宙斯正打算毁掉人类，但是在开始前，他想再给人类最后一次机会。于是，在他儿子阿波罗的陪同下，宙斯装扮成衣衫褴褛的旅行者，一家一家地敲鲍西丝和费莱蒙邻居的门，正如宙斯所害怕和期待的一样，邻居们都无礼地拒绝了他和儿子。他们来到最后一间屋前——鲍西丝和费莱蒙简陋的小屋，这对夫妇自结婚时起就住在这里。
有客人来，费莱蒙和鲍西丝非常高兴，并坚持让他们的客人到小小的壁炉边烤火休息，他们甚至又拖进一些珍贵的柴火让火燃得更旺一些。然后费莱蒙和鲍西丝给饿坏了的客人端上了新鲜水果、鸡蛋和酒。
不一会儿，这对老夫妇注意到无论他们给两位客人加多少次酒，他们的酒杯都是满的。他们开始怀疑两位客人不仅仅是凡人那么简单，以防万一，费莱蒙和鲍西丝决定倾其所有给他们准备跟神的膳食最接近的饭菜。为了表达敬意，他们想把唯一的鹅宰了。不幸的是，鹅的腿脚比他们的腿脚快，最后它跑到神圣客人那里寻求庇护。为了救下这只鹅，宙斯和阿波罗透露了他们的身份，表示他们很高兴遇上这么可敬的人类夫妇。两位神把这对夫妇带到了一座山上，在那里他们能看到邻居们所遭受的惩罚——毁灭性的洪灾。
出于二老的要求，他们被指派为宙斯所住宫殿的看护者。随着俩个凡人生命的结束，他们变成了白蜡树和菩提树，并肩站在神殿前。
单词短语透视
1.
destroy [d‘str] v. 破坏；杀死；消灭；摧毁例句
An atom bomb would destroy a city.
一颗原子弹能摧毁一座城市。
2.be willing to do sth.愿意做某事
例句
Are you willing to accept responsibility
你愿意承担责任吗
3.
disguise [ds’gaz] v. 假装；假扮；装扮例句
He plans to disguise himself as a policeman.
他打算把自己假扮成一个警察。
4.
weary [‘wr] adj. 疲倦的，疲劳的（尤指因费力或持久所致）；精疲力竭例句
They felt weary after all their hard work.他们把所有的累活儿都干完后感到筋疲力尽。
5.
rudely [rudl] adv. 无礼地；粗暴地
例句
In the meeting， he behaved rudely.
在会议上，他的行为很无礼。
6.
cottage [’ktd] n. 简陋的小屋；（尤指）村舍
例句
He fixed up the cottage before they moved in.
他把农舍修整好，他们才搬进去。
7.
hearth [hɑθ] n. 炉前区域；壁炉边
例句
A pile of lots was set beside the hearth.
炉边有一堆木柴。
8.
lug [lg] v. 用力拉或拖（某物）
例句
I had to lug my bags up to the fourth floor.
我只得费劲地把我的几个包拖上四楼。
9.
precious [‘pres] adj. 贵重的；宝贵的例句
Pandas are precious creatures.
熊猫是珍贵的动物。
10.
blaze [blez] n. 火焰；火光
例句
Dry wood makes a good blaze.
干木燃起夺目的火焰。
11.
refill [，ri’fl] v. 再装满；再充满例句
He emptied his glass and asked for a refill.
他干了一杯，又要求再斟满一杯。
12.
shelter[‘elt（r）] n. 遮蔽，庇护
例句
They found shelter from the storm in a barn.他们在谷仓里躲避暴风雨。
13.
divine [d’van] adj. 上帝或神的；神圣的；非凡的例句
You have no divine right of purchase.
你没有神圣不可侵犯的购买权。
14.
honorable [‘nrbl] adj. 光荣的；可敬的；体面的例句
He was honorable in word and in deed.
他言行诚信可敬。
15.
punishment [’pnmnt] n. 罚；处罚；惩罚例句
The punishments for the children were too severe.
对这些孩子的处罚过于严厉。
16.
devastating [‘devstet] adj. 破坏力极强的；毁灭性的例句
A little spark can kindle a devastating bushfire.
星星之火会引起毁灭性的林区大火。
17.
span [spn.（某事物）自始至终的持续时间或期间例句
Modern medicine has increased man’s life span.
现代医学延长了人的寿命。
18.
ash [] n. 白蜡树
例句
There is an ash in the yard.
在院子里面有棵白蜡树。
19.
linden [‘lndn] n. 菩提树
例句
He sat under the linden to take a break.
他坐在菩提树下休息。
41. Endymion
Endymion was a handsome young shepherd. Living in a quiet， lovely valley， he lived a perfectly peaceful life. Sometimes when his sheep grazed happily on some rich grass around， he would lie down on the meadow and sleep soundly， completely free from worldly sadness and cares.
One clear，bright night， as Artemis drove her carriage across the heavens，her eyes chanced upon a beautiful youth sleeping in the peaceful valley below. Her heart beat with love and admiration. She came down from her moon carriage and gave a quick but passionate kiss on his face. Even the sleepy Endymion was fascinated at the sight of the fair maiden as he opened his eyes. But the vision disappeared so soon that he regarded the whole scene as a dream. Every night Artemis floated down to steal a kiss from the lips of the sleeping shepherd until her occasional carelessness of duty caused the suspicion of Zeus.
The father of gods decided to remove the earthly temptation to the goddess forever. He called for Endymion on to him and ordered him to choose between death in any form and everlasting youth in perpetual dreamy sleep. The shepherd chose the latter， and he still slept on Mt Latmos， with the moon goddess sadly visiting and kissing him every night.
41. 恩底弥翁
恩底弥翁是位年轻英俊的牧羊人。他住在一个幽静漂亮的山谷中，过着十分平静的日子。有时，当羊群在四周茂盛的草地上逍遥自在地吃草时，他就在草地上沉睡，丝毫不受人世间悲伤与忧虑的侵扰。
一个月色皎洁的夜晚，当阿尔忒弥斯驾着马车穿越天空时，无意中看到一位漂亮的青年在下面静谧的山谷中睡觉。她芳心荡漾，对他充满爱慕之情。她从月亮马车中滑翔而下，匆忙而深情地偷吻了一下他的脸，甚至当熟睡中的恩底弥翁睁开双眼看到仙女时，也有点神魂颠倒。但眼前的一切很快消失，以致他误认为这是一场梦幻。每天夜间，阿尔忒弥斯都从空中飘下偷吻熟睡中的牧羊人。然而女神偶尔一次的失职引起了主神宙斯的怀疑。
众神与人类之父决定永远清除人间对女神的诱惑。他将恩底弥翁召到身边令他作出选择：任何形式的死亡或者在永远的梦幻中青春永驻。牧羊人选择了后者，他仍睡在拉塔莫斯山上。每晚月亮女神怀着悲哀的心情看望他、吻他。
单词短语透视
1.
valley[’v] n. 谷，山谷
例句
My home town lies low in a hidden valley.
我的家乡位于一个隐蔽的山谷里。
2.
perfectly [‘pfktl] adv. 完全地；十分例句
I knew perfectly well it was a trap.
我十分清楚这是一个陷阱。
3.
graze [grez] v.（指牛﹑羊等）吃青草
例句
The cattle is grazing in the fields.
那只牛在田野里吃青草。
4.
worldly [wldl] adj. 世事的；（尤指）尘世的，世俗的例句
He is fond of worldly enjoyments.
他喜爱世俗的享乐。
5.
admiration [，’ren] n. 钦佩；赞赏；羡慕
例句
She gazed upon him with admiration.她羡慕地看着他。
6.
passionate [‘pnt] adj. 热情的；激情的例句
His passionate speech had an effect on our emotions.
他的激情演讲打动了我们。
7.
sleepy [’slip] adj. 困的；欲睡的
例句
That beer made me quite sleepy.
我喝了那啤酒后昏昏欲睡。
8.
fascinated [‘fnetd] adj. 着迷的；被深深吸引的例句
The children were fascinated by the toys in the big department store.
孩子们被大商场里的玩具迷住了。
9.
maiden [’medn] n. 少女；姑娘；未婚女子例句 T
he prince fall in love with a fair young maiden.
王子爱上了一位美丽的年轻少女。
10.
vision [‘vn] n. 梦幻，幻象，幻觉，异象（常带有宗教色彩）例句
I had a vision of the end of the world.
我在梦幻中见到了世界末日。
11.
float [flut] v. 漂流；飘动
例句
A balloon floated across the sky.
有个气球从空中飘过。
12.
occasional [’kenl] adj. 偶然的；偶尔的例句
There will be occasional showers during the day.白天将偶有阵雨。
13.
cause [kz] v. 引起，招致
例句
She is always causing trouble for people.
她总是给人添麻烦。
14.
temptation [temp‘ten] n. 有诱惑力或吸引力之物例句
The temptation of sweets on the table was too strong for the child to resist.桌上的糖果对那孩子是个难以抗拒的诱惑。
15.
everlasting [，ev’lɑst] adj. 永久的；永恒的例句
Pursuing super excellence is our everlasting aim.
追求卓越是我们永恒的目标。
16.
perpetual [p‘petul] adj. 永久的；永恒的；一再往复的例句
I’m tired of your perpetual nagging.
我对你无休止的唠叨厌烦了。
42. The Donkey Ears