As the legend goes, during ancient times, in the expansive open county of North China, there was a kind of bird 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 90000 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。

 

有一只鷃雀的小鸟，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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