Indians ask their new chief whether the winter will be cold or mild. Since the young chief never learned¹ the ways of his ancestors, he tells them to collect firewood, then he goes off and calls the National Weather Service.

 

"Will the winter be bad?" he asks.

 

"Looks like it," is the answer. 

 

So the chief tells his people to gather more firewood. A week later, he calls again. 

 

"Are you positive the winter will be very cold?"

 

"Absolutely."

 

The chief tells his people to gather even more firewood, then calls the Weather Service again: "Are you sure?" 

 

"I'm telling you, it's going to be the coldest winter on record." 

 

"How do you know?"

 

"Because the Indians are gathering² firewood like crazy!"

 

印地安人问他们的新酋长，这个冬天是冷还是温暖。这位年轻的酋长从没学过祖先那些本领，他只好吩咐他们去捡木柴，然后自己走到一边去给国家气象局打电话。

 

“今年冬天会不会很冷？”他问。

 

“看上去是这样的。”他得到这样的回答。

 

于是酋长要求大家收集更多的木柴。一个星期后，他又打电话给国家气象局。

 

“你确信今年冬天会很冷？”

 

“毫无疑问。”

 

酋长随即要求族人捡更多的木柴，然后再次给国家气象局打电话：“你肯定吗？”

 

“我告诉你，那将是有史以来最寒冷的冬天。”

 

“你怎么知道？”

 

“因为印第安人正发疯似地捡木柴！”

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