The Presidente who had Horns

 

 

Once there was a presidente3 who was very unjust¹ to his people, and one day he became so angry that he wished he had horns so that he might frighten them. No sooner had he made this rash² wish, than horns began to grow on his head.

 

He sent for a barber³ who came to his house to cut his hair, and as he worked the presidente asked:

 

“What do you see on my head?”

 

“I see nothing,” answered the barber; for although he could see the horns plainly, he was afraid to say so.

 

Soon, however, the presidente put up his hands and felt the horns, and then when he inquired⁴ again the barber told him that he had two horns.

 

“If you tell anyone what you have seen, you shall be hanged,” said the presidente as the barber started away, and he was greatly frightened.

 

When he reached home, the barber did not intend to tell anyone, for he was afraid; but as he thought of his secret more and more, the desire to tell someone became so strong that he knew he could not keep it. Finally he went to the field and dug a hole under some bamboo, and when the hole was large enough he crawled⁵ in and whispered that the presidente had [182]horns. He then climbed out, filled up the hole, and went home.

 

By and by some people came along the road on their way to market, and as they passed the bamboo they stopped in amazement⁶, for surely a voice came from the trees, and it said that the presidente had horns. These people hastened⁷ to market and told what they had heard, and the people there went to the bamboo to listen to the strange voice. They informed others, and soon the news had spread all over the town. The councilmen were told, and they, too, went to the bamboo. When they had heard the voice, they ran to the house of the presidente. But his wife said that he was ill and they could not see him.

 

By this time the horns had grown until they were one foot in length, and the presidente was so ashamed that he bade his wife tell the people that he could not talk. She told this to the councilmen when they came on the following day, but they replied that they must see him, for they had heard that he had horns, and if this were true he had no right to govern the people.

 

She refused to let them in, so they broke down the door. They saw the horns on the head of the presidente and killed him. For, they said, he was no better than an animal.

1 unjust   

adj.非正义的；不公正的，不公平的，不该受的

参考例句：

• The unjust peace agreement set the scene for another war.这项不公平的和约为另一场战争埋下了祸根。
• It was unjust of them not to hear my side.他们不听我这方面的意见，这不公正。

2 rash   

adj.轻率的；n.（皮）疹，爆发的一连串

参考例句：

• My skin has broken out in an itchy rash.我的皮肤上突然长出一片让人发痒的皮疹。
• Don't be rash in making your decision.别轻率做出决定。

3 barber   

n.理发员，美容师

参考例句：

• She asked the barber to crop her hair short.她叫理发师把她的头发剪短了。
• My Mum took me to the barber's.我妈带我理发去了。

4 inquired   

打听，询问( inquire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• The pilot inquired about the weather condition. 这飞行员查问天气情况。

5 crawled   

v.爬( crawl的过去式和过去分词 )；（昆虫）爬行；缓慢行进；巴结

参考例句：

• They crawled along on their bellies. 他们匍匐前进。
• She crawled onto the river bank and lay there gulping in air. 她爬上河岸，躺在那里喘着粗气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

7 hastened   

v.加速，催促，赶快( hasten的过去式和过去分词 )；快速赶往某地

参考例句：

• She saw his frown and hastened to explain. 看到他皱起眉头，她赶紧解释。
• He hastened to assure us that the press would not be informed. 他急忙向我们保证新闻界是不会知道的。 来自《简明英汉词典》