鹦鹉 / Parrot

在裕廊的飞禽公园里住着很多的鹦鹉，这些鹦鹉都自称会说话，在他们的笼子前面都有一块牌子，上面标着他们会说什么。这其中以白鹦鹉和蓝鹦鹉最为漂亮，珍贵。所以通常人们都直奔他们，用各种方法都他们开口，“你好吗？”“我爱你”。这些懒惰的鹦鹉最多只睁开一只眼睛，瞟一眼游客便又昏昏睡去了。大概他们心里在想，“你们这些丑八怪，也配来巴结我，怎么也不照照镜子？烦死人了，睡觉也不得安生。。。”倒是那些不起眼的绿鹦鹉和黑鹦鹉，很卖力地在大声地叫着，急急地招揽着顾客。只见两只绿鹦鹉看到我们在拍照，便上窜下跳，恨不得跳到我身上，可惜有笼子挡着；还有一只黑鹦鹉，虽然其貌不扬，但看到我们便非常热情，不停地发出怪声，看了牌子才知那时他的拿手绝活，吹口哨。这时不仅让人觉得还是他们比那些所谓的美人强多了。

There were many parrots in Jurong Bird Park. They all claimed that they were able to talk. In front of each cage there was a label to show what they were able to do. Among them, white and blue were the most beautiful and precious ones. Normally, people would approach them and try to make them talk. “Hello”, “I love you.” But no matter how much effort you put into it, these lazy creatures would just open one eye and glimpse at you for a second before falling back asleep. Maybe they were thinking, “What makes you so daring to talk to me? Can’t you look into the mirror? See how beautiful I am and how ugly you are. Better stop disturbing me.” Meanwhile the green ones were so eager to show their abilities. Seeing us taking photos, they quickly wanted to join in the excitement. I was very sure they would even jump onto me if they were not stopped by the cage. Although the black one did not look good, it was always full of a kind of passion. He tried extremely hard to attract our attention by making some funny sounds, which later we found out it was one of his special talents – whistling. Looking at these friendly little ones, I was thinking they were much better than those so called “beauties”. Like what a famous Chinese leader Deng Xiao Ping said, “It doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches rats.” Who cares?

Peacock / 孔雀

记得曾经有一次去飞禽公园，看到一只孔雀在那里悠闲地走着，便突发奇想，上前去与他合影。你别说这孔雀还真有灵性，看到有人前来与他合影，便迅速开屏。当路人看到这一奇观，也纷纷前来与之合影。这孔雀就一直坚持到最后一个人拍完照片，满意离去。大概是因为开屏需要很多能量，亦或是他已经很老了，（因为它的羽毛已经开始缺失了，相当于人类的脱发吧）这时的他已经累得气喘吁吁，浑身颤抖了。但那些与他拍照的人几乎没有一个注意到，他们只顾各自离去，连句谢谢也没有，好像这一切都是天经地义似的。当看到他送走了最后一位客人，精疲力尽地收起他的羽毛时，不禁地想，也许因为他老了，已经没有同类再把他当回事儿了，这变成了他唯一展示自己的机会，所以才做得那么卖力吧。

Years ago, when I went to the Jurong Bird Park, I saw a peacock walking leisurely on the meadow. I went to have a picture together with him. As if he’s able to understand what I need, he opened up his feature wide for me. Seeing this, more and more passers-by stopped and took photos with him. He was so professional in the way that he kept this posture all the way until the last person finished. Maybe it consumed lots of his energy, or maybe he’s already getting too old, (some part of his feature already missing, guess just equivalent to hair loss) after such a long time, he’s panting and shivering severely. But almost none of those people who took photos with him noticed it except for me. They left without even saying ‘thank you’. They simply took everything for granted. When I saw him finished with his last guest, folding back his feature exhaustedly, I was thinking maybe because he’s too old, none of his own flock takes him seriously anymore and this became his only time to show himself off. Maybe that gave him a lot of satisfaction. That’s why he did it with all his energy.

Fox / 狐狸

狐狸小姐可称得上是一位大美人，一张标准的到三角脸，尖尖的下巴，再配上一双迷死人不偿命的眼睛，十个见过她的男人，九个都得陷进去。就因为这，她的日子过的可滋润了，这还用说，很多人都抢着帮她干活嘛，这不，来公司不久就被提升了，至于别人嘛，这就难喽，不要说升职了，就是做了十年想跟老板说说加点薪水，老板总是说，“还加什么？你不是已经封顶了？”“唉，没办法，看来我们只能去韩国整容啦。”

Fox is definitely a beauty by anyone’s standards, a sharp chin and flirtatious eyes on her inverted triangular face. Nine out of ten men would be seduced and rendered helpless on meeting her! That’s why she has been enjoying a very easy life as so many men will volunteer to help. Further more, she rapidly gained promotion soon after joining the company. But others who had already worked more than 10 years could not even get an increment let alone a promotion. “What increment are you expecting? I thought you had already reached your ceiling?” That was the answer given by the boss when these people asked. “Ay, looks like we also have to go to South Korea to do plastic surgery.”

熊猫 / Panda

熊猫是超级稀有品种,据说真正野生的熊猫不超过1000只,正因为这样,熊猫小姐从一出世便享受特权,如拥有津贴啦,考大学加分啦,在考公务时享有给他们留出的比例啦等等.在这种环境下长大的熊猫小姐,自然毫无竞争力。学习成绩超烂，却丝毫不影响她入主名牌大学，工作能力极逊，却成了国际珍稀动物保护委员会的秘书长，没办法，谁让人家占了两条，稀有品种且还是女性。看来别人只有羡慕的份啦。

The Panda is indeed a rare species. It is said that the number of true wild pandas was less than 1000. Because of this, Miss Panda has enjoyed special privileges since she was born. For example, having special incentives, less marks being required for university entrance, a reserved quota specially for her when taking the civil servants examinations, etc. Having grown up in such an environment, she had become totally incompetent. How could she? Although her results were extremely poor, she was still able to go on to a top university. Although she was not capable, it was not enough to prevent her from becoming the general secretary for the National Rare Species Preservation Association. What to do? She is a rare species as well as being a female. Other people have nothing else to do but envy her good fortune......

