One day, a clam proudly opened its shells to sun itself on the river bank.

一天，一只河蚌得意洋洋地张开壳，在河滩上晒太阳。

A snipe passed by the clam and stretched its bill to peck at the clam's flesh.

有一只鹬鸟，从河蚌身边走过，就伸出嚎去啄河蚌的肉。

The clam hurriedly closed its shells and tightly grasped the snipe's bill between them.

这时候，河蚌急忙把壳合上，紧紧地夹住了鹬鸟的咏。

Despite all its efforts, the snipe could not extricate its bill.

鹬鸟用尽力气，也拔不出它的嚎来。

The clam could not get itself free to return to the river either.

河蚌也脱不了身，不能回到河里去了。

Then the clam and the snipe began to quarrel.

河蚌和鹬鸟就争吵了起来。

The snipe said angrily: "If it doesn't rain for one or two days, there will be no water.

鹬鸟气呼呼地说:“一天不下雨，两天不下雨，没有了水。

And you can't return to the river, then surely you will die anyway."

你回不了河，总是要死的。”

The clam also said angrily: "If I don't let go of you for one or two days, you won't be ableto pull out your bill. Don't hope that you can live."

鹬河蚌也气呼呼地说:“一天不放你，两天不放你，你的咏拔不出来，也别想活。”

Neither the clam nor the snipe would give in, and they kept on grappling.

河蚌和鹬鸟谁也不让谁，争吵个不停。

At this moment, a fisherman came along the riverside with a fishing net.

这时候，有个捕鱼的人，提着鱼网，沿着河边走来。

He was very glad to see the snipe and the clam at a deadlock.

看见鹬鸟和河蚌相持不下，他非常高兴。

Without the least effort, he caught them both, put them into his fish basket and carriedthem home.

毫不费力地把它们两个一齐捉住，塞进鱼篓里，带回家去了。