English Original
Within the memory of the youngest child, there was a family of rabbits who lived near a pack of wolves. The wolves announced that they did not like the way the rabbits were living. (The wolves were crazy about the way they themselves were living, because it was the only way to live.)
One night, several wolves were killed in an earthquake, and this was blamed on the rabbits, for it is well known that rabbits pound on the ground with their hind legs and cause earthquakes. On another night, one of the wolves was killed by a bolt of lightning, and this was also blamed on the rabbits, for it is well known that lettuce-eaters cause lightning.
The wolves threatened to civilize the rabbits if they didn't behave. The rabbits decided to run away to a desert island. But the other animals, who lived at a great distance, shamed them, saying, "You must stay where you are and be brave. This is no world for escapists. If the wolves attack you, we will come to your aid, in all probability." So the rabbits continued to live near the wolves.
One day, there was a terrible flood which drowned a great many wolves. This was blamed on the rabbits, for it is well known that carrot-nibblers with long ears cause floods. The wolves descended on the rabbits, for their own good, and imprisoned them in a dark cave, for their own protection.
When nothing was heard about the rabbits for some weeks, the other animals demanded to know what had happened to them. The wolves replied that the rabbits had been eaten and since they had been eaten, the affair was a purely internal matter. But the other animals warned that they might possibly unite against the wolves unless some reason was given for the destruction of the rabbits. So the wolves gave them one. "They were trying to escape," said the wolves, "and, as you know, this is no world for escapists."
中文翻译
在最年幼的孩子都还记得的时候，有一窝兔子住在一群狼附近。狼群宣称，它们不喜欢兔子们的生活方式。（狼群对自己生活的方式极为推崇，认为那是唯一正确的生活方式。）
一天晚上，几只狼在地震中丧生，这被归咎于兔子，因为众所周知，兔子会用后腿跺地，从而引发地震。又一个晚上，一只狼被一道闪电劈死，这也被归咎于兔子，因为众所周知，吃生菜的家伙会招来闪电。
狼群威胁说，如果兔子们不守规矩，就要来“教化”它们。兔子们决定逃到一个荒岛上去。但住在远处的其他动物却羞辱它们，说：“你们必须留在原地，勇敢面对。这个世界容不下逃避者。如果狼攻击你们，我们很可能会来援助你们。”于是兔子们继续住在狼群附近。
有一天，一场可怕的洪水淹死了许多狼。这又被归咎于兔子，因为众所周知，长耳朵啃胡萝卜的家伙会引发洪水。狼群为了兔子们“好”，扑向了它们，并把它们关进一个黑暗的山洞里，以“保护”它们。
几个星期没有兔子的消息后，其他动物要求知道兔子们怎么了。狼群回答说兔子已经被吃掉了，既然已经被吃掉，这件事就纯粹是内部事务。但其他动物警告说，除非狼群给出一个消灭兔子的理由，否则它们可能会联合起来对抗狼群。于是狼群给出了一个理由。“它们试图逃跑，”狼群说，“而且，你们知道，这个世界容不下逃避者。”