The Camel and His Master

 One night a Camel looked into the tent where his Master was lying and said: "Kind Master, will you not let me put my head inside of the door? The wind blows very cold to-night."

 

"Oh, yes," said the Man. "There is plenty of room."

 

So the Camel moved forward and stretched his head into the tent. "Ah!" he said, "this is what I call comfort."

 

In a little while he called to his Master again. "Now if I could only warm my neck also," he said.

 

"Then put your neck inside," said his Master, kindly¹. "You will not be in my way."

 

The Camel did so, and for a time was very well contented². Then, looking around, he said: "If I could only put my forelegs inside I should feel a great deal better."

 

His Master moved a little and said: "You may put your forelegs and shoulders inside, for I know that the wind blows cold to-night."

 

The Camel had hardly planted his forefeet within the tent when he spoke³ again:

 

"Master," he said, "I keep the tent open by standing⁴ here. I think I ought to go wholly⁵ within."

 

"Yes, come in," said the Man. "There is hardly room for us both, but I do not want to keep you out in the cold."

 

So the Camel crowded into the tent, but he was no sooner inside than he said: "You were right when you said that there was hardly room for us both. I think it would be better for you to stand outside and so give me a chance to turn around and lie down."

 

Then, without more ado, he rudely pushed the Man out at the door, and took the whole tent for himself.

 

1 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

2 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 wholly   

adv.完全地，全部地

参考例句：

• I wholly agree with you.我完全同意你。
• His story is wholly fictitious.他的故事全是编造的。