Why the Sea is Salty

为什么海是咸的

A long time ago，the sea tasted like rain．

很久以前，大海的味道尝起来像雨。

There was a friendly giant who kept salt in his cave across the sea．

有一个友好的巨人，他把盐藏在海对面的洞穴里。

People crossed the sea and asked for salt to make their food taste better．

人们横渡大海，来找他要盐，以使食物的味道更好。

One day there was a storm．

一天有一场暴风雨。

The people could not go out to the sea for a long time．

人们很长一段时间都不能出海。

They ran out of salt．

他们的盐用光了。

The kind giant stretched his leg across the sea so that the people could walk to his cave．

好心的巨人把腿伸向大海，这样人们就可以走到他的洞穴里去了。 

However，the giant's foot landed on an anthill．

然而，巨人的脚落在了一个山丘上。
Big，red ants started biting the giant's leg．

大红蚁开始咬巨人的腿。
The people filled their bags with salt and began to return home．

人们在布袋里装满了盐，开始回家。

The ants bit the giant's leg again．

蚂蚁又咬了巨人的腿。

The giant cried out and put his sore leg into the sea．

巨人大叫一声，把疼痛的腿伸进海里。

The ants fell in the water，and so did the people and the bags of salt．

蚂蚁掉进水里，人们和盐袋也掉了下来。

The giant saved the people，but the salt melted in the water．

巨人把人们救了上来，但盐在水中融化了。

From that day on，the sea was salty．

从那天起，海水就咸了。

Word List

cave：a large，natural hole in a mountain 洞穴

kind：very friendly 友好的

anthill：a large nest built by ants 蚁穴

giant：a very big person 巨人