On Fajiu Hill there grew a lot of mulberry（桑树） bushes. In the mulberry bushes lived a bird that looked like a crow, but had a colorful head, a white bill and two red claws. Its call sounded like its name: Jingwei. The bird was said to be Emperor Yandi's youngest daughter, who, while playing on the East Sea, had drowned and never returned. She had turned into Jingwei, and the bird would often carry bits of twigs¹（细枝） and stones all the way from the west mountains to the East Sea to fill it up. 

 

It is so hard for a little bird to fill the sea up in such a way! But it is still commendable² for its determination and tenacity（韧性，固执）.

 

精卫是海边的一种小鸟。这种鸟外表和乌鸦差不多，头上的羽毛有花纹，嘴巴是白色的，脚是红色的，叫声听上去就像它的名字一样：Jingwei。这种小鸟有个奇特的习性，就是经常把岸上的小树枝、小石块用嘴衔着丢到大海里。 

 

这种鸟相传是远古时代炎帝的小女儿女娃变成的。女娃去东海边游玩，一去就没有回家，原来她不幸跌到海里淹死了。女娃死后变成一只鸟儿，就是精卫鸟。精卫鸟因为东海会淹死人，就发誓要填平它。于是，不管春夏秋冬，酷暑严寒，刮风下雨，精卫鸟每天都衔了西山的小树枝、小石块，丢到大海里。

 

一只小鸟想用这种办法填平大海，真是谈何容易！不过它有这样的决心和毅力，却是难能可贵的。

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