Tigress / 母老虎

母老虎精明强干，事业有成，然而转眼便成了黄金剩女，眼看着婚姻遥遥无期，她只得叹了一口气，无奈地走进了婚姻介绍所。“欲觅得一位身体强壮，善于捕食的郎君。”工作人员面露难色，“姐姐有所不知，由于转基因食品的侵害，这类的公老虎已成了稀世珍品。不过以姐姐的身手，找啥样的伴侣还不是日子过得红红火火的，随便找一个不就成了，何必较那劲？”母老虎听罢，长叹了一口气，“唉，以这般基因传下去，我恐怕是过了曾祖母的年龄也无法退休啦。”无语。。。
写给天下所有的虎姐虎妹们.

Tigress is smart, capable and successful in her career. Time flies. She missed her golden chance of getting married. Finally she has to walk into a match making agency with a sigh. “I wish to find a strong, a good hunter.” The officer there said,” You know, due to the harmful effect of genetically modified food, these kinds of tiger are now becoming a rare and endangered species. But such a capable person as you are, no matter what kind of mate you are marrying, you will still be able to live a wonderful and fulfilling life. Why worry?” After having heard this, the tigress sighed again,” With such inferior genes being passed down, I’m afraid I cannot retire even when I pass great grandma’s age.”
Silence….

蟑螂 / Cockroach

现在，剩下的时间已经不多了。躺在病床上（唉，这哪里是什么病床嘛，垃圾道一隅而已，散发着阵阵的恶臭），回想自己的一生，不禁潸然泪下。从小家境贫寒，记忆中从来没有父亲，小的时候，每每问起，妈妈总是支支吾吾，后来长大一点才明白，原来一次爸爸出去打食，打回好多美味，好几天没吃过饱饭的他，美滋滋地大快朵颐了一番，哪想到那竟是主人家下的蟑螂饵，吃到一半他便一命呜呼了。幸亏那天妈妈不舒服，没怎么吃，才逃过了一劫。然而无论她怎么拼命努力，也无法养活一家人，就这样，兄弟姐妹们陆陆续续地要么饿死，要么被人打死，最后只剩下我和妈妈两人了。于是我便只能在孤独和贫困中度过了自己的童年。每每看到那些打扮得漂漂亮亮的小朋友，由家长领着，逛公园，下饭馆，真是羡慕极了，发誓来世再也不要做蟑螂啦。
长大后，生活仍未见好转，咋可能好转呢？都说过了，小时候家里穷，当然不可能有钱读书啦，不怕您见笑，俺连自己的名字也不认识嘞。可难道这是俺的过错么？俺曾经也偷偷躲在教室里想学点东西，可是差点没被打死，从此只好放弃了那个念头。自此以后，什么下水道啦，垃圾道啦便成了家。人们总嫌弃俺又脏又臭，可怎么能不脏不臭呢？如果俺也可以住进Hilton, 喷一身Chanel，当然不可能臭啦，可钱从哪儿来呢？这里要郑重声明，没钱不等于俺不勤劳，相反蟑螂是世界上最勤劳的一族之一，只是这个世界太不平等了，再加上高薪工作全要靠关系，今天的广告上还提到厦门公安局要找一名洗菜女，条件是大学毕业（中文系或新闻系），相貌姣好，身高在1.60m以上。没办法，只能凑合着混吧。
俺也喜欢美女，又一次，看到一群美女，个个年轻，身材魔鬼，常常的头发散发着阵阵香气，俺看得入了神。突然其中的一个美眉尖叫起来:“蟑螂啊。”仿佛见到了鬼，不，似乎比看见鬼还可怕。她们顿时慌了手脚，而俺不幸地被其中的一个美眉踩断了一只脚，从此成了残废。
这以后，生活便更加艰难了。经常是饱一顿，饿一顿的，真是受够了。加上现在吃错了东西，不停地拉肚子，还发着高烧，已经好几天了，没钱看病，已经奄奄一息了。这是我忽然看到了已故的爸爸妈妈，他们穿着高级的衣服，微笑地向我走来，说要带我去一个快乐的地方，那里没有疾病，没有忧伤，再也没有贫困，更不会饿肚子。太好了，你们来得正是时候，等等我，我马上到，马上。。。

Now my days are numbered. Lying on my death 'bed' (ay, it's not at all a bed, but just a corner by a rubbish chute with a foul smell), thinking of my past, tears can not be controlled. I was from a poor family, and there was no father in my memory. Each time when I asked about him, mama always faltered. I found out the truth after I became a teen. One time, he brought back lots of food after his routine hunting. But who would have known that these 'delicacies' were the chemicals that the house owner had left there in order to kill us. Our family was desperate and had endured a severe food shortage at that time. That was the only time he could ever 'enjoy' a 'gourmet' meal. He died half way while he was swallowing his meal. Mama was lucky. She was not feeling well, therefore she didn't eat much. Since then, we became poorer. No matter how hard she worked, it was not enough to feed the whole family. Lots of my siblings died of hunger. Some were killed. In the end only myself and mama remained. I spent my childhood in severe poverty and loneliness. I would always envy those kids whose parents could afford to dress them nicely and take them to parks and restaurants. I swear that in the next life I will never want to become a cockroach again.
After I had grown up, our life still remained the same. How could we change? Just now I have already mentioned that we were extremely poor when I was young. My parