The Story of our Fingers.

 Narrated by Leopoldo Uichanco, a Tagalog from Calamba, La Laguna.

 

“Why,” said Antonio to his grandfather one day, “does our thumb stand separate from the other fingers?”

 

“That is only so in our days,” replied old Julian. “In the days of long ago the fingers of our ancestors stood together in the same position. One day one of these fingers, the one we call the little finger, became very hungry, and he asked the finger next to him to give him some food.

 

“?‘O brother!’ said the Ring-Finger in reply, ‘I am hungry also; but where shall we get food?’

 

“?‘Heaven is merciful,’ put in the Middle-Finger, trying to comfort his two brothers; ‘Heaven will give us some.’

 

“?‘But, Brother Middle-Finger,’ protested¹ the Forefinger², ‘what if Heaven gives us no food?’

 

“?‘Well, then,’ interposed the Thumb, ‘let us steal!’

 

“?‘Steal!’ echoed³ the Forefinger, not at all pleased by the advice that had just been given. ‘Mr. Thumb knows better than to do that, I hope!’

 

“?‘That is bad policy, Mr. Thumb,’ concluded the other [417]three unanimously⁴. ‘Your idea is against morality⁵, against God, against yourself, against everybody. Our conscience⁶ will not permit us to steal.’

 

“?‘Oh, no, no!’ returned Thumb angrily, ‘you are greatly mistaken, my friends! Haven’t you sense enough even to know how foolish you are to oppose my plan? Do you call my scheme bad policy,—to save your lives and mine?’

 

“?‘Ay, if that be your plan,’ said the other four fingers, ‘you can go your own way. As for us, we would rather starve and die than steal.’ Then the four virtuous⁷ brothers drove Thumb in shame out of their community, and would have nothing more to do with him.

 

“So that is why,” concluded old Julian, “we see our thumbs separated from the other four fingers. He was a thief; and the other four, who were honest, did not care to live with him. And it is because Little-Finger did not have enough to eat, that we see him lean and weak these days.”

 

1 protested   

v.声明( protest的过去式和过去分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• He protested he was being cheated of his rightful share. 他提出抗议说他被人骗取了他依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Amy protested she was being cheated of her rightful share. 艾米提出抗议，说有人骗取了她依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 forefinger   

n.食指

参考例句：

• He pinched the leaf between his thumb and forefinger.他将叶子捏在拇指和食指之间。
• He held it between the tips of his thumb and forefinger.他用他大拇指和食指尖拿着它。

3 echoed   

重复，随声附和( echo的过去式和过去分词 )； 类似； 发射（声音等）； 发出回声

参考例句：

• Their shouts re-echoed through the darkness. 他们的喊声回荡在黑暗中。
• Their footsteps echoed in the silence. 他们的脚步声在一片寂静中回荡着。

4 unanimously   

ad.一致同意地

参考例句：

• Three judges unanimously upheld the sentence. 三名法官一致维持这个判决。
• Following discussion, the annual report was accepted unanimously. 经过讨论，年度报告获一致通过。

5 morality   

n.道德（性），德行，品行，道德观（规范）

参考例句：

• Morality was the emphasis of his speech.道德是他讲话的重点。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality.他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

6 conscience   

n.良心，道德心

参考例句：

• Guilt had been eating into his conscience for some months. 几个月来内疚一直折磨着他的良心。
• He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

7 virtuous   

adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的

参考例句：

• She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性，人人都尊敬她。
• My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。