A Cock was busily scratching and scraping about to find something to eat for himself and his family, when he happened to turn up a precious jewel that had been lost by its owner.
 
一只公鸡，忙着用爪子在地面刨来刨去，到处找自己和家人可以吃的东西，碰巧翻出了一颗被人遗失的珍贵宝石。
 
“Aha!” said the Cock. “No doubt you are very costly and he who lost you would give a great deal to find you. But as for me, I would choose a single grain of barleycorn before all the jewels in the world.”  
 
“啊哈，”公鸡叫道，“毫无疑问，这颗宝石非常值钱。将它丢失了的主人，一定会不惜代价寻找。然而对我来说，即使全世界的珠宝全摆在面前，我也宁可选择一颗大麦粒。”
 
本故事重点英语词汇学习
 
scratch 乱写，擦，刮
happen to do 碰巧做...
barleycorn 大麦粒
 
道理学习
 
Precious things are without value to those who cannot prize them.
对于不需要它们得人来说，再珍贵的东西也没有价值。