很久以前,人们一生中只在一个地方生活。偶尔出一次门,也不过是徒步或坐马车到邻近的镇子上去一趟。路远,怪累人的,因此,他们很少出去。偶尔会有一位旅行家踏着泥泞的路跋涉而来,或是一位卖针头线脑、发带和珠子的小贩,或是去征战的士兵,或是一位从海上归来的水手。这些过客会把他们所见所闻的稀奇古怪的事讲给人们听,人们听得可认真了。人们渴望了解世界。对那些一生足不出户的人来说,别的地方都是新奇的。他们听说过白鲸和关人鱼、红色或蓝色的人、塞满珠宝的山洞和巨鸟。这些故事千篇一 Long ago, people lived in only one place in their lives. Occasionally a door, but also on foot or carriage to the neighboring town trip. Road far, strange tired, so they rarely go out. Occasionally a traveler trekked along the muddy road, or a peddler of hairs selling horns, hair bands and beads, or expeditioned soldiers, or a sailor returning from the sea. These passers-by will tell the people what they have seen and heard the bizarre things that people can hear seriously. People are eager to understand the world. For those who do not leave home for life, other places are novel. They have heard of beluga whales and shuttlecocks, red or blue people, jewels-filled caves and jungles. One of these stories