DesigNing

The Three Lame Cats

There are three soldiers in battle, and the youngest, Ken, gets shot in the back. While the second oldest soldier, Paul, tries to stop the bleeding, the oldest, Wilbert, asks the wounded soldier to tell them a story to stay awake. The wounded soldier tells a story like this: “Once upon a time, there were three lame cats. The oldest one was named Wilbert. He was very strong, even though he was lame. In fact, he was lame because of his own strength. He hated dogs, and thought they were noisy and disgusting. One day, he fought with a dog that was urinating in his backyard. The dog bit his leg and broke it, and he became lame. The second cat was named Paul. He was very smart, even though he was lame. In fact, he was lame because of his own intelligence. He disdained mice, and thought they were stupid and greedy. One day when he was laughing at a mouse that had its tail caught in a mousetrap, the mouse bet his life that Paul wouldn’t be able to take the cheese out of the mousetrap and get away with it. Paul accepted the challenge, but his leg was broken by the mousetrap, becoming lame. The youngest cat was named Ken. He was neither strong nor intelligent.” “Why was he lame?” Wilbert asked. “No special reason,” Ken said, “He was born lame.”

三隻跛腳的貓

　　戰爭中有三個士兵，而肯，其中最年輕的一位，被子彈射中背部。當保羅，第二年輕的士兵，幫他止血時，最年長的威伯特叫士兵跟他們講一個故事以保持清醒。受傷的士兵跟他們說了這個故事：「很久很久以前有三隻跛腳的貓。其中最年長的貓名字是威伯特。儘管他跛腳，他很強壯。其實，他是因為自己的力氣而跛腳的。他憎恨狗，說他們吵鬧又噁心。有一天，他和一隻在他的院子裡撒尿的狗打架。那隻狗咬斷了他的腳，使他跛腳。第二年長的貓名字是保羅。儘管他跛腳，他很聰明。其實，他是因為他的智慧而跛腳的。他鄙視老鼠，說他們愚蠢又貪心。有一天當他嘲笑著一隻尾巴被捕鼠器夾住的老鼠時，那隻老鼠用自己生命打賭他不可能把捕鼠器裡的起司拿走而沒事。保羅接受挑戰。但是腳被捕鼠器夾斷，變成跛腳了。最年輕的貓名字是肯。他沒有很強壯，也不聰明。」「他為什麼跛腳？」威伯特問。「沒什麼特別原因，」肯說。「他生出來就跛腳了。」

-羅寗 Michelle Ning Lo