The Eagle and the Mouse

A friendship that taught an eagle to fly · 鹰鼠奇缘

The young eagle was the only one in his family that had not flown. Every day, he looked down at the valley far below and thought, "I will never be able to fly."

His mother was willing to let him stay in the nest, but his father felt that it was time for the young bird to leave.

But it seemed that the young eagle was not interested in being an eagle. In fact, although his kind loved to eat small mice and rabbits, this young eagle had a small mouse who was his friend. Every day, they would play in the secret caves in the high cliffs where they lived.

One day, as they played and jumped, they realized they were being watched. They turned around, and it was the eagle's father staring at them, his eagle eyes glaring with anger.

"You are the reason why my son is a mouse, not an eagle!" he said, angrily.

He jumped towards the mouse, his sharp claws ready to catch him. But the mouse leaped out of the little cave. Suddenly, they heard a scream. The mouse had jumped too far and fallen over the cliff to his certain death.

The little eagle knew what he had to do. He leapt into the air and out over the cliff. He began to fall, thousands of metres to the valley below. His eagle eyes saw his little friend. He did what he saw his father do many times. He straightened his body like a bullet and he started to go faster.

The ground was rushing towards him, but he did not stop. With only a few feet to go, he grabbed the mouse by the tail and landed safely. The father landed a second later and said to the little mouse, "Your friendship was the reason my son learned to fly. You can live by our nest and never fear any bird again."

Then, the mouse climbed onto the young eagle's back and off they went to explore the world together.

Friends forever — the eagle and the mouse.

The Eagle and the Mouse — A friendship that taught an eagle to fly

The young eagle was the only one in his family that had not flown. Every day, he looked down at the v(1)__________ far below and thought, "I will never be able to fly."

His mother was w(2)__________ to let him stay in the nest, but his father felt that it was time for the young bird to leave.

But it seemed that the young eagle was not interested in being an eagle. In fact, a(3)__________ his kind loved to eat small mice and rabbits, this young eagle had a small mouse who was his friend. Every day, they would play in the secret caves in the high cliffs where they lived.

One day, as they played and jumped, they r(4)__________ they were being watched. They turned around, and it was the eagle's father staring at them, his eagle eyes glaring with anger.

"You are the reason why my son is a mouse, not an eagle!" he said, angrily.

He jumped towards the mouse, his sharp claws ready to catch him. But the mouse l(5)__________ out of the little cave. Suddenly, they heard a scream. The mouse had jumped too far and fallen over the cliff to his c(6)__________ death.

The little eagle knew what he had to do. He leapt into the air and out over the cliff. He began to fall, thousands of metres to the valley below. His eagle eyes saw his little friend. He did what he saw his father do many times. He s(7)__________ his body like a bullet and he started to go faster.

The ground was rushing towards him, but he did not stop. With only a few feet to go, he g(8)__________ the mouse by the tail and landed safely. The father landed a second later and said to the little mouse, "Your friendship was the reason my son learned to fly. You can live by our nest and never f(9)__________ any bird again."

Then, the mouse climbed onto the young eagle's back and off they went to e(10)__________ the world together.

Friends forever — the eagle and the mouse.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🦅 文化拓展 · When Enemies Become Friends

鹰与鼠本是天敌——翻开任何一本寓言集，鹰几乎总是捕食者的角色。而这篇故事偏偏把两者写成密友，正是西方寓言传统的经典手法：用「最不可能的一对」制造冲突，再借冲突检验一个道理。伊索寓言里鹰与蛇、鹰与箭都讲过「强者的傲慢」，本文反其道而行——强大的父亲收起利爪，说出「Your friendship was the reason my son learned to fly」，故事的价值反转就在这一句。

小鹰「不敢飞」也是西方文学里熟悉的意象：巢（nest）象征舒适区，父母「该离开了」的推动象征成长。有意思的是，小鹰最终学会飞，不是靠被逼出巢，而是为了救朋友纵身一跃——「为在乎的人拼一次」常常比一百句训诫更有力量。他俯冲时做的动作（绷直身体如子弹）全是平日看父亲捕猎时默默记下的：所谓长大，就是把看过的榜样变成自己的动作。

结尾的「Friends forever — the eagle and the mouse」是对标题的圆满回应：天空属于鹰，洞穴属于鼠，但友谊让长翅膀的背起了没翅膀的。真正的朋友，不是和你一样的人，而是让你的世界变得更大的人。