A man once bought a brilliantly-coloured parrot. Instead of locking it up in a cage or chaining it to a perch, he allowed it to fly free all over the house. The parrot was delighted at this and flapped from room to room, shrieking and screaming with happiness. At last he settled on the edge of a rich curtain.

　　"Who on earth are you ?" said a cross voice from below. "Stop that terrible noise at once."

　　The parrot saw a cat staring up at him from the carpet.

　　"I 'm a parrot. I 've just arrived and I 'm to make as much noise as I can," he said.

　　"Well, I 've lived here all my life," replied the cat ."I was born in this very house and I learned from my mother that it is best to keep quiet here."

　　"Keep quiet then, "said the parrot cheerfully. "I don't know what you do around here, but I know my job. My master bought me for my voice and I'm going to make sure he hears it."

　　Different people are valued for different things.

　　鹦鹉和猫

　　从前，有人买了一只毛色鲜艳的鹦鹉。他没有把鹦鹉关在笼子里，也没有用链条把他拴在栖木上，而让他在家里自由自在地飞来飞去。鹦鹉对此非常高兴，扑动翅膀，从一间屋子飞到另一间屋子，愉快地尖声叫着，最后停在华丽的帷幔的边上。

　　"你到底是谁?"从下面传来怒气冲冲的说话声，"马上住嘴，别发出那难听的声音。"

　　鹦鹉看见地毯上有一只猫抬头看着他。

　　"我是鹦鹉。　我刚到，我要使劲地吵吵。"他说。 "那你就一声不响吧，"鹦鹉欢快地说，"我不知道你在这儿干什么，可我知道我的活儿。主人为了我的声音才买我，我一定得让他听到。"

　　不同的人因有不同的特点而受重视。

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