Level 3 · Intermediate · Story

山shān羊yáng、野yě狗gǒu、和hé水shuǐ牛niú

Goat, Dog and Buffalo

Three friends share a taxi ride, but when it is time to pay the fare, not everyone plays fair.

213 characters · about 2 min · 🔊 Read by a native speaker

🔑 Key words in this story (24)

野狗 yěgǒu stray or wild dog
山羊 shānyáng goat
水牛 shuǐniú water buffalo
交 jiāo to pay, to hand over
找钱 zhǎoqián to give (someone) their change
车费 chēfèi fare
份 fèn share, portion
看到 kàndào to see
听到 tīngdào to hear
要好 yàohǎo close, on good terms
当 dāng when (当…的时候 'when…')
目的地 mùdìdì destination
零钱 língqián small change, coins
正要 zhèngyào just about to
没想到 méixiǎngdào unexpectedly, who would have thought
跑掉 pǎodiào to run off
结果 jiéguǒ A result or outcome: what comes at the end of an exam, a match, a test or an effort.
开走 kāizǒu to drive away
车子 chēzi car, vehicle
拼命 pīnmìng as hard as it can, for all it's worth
追 zhuī to chase
吓 xià to be frightened
赶快 gǎnkuài as fast as possible
逃走 táozǒu to run off, to get away

Tap any word for its meaning.

山shān羊yáng、野yě狗gǒu、和hé水shuǐ牛niú是shì很hěn要yào好hǎo的de朋péng友you。有yǒu一yī天tiān，他tā们men一yī起qǐ坐zuò出chū租zū车chē。

Goat, Dog, and Buffalo were great friends. One day they went on a journey in a taxi.

当dāng他tā们men到dào了le目mù的dì地dì的de时shí候hou，司sī机jī叫jiào他tā们men交jiāo车chē费fèi。水shuǐ牛niú把bǎ她tā自zì己jǐ的de那nà份fèn交jiāo了le。

When they reached the end of their journey, the driver asked them to pay their fares. Buffalo paid her fare.

野yě狗gǒu没méi有yǒu带dài零líng钱qián，所suǒ以yǐ他tā就jiù多duō给gěi了le一yī点diǎn儿r。

Dog paid a bit extra, because he did not have the correct money.

司sī机jī正zhèng要yào找zhǎo钱qián给gěi野yě狗gǒu，没méi想xiǎng到dào山shān羊yáng没méi有yǒu给gěi钱qián就jiù跑pǎo掉diào了le。

The driver was about to give Dog his change when Goat ran away without paying anything.

司sī机jī很hěn生shēng气qì，结jié果guǒ他tā没méi有yǒu给gěi野yě狗gǒu找zhǎo钱qián就jiù开kāi走zǒu了le。

The driver was very annoyed. He drove away without giving Dog his change.

所suǒ以yǐ，现xiàn在zài你nǐ可kě以yǐ看kàn到dào野yě狗gǒu看kàn到dào车chē子zi就jiù拼pīn命mìng追zhuī上shàng去qu，因yīn为wèi他tā想xiǎng叫jiào司sī机jī给gěi他tā找zhǎo钱qián。

That is why, even today, Dog chases after cars as hard as he can, because he wants the driver to give him his change.

山shān羊yáng呢ne，一yī听tīng到dào有yǒu车chē来lái就jiù吓xià得de赶gǎn快kuài逃táo走zǒu，因yīn为wèi她tā怕pà没méi交jiāo车chē费fèi被bèi人rén抓zhuā起qǐ来lai。

Goat runs away from the sound of a car. She is afraid she will be arrested for not paying her fare.

可kě是shì水shuǐ牛niú听tīng到dào车chē来lái一yī点diǎn儿r都dōu不bù急jí。她tā不bù慌huāng不bù忙máng地de过guò马mǎ路lù，因yīn为wèi她tā知zhī道dào她tā已yǐ经jīng把bǎ她tā自zì己jǐ那nà份fèn交jiāo了le。

And Buffalo is not bothered when a car is coming. Buffalo takes her time crossing the road because she knows she paid her fare in full.