The Cuckoo and the Cock

 "How proudly and sonorously¹ you sing, my dear Cock!"

 

"But you, dear Cuckoo, my light, how smoothly² flows your long drawn-out note! There is no such singer in all the rest of our forest."

 

"To you, dear friend, I could listen forever."

 

"And as for you, my beauty, I protest that when you are silent I scarcely know how to wait till you begin again. Where do you get such a voice?—so clear, so soft, so high! But no doubt you were always like that: not very large in stature³, but in song—a nightingale."

 

"Thanks, friend. As for you, I declare on my conscience you sing better than the birds in the Garden of Eden. I appeal to public opinion for a proof of this."

 

At this moment a Sparrow, who had overheard their conversation, said to them:

 

"You may go on praising each other till you are hoarse⁴, my friends; but your music is utterly⁵ worthless."

 

Why was it, that, not fearing to sin, the Cuckoo praised the Cock?

Simply because the Cock praised the Cuckoo.

 

1 sonorously   

adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；堂皇地；朗朗地

参考例句：

• He pronounced sonorously as he shook the wet branch. 他一边摇动着湿树枝，一边用洪亮的声音说着。 来自辞典例句
• The congregation consisted chiefly of a few young folk, who snored sonorously. 教堂里的会众主要是些打盹睡觉并且鼾声如雷的年轻人。 来自互联网

2 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

3 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

4 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

5 utterly   

adv.完全地，绝对地

参考例句：

• Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
• I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。