The Oak and the Reed

   The Oak one day address'd the Reed:

  "To you ungenerous indeed

  Has nature been, my humble¹ friend,

  With weakness aye obliged to bend.

  The smallest bird that flits in air

  Is quite too much for you to bear;

  The slightest wind that wreathes the lake

  Your ever-trembling head doth shake.

  The while, my towering form

    Dares with the mountain top

    The solar blaze to stop,

  And wrestle² with the storm.

  What seems to you the blast of death,

  To me is but a zephyr's breath.

  Beneath my branches had you grown,

  Less suffering would your life have known,

    Unhappily you oftenest show

      In open air your slender form,

    Along the marshes³ wet and low,

      That fringe the kingdom of the storm.

    To you, declare I must,

    Dame⁴ Nature seems unjust."

  Then modestly replied the Reed:

  "Your pity, sir, is kind indeed,

  But wholly needless for my sake.

  The wildest wind that ever blew

  Is safe to me compared with you.

  I bend, indeed, but never break.

  Thus far, I own, the hurricane

  Has beat your sturdy back in vain;

  But wait the end." Just at the word,

  The tempest's hollow voice was heard.

  The North sent forth⁵ her fiercest child,

  Dark, jagged, pitiless, and wild.

  The Oak, erect⁶, endured the blow;

  The Reed bow'd gracefully⁷ and low.

  But, gathering⁸ up its strength once more,

  In greater fury than before,

  The savage⁹ blast o'erthrew, at last,

  That proud, old, sky-encircled head,

  Whose feet entwined the empire of the dead!

 

1 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

2 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。

3 marshes   

n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
• We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

5 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

6 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

7 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

8 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

9 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。