As the legend goes, during ancient times, in the expansive open country of North China, there was a kind of birds called "rocs".

 

The roc was very huge, with its back like a big mountain, and its wings like a stretch of cloud which could cover the sky. When it spread its wings, it could break through a storm and soar at a height of 90,000 li (1/2 kilometre) in the sky towards the sea in the south.

 

A small bird called the quail¹ bounced on the ground, free and happy. It looked up at the roc soaring in the sky and couldn't help laughing: "Hey, see how cocky you are! Look at me, one jump can take me over 10 chi. How delightful²! Every day I come and go amid these weeds and thickets³ and fly freely. Don't I fly quite well too? But, where can you fly to anyway?"

 

传说，古时候中国北方的原野上有一种鸟，它的名字叫“鹏”。

 

鹏长得很大，背脊像一座大山，翅膀像一大片云，能把天空遮住。它张开翅膀能冲破风暴，在九万里高的天空中飞翔，一直飞向南方的大海。

 

有一只叫鹦雀的小鸟，在地上蹦蹦跳跳，自由自在，非常快活。它望着天空中展翅飞翔的大鹏，忍不住发笑，说：“咳，看你神气活现的！我呀，一蹦一跳，就有十几尺，多么痛快啊！我每天在这些杂草和树丛里，来来去去，自由飞翔，不也飞得挺好吗？可是，你又能飞到哪里去呢？”

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