The Camel and the Pig

 A Camel said: "Nothing like being tall! Look how tall I am!"

 

A Pig, who heard these words, said: "Nothing like being short! Look how short I am!"

 

The Camel said: "Well, if I fail to prove the truth of what I said, I shall give up my hump."

 

The Pig said: "If I fail to prove the truth of what I have said, I shall give up my snout."

 

"Agreed!" said the Camel.

 

"Just so!" said the Pig.

 

They came to a garden, enclosed¹ by a low wall without any opening. The Camel stood on this side the wall, and reaching the plants within by means² of his long neck made a breakfast on them. Then he turned jeeringly³ to the Pig, who had been standing⁴ at the bottom of the wall without even a look at the good things in the garden, and said: "Now, would you be tall, or short?"

 

Next they came to a garden, enclosed by a high wall, with a wicket gate at one end. The Pig entered by the gate and, after having eaten his fill of the vegetables within, came out, laughing at the poor Camel, who had had to stay outside, because he was too tall to enter the garden by the gate, and said: "Now, would you be tall, or short?"

 

Then they thought the matter over, and came to the conclusion that the Camel should keep his hump and the Pig his snout, observing: "Tall is good, where tall would do; if short, again, 'tis also true!"

1 enclosed   

adj.被附上的；（用墙等）围住的；封闭的；与外界隔绝的v.（用墙、篱笆等）把…围起来( enclose的过去式和过去分词 )；把…装入信封；附入；（尤指墙、篱笆等 ）围住

参考例句：

• The yard had been enclosed with iron railings. 院子用铁栅栏围了起来。
• Do not use this substance in an enclosed space. 切勿在不透气的地方使用此物质。

2 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

3 jeeringly   

adv.嘲弄地

参考例句：

• But Twain, Howells, and James were jeeringly described by Mencken as "draft-dodgers". 不过吐温、豪威尔斯和詹姆斯都是被门肯讥诮地叫做“逃避兵役的人。” 来自辞典例句

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。