熊貓為啥要和老虎比武？誰贏了？
老虎是百獸之王，老虎的命令誰敢違抗？偏偏熊貓要抗令，請看惠言童話第5集《老虎和熊貓》。
編輯寄語
受疫情影響，自3月16日起，大紐約地區學校陸續關閉，孩子們在家，除了上網課外，各種活動受到限制。如何幫助孩子們度過這個非常時期的枯燥生活，讓家長們十分操心。惠言先生在徵得參與創作者和組織者同意後，主動向我們編輯部提議，把他正在籌划出版的《惠言童話》18篇繪畫本稿子贈給我們網站連載，可以讓孩子們在網上看到和聽到這些故事，有助於提高他們的中文閱讀和聽力水平。
故事文稿是基於惠言先生前幾年在《世界日報》上發表的故事修改的，中美兩地34個孩子們參加了插畫稿創作，上海五里橋文化中心張煒瑋主任組織「音之魅」誦讀沙龍的語言藝術家們創作了9個朗誦作品。希望這些生動有趣的故事、童趣洋溢的圖畫和美妙的朗誦藝術作品，能伴隨孩子們度過新冠疫情這個困難時期。對此，我們向惠言先生；英文稿的校閱者Jason Kenny先生和趙蒙皓女士；上海五里橋文化中心及「音之魅」誦讀沙龍語言藝術家們；參與畫稿創作的孩子們及其家長表示衷心感謝！
本網站將於5月4日（周一）起，每逢周一、三、五連載推出，每次一篇《惠言童話》故事，大約持續六周，歡迎大家下載收看收聽。
5. 老虎和熊貓
The Tiger and the Panda
文： 惠言
畫： 周天翼（10歲，圖1-5）；Jessica Zhou（周思可）（9歲，圖6-9）
英文校閱： Jason Kenny & 趙蒙皓
中文朗誦： 王慶憲
英文朗誦： Jessica Zhou（周思可）
5. 老虎和熊貓中文朗誦
5. 老虎和熊貓英文朗誦
老虎當上百獸之王，建立了動物王國，享受其他動物進貢的食品。這一天，他把分享殘羹的助手狐狸找來，讓狐狸去通知所有動物三天以後到他洞內開會，確認全年進貢計劃。
The tiger lived in an animal kingdom where he was the king. He enjoyed the food that the other animals gave him in tribute. The fox, as the tiger』s servant, shared the tiger』s leftover food. One day, the tiger decided to hold a meeting to let the animals know which food they would have to give him in tribute for the coming year. He ordered the fox to inform all the animals in the kingdom to come to his cave three days hence.
狐狸飛快地在森林裡兜了一圈，他藉著虎威，惡狠狠地通知各種動物：「如果不來，後果自負。」迫於老虎的威勢，動物們都表示服從命令。但當狐狸好不容易在竹林里找到熊貓，宣布老虎的命令時，熊貓乾脆地答道：「我不去！」
The fox quickly ran through the forest. He took advantage of the tiger』s authority to order all the animals around and make them heed his warning, “If you don’t come, there will be consequences.” Afraid of the tiger’s ferocity, the animals were forced to obey the order. After searching very hard for the panda, the fox finally found him in the bamboo forest, and announced the tiger』s order to him. The panda』s response was simple and crisp, “I』m not going.”
狐狸趕緊向老虎報告，除了熊貓，其他動物都會準時報到、按時納貢。老虎聽到熊貓拒令，生氣地對狐狸說：「你再去告訴大家，三天後的會議改在森林邊上的草地上，我先要和熊貓廝殺一番，再確認進貢計劃。」
The fox hurried back and reported to the tiger what had transpired, 「All animals except the panda would attend the meeting on time and took heed of your proclamation.」 The tiger was infuriated that the panda had rejected his order. 「Go to the animals again」, he said to the fox, 「and tell them that the meeting will be held on the grasslands at the edge of the forest three days from now. I will fight with the panda first, then announce my food plan.”
三天後，動物們來到森林邊上的草地看台，威風凜凜的老虎和憨態可掬的熊貓走上一旁的比武台。老虎厲聲責問：「你怎敢違抗我的命令不納貢？」熊貓冷靜應答：「我只會摘竹子、吃竹子，我進貢竹子，你收嗎？你要我進貢肉的話，那就只能進貢我自己或者孩子，可是我不甘心，因此冒死來和你比武。」
Three days later, all the animals came to the grassland stage located at the edge of the forest, the majestic tiger and the lovely panda standing on opposite sides of the stage. “How dare you disobey my order?” the tiger demanded. The panda replied calmly, “I can harvest bamboo, and provide this to you in tribute, would you accept? If you want meat, then I have no meat except myself or my children. However, I’m not willing to do it, therefore I have come here to fight you.”
看著胖乎乎的熊貓，老虎心想：「今天我就要當著眾動物的面打敗你、吃掉你，既飽我口福，又讓大家知道我的厲害。」老虎氣勢洶洶地說：「你狡辯，抗令就該死，不用十分鐘，我就能把你打敗、吃掉你。」
Looking at the chubby panda, the tiger thought to himself, 『Today I’m going to beat you and eat you in front of all the animals. Not only will I have a good meal, but will also show how powerful I am.』 The tiger snarled at the panda, “You dare to quibble, so you will face the death penalty for going against my order. I can beat you in ten minutes, and then I will eat you.”
熊貓胸有成竹地說：「那好吧，別說十分鐘，我給你一小時，你如果在一個小時里還吃不掉我，就得認輸，從此大家不再向你進貢。」老虎心想：「這怎麼可能？」於是答應：「好，我們一言為定。」
The panda answered with confidence, “Well then, forget about ten minutes, I’ll give you one hour. If you cannot eat me within an hour, you must accept your defeat, and all the animals will no longer be required to pay tribute to you with food.” The tiger thought, 『How is that possible?』 so he readily agreed, “You have a deal. Let』s do it.”
動物們推舉老牛做裁判，當老牛宣布比武開始後，老虎一個箭步撲向熊貓，但因為老虎長期不覓食，身體虛胖，動作有點遲緩，熊貓敏捷閃開，老虎再用尾巴掃向熊貓，熊貓縱身躍過，老虎使出大絕招，側身翻撲，熊貓就地打滾避過，順勢跑向樹林，老虎緊追不捨。
The animals elected the old cow as the official to oversee the contest. When the old cow announced the start of the contest, the tiger sprang at the panda. The tiger had not hunted for a long time on his own and was a bit slow. The panda easily escaped the tiger』s attack. Then the tiger attempted to sweep the panda with his tail, but the panda jumped over it. The tiger tried his best moves and attacked the panda on his side; but the panda rolled away, and then ran to the forest.
熊貓迅速爬上一棵大樹，老虎不會爬樹，只能在樹下打轉。一個小時過去了，老牛宣布熊貓獲勝。
The panda quickly climbed up a tall tree. The tiger could not climb the tree, but circled the base of the tree many times. One hour passed. The old cow announced that the panda was the winner.
動物們抬起爬下樹的熊貓歡呼，從此不再向老虎進貢。老虎重歸山林，以狩獵為生，體格也恢復強健了。
The panda climbed down the tree; the animals raised the panda overhead and cheered for him. They would no longer pay tribute to the tiger with food. The tiger returned to the forest. He started to hunt on his own, and became strong once again.
