XVI Nine Fights

 The next evening, just at dusk, Jasper Jay and old Mr. Crow returned to Solomon Owl¹'s house, looking much bedraggled. One of Mr. Crow's eyes was almost closed; and Jasper Jay's crest² seemed to have been torn half off his head.

 

“What's the matter?” asked Solomon, as soon as he saw them.

 

“We've had three fights,” said Jasper Jay.

 

“Yes! And I've whipped him each time!” cried Mr. Crow. “So I must be in the right. And you'd better decide our dispute in my favor at once.”

 

But Solomon Owl was still in no hurry.

 

“It's a difficult question to settle,‘ said he. ’I don't want to make any mistake. So I shall have to ask you to come back here to-morrow at this time.”

 

Both Jasper and Mr. Crow seemed disappointed. Although Mr. Crow had won each fight, he was very weary, for he was older than Jasper Jay.

 

As they went off, Solomon Owl began to feel much pleased with himself.

 

The following evening, at sunset, old Mr. Crow and Jasper Jay visited Solomon Owl once more. And they looked more battered³ than ever.

 

“We've had three more fights,” said Mr. Crow.

 

“Yes! And I won each time!” Jasper Jay piped up. “So I must be in the right. And you'd better decide in my favor without any further delay.”

 

 

Solomon Owl thought deeply for some time.

 

“Maybe I ought to wait until to-morrow——” he began.

 

But his callers both shouted “No!”

 

“Well,” said Solomon, “Mr. Crow has won three fights; and Jasper Jay has won three. So it is certain that each must be in the wrong.”

 

But that announcement did not satisfy Jasper and Mr. Crow. And they left the hemlock⁴ grove⁵, disputing more loudly than ever.

 

And the next day, at dusk, they came back again.

 

“We've had three more fights; and I won!” they both cried at the same time.

 

“That proves my claim,” said Solomon Owl. “You're both wrong.”

 

They whispered together for a few minutes.

 

 

“We don't like your way of settling disputes,” Mr. Crow remarked shortly. “But we've decided⁶ to stop quarreling.”

 

“Good!” said Solomon Owl. “That shows that you are sensible.”

 

“Yes!” replied Jasper. “We've decided to stop quarreling and fight you!”

 

“Wait a moment!” said Solomon Owl hastily, as they drew nearer. “I don't want my new suit spoiled.” And he ducked inside the hollow tree before they could reach him.

 

Jasper and Mr. Crow waited and waited. But Solomon Owl did not reappear. And since his two visitors did not dare follow him into the dark cavern⁷ where he lived, they decided at last that they would go home—and get into bed.

 

“Let's take away his sign, anyhow!” Jasper Jay suggested.

 

 

So they pulled down Solomon's sign, which said “Disputes Settled Within,” and they carried it off with them and hid it in some bushes.

 

That same night Solomon Owl hunted for it for a long time. But he never found it.

 

He decided not to hang out another, for he saw that settling disputes was a dangerous business.

 

1 owl   

n.猫头鹰，枭

参考例句：

• Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。
• I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

2 crest   

n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖

参考例句：

• The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
• He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

3 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

4 hemlock   

n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉

参考例句：

• He was condemned to drink a cup of hemlock.判处他喝一杯毒汁。
• Here is a beech by the side of a hemlock,with three pines at hand.这儿有株山毛榉和一株铁杉长在一起，旁边还有三株松树。

5 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 cavern   

n.洞穴，大山洞

参考例句：

• The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。
• It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。