divided  分

quarrel  争吵

agree  同意

thus  因此

settle 解决

settling  沉降

kernel  核心

equal  平等

apt  易于

parts 零件

THE QUARREL 争　吵

Under a great tree in the woods, two boys saw a fine, large nut, and both ran to get it. 两个男孩在树林里的一棵大树下看到了一个漂亮的大果子。他俩都跑过去捡。

James got to it first, and picked it up. 詹姆斯首先跑过去把它拾了起来。

"It is mine," said John, "for I was the first to see it." “这是我的，”约翰说，“是我先发现它的。”

"No, it is mine," said James, "for I was the first to pick it up." “不，这是我的，”詹姆斯说，“是我先把它捡起来的。”

Thus, they at once began to quarrel about the nut. 于是，他们立刻为这个果子争吵起来。

As they could not agree whose it should be, they called an older boy, and asked him. 他们不能就果子是谁的达成一致，便找来了一个大男孩来评理。

The older boy said, "I will settle this quarrel." 大男孩说：“我会解决这场争吵的。”

He took the nut, and broke the shell. He then took out the kernel, and divided the shell into two parts, as nearly equal as he could. 他拿来果子，凿开壳，然后拿出果仁，把壳尽可能平均地切成了两半。

"This half of the shell," said he, "belongs to the boy who first saw the nut." “这是壳的一半，”他说，“它属于第一个看到果子的人。”

"And this half belongs to the boy who picked it up. “这一半属于捡起它的人。”

"The kernel of the nut, I shall keep as my pay for settling the quarrel. “这果仁，因为我解决了这场争吵，所以它属于我。”

"This is the way," said he, laughing, "in which quarrels are very apt to end." “这是易于解决争吵的好方法。”他笑着说。