There was once a farmer who devised a competition between his dog and his rabbit.He made a hole in one of his biggest fields, and hid a carrot and a bone in it.He wanted to see which animal would find them first.

The rabbit was very cheerful and optimistic, and he threw himself into looking for the carrot, digging here and there, totally convinced that he would find it. But the dog was pessimistic, and after sniffing around for a bit, he lay down on the ground and began to complain how difficult it was to find one bone in such a big field.

The rabbit dug for hours, and with every new hole the dog complained even more about how difficult this was, even for the rabbit. The rabbit, on the other hand, thought that each hole dug was one hole less that needed digging.When there was no place in the whole field left to dig, the rabbit dug a tunnel to right under where the dog had been lying all that time.There he found the carrot and the bone.

And this is how it was that the dog lost due to his pessimism. Because, thanks to his great instinct, he had already found the right place at the very beginning！

【英汉对照】

从前有一个农民，他为他的小狗和兔子设计了一场比赛。他在他最大的一块田地里挖了一个洞，并在里面藏了一个胡萝卜和一块骨头。他想看看小狗和兔子谁先找到他们。

兔子非常开心，也非常乐观。他开始全身心地寻找胡萝卜，到处挖坑。他完全相信自己能够找到它。但是小狗就比较悲观。他刚刚到处闻了一会儿就躺在地上，开始抱怨在这么一大块地里找一块骨头是多么困难。

兔子挖了好几个小时。兔子每挖一个新洞，小狗就抱怨得更厉害了，抱怨这有多难，甚至还为兔子抱怨起来。然而兔子却认为，每挖完一个洞，接下来就可以少挖一个。当整块田地里再也无处可挖的时候，兔子挖了一条隧道，通到了小狗一直躺着的地方。就在那里他找到了萝卜和骨头。

这就是小狗怎样因为悲观而输掉比赛的。因为，由于他的超级直觉，他在一开始就已经找对了地方。

【Moral of the Story】

Many of our natural shortfalls can be replaced by a positive attitude and perseverance.

【故事寓意】

我们的一些天生不足可以用积极态度和坚持不懈来弥补。

【词海拾贝】

devise[diˈvaiz][dɪˈvaɪz]vt.设计；想出；发明

optimistic[ɒptɪˈmɪstɪk]adj.乐观的；乐观主义的

throw into 扔，扔进；使……（突然）陷入某一状态

convince[kənˈvɪns]vt.说服；使确信，使信服

pessimistic[ˌpesiˈmistik]adj.悲观的，厌世的

tunnel[ˈtʌnl]n.隧道；坑道

pessimism[ˈpesɪmɪz（ə）m]n.悲观，悲观情绪

instinct[ˈɪnstɪŋ（k）t]n.本能，直觉

shortfall[ˈʃɔːtfɔːl]n.差额；缺少

perseverance[pɜːsɪˈvɪər（ə）ns]n.坚持不懈；不屈不挠