English Original
A long time ago, animals looked different. Kangaroos had no tails, and wombats had high, round heads.
Mirram the Kangaroo and Warreen the Wombat were good friends. They lived together in a bark hut built by Warreen. While they enjoyed each other's company, Mirram preferred sleeping outside and often teased Warreen for always staying indoors.
"Come sleep outside with me, Warreen," said Mirram. "It's wonderful to gaze at the stars and listen to the wind in the trees."
"It's too cold outside," snuffled Warreen. "It might rain! I prefer my warm hut with a cozy fire."
Mirram wouldn't listen. "Your hut is dark and smelly. Sleeping under the stars in the fresh air is far better!"
"No, thank you," replied Warreen. "I'm comfortable here."
Mirram grew impatient. "You're just scared. Afraid of a little breeze."
"I'm not frightened," Warreen insisted. "I simply like my bark hut!"
Mirram kept taunting Warreen until, one night, the wombat agreed to sleep outside. He soon grew cold and waddled back inside, much to Kangaroo's amusement.
They remained friends all summer, though Mirram still occasionally mocked Warreen's hut.
Winter changed everything. As Mirram slept outside, the nights grew colder. At first, he didn't mind. He snuggled against a tree, scoffing at the thought of Warreen in his "smelly" hut. "Wombat wouldn't brave the wind like me," he thought.
The wind grew stronger and colder. Mirram curled into a tight ball, hugging his tree. He told himself the wind couldn't hurt him—he wasn't afraid. When rain began to fall, he muttered, "A little wind and rain won't hurt me. I'm not afraid."
中文翻译
很久以前，动物的样貌和现在不同。袋鼠没有尾巴，袋熊则长着又高又圆的脑袋。
袋鼠米拉姆和袋熊瓦林是好朋友。他们一起住在瓦林用树皮搭的小屋里。虽然彼此相伴很愉快，但米拉姆喜欢睡在户外，并常常嘲笑总是待在屋里的瓦林。
“来外面和我一起睡吧，瓦林，”米拉姆说。“仰望星空，聆听林间的清风，多美妙啊。”
“外面太冷了，”瓦林抽着鼻子说。“还可能下雨！我会淋湿的。我更喜欢待在我温暖的小屋里，有舒服的炉火。”
米拉姆不听。“你的小屋又黑又难闻。在清新的空气里、明亮的星空下睡觉才好得多！”
“不，谢谢，”瓦林回答。“我在这里很舒服。”
米拉姆不耐烦了。“你就是害怕。怕那一点微风。”
“我没害怕，”瓦林坚持道。“我只是喜欢我的树皮小屋！”
米拉姆不断嘲弄瓦林，直到有一天晚上，袋熊同意睡在外面。他很快就觉得冷，摇摇晃晃地挪回了屋里，袋鼠为此取笑他。
整个夏天他们都是朋友，尽管米拉姆有时仍会嘲笑瓦林的小屋。
冬天改变了一切。当米拉姆睡在户外时，夜晚越来越冷。起初他并不在意。他依偎着一棵树，心里嘲笑着待在“难闻”小屋里的瓦林。“袋熊可不会像我一样勇敢地面对寒风，”他想。
风越来越猛，越来越冷。米拉姆紧紧蜷缩成一团，抱着他的树。他告诉自己风伤不到他——他不害怕。开始下雨时，他咕哝着：“一点风雨伤不了我。我不怕。”