A Raven, which you know is black as coal, was envious of the Swan, because her feathers were as white as the purest snow. The foolish bird got the idea that if he lived like the Swan, swimming and diving all day long and eating the weeds and plants that grow in the water, his feathers would turn white like the Swan’s.

　　有一只乌鸦，非常羡慕天鹅。天鹅身上雪白的羽毛，像最洁白的雪一样;而自己的羽毛，却和煤炭一样黑。这只愚蠢的鸟儿想，如果自己像天鹅那样生活，整天在水中游泳、潜水，吃那些生长在水里的植物，自己的羽毛就会变得像天鹅那样白。

　　So he left his home in the woods and fields and flew down to live on the lakes and in the marshes. But though he washed and washed all day long, almost drowning himself at it, his feathers remained as black as ever. And as the water weeds he ate did not agree with him, he got thinner and thinner, and at last he died.

　　乌鸦想到做到。它离开自己在丛林里的窝，飞到河湖、沼泽里生活。然而，尽管乌鸦整天洗了又洗，几乎把自己溺死在水里，羽毛依然还是和以前一样黑。而且因为吃的水生植物并不适合它，乌鸦变得越来越消瘦，最后连姓名也搭上了。

　　本故事重点英语词汇学习

　　raven (大)乌鸦

　　weed 野草，杂草

　　drown 淹没，淹死

　　道理学习

　　A change of habits will not alter nature.

　　习惯的变化，是无法改变本性的。