡叫個(gè)不停,還吃起了地上的谷物。天上的野鴨群繼續(xù)著他們的南方之旅,但沃利毫不在意。"幾個(gè)月后,等他們飛回北方的時(shí)候,我再歸隊(duì)。"他自言自語(yǔ)道。
　　幾個(gè)月過去了,果不其然,沃利仰望天空,找到了那群隊(duì)形整齊的北歸野鴨。他們?cè)诳罩锌雌饋砗苊?。而沃利也早已在這塊空地上待膩了。這里滿是泥濘,所到之處都是鴨屎。"該離開這兒了。"沃利說。
　　于是沃利拼命拍打翅膀,試圖飛上藍(lán)天。可因?yàn)槌粤斯任?他的體重增加了不少,再加上他不經(jīng)?；顒?dòng)翅膀,所以盡管他最終飛離了地面,但卻飛得很低,撞到谷倉(cāng)的側(cè)圍上,砰的一聲摔到了地上。沃利自言自語(yǔ)道:"哦,好吧,那就再等幾個(gè)月,等他們?cè)俅文巷w時(shí),我再歸隊(duì),再變回一只野鴨。"
　　當(dāng)野鴨群再次飛過時(shí),沃利又試圖飛出谷倉(cāng),但他就是沒有足夠的力氣飛起來。每年的冬天和春天,沃利都能看到他的野鴨朋友們飛過,他們也會(huì)呼喚沃利,但沃利的努力卻總是徒勞。
　　最終,沃利不再去關(guān)注那些頭頂飛過的野鴨群,甚至對(duì)他們視而不見。他終究變成了一只家鴨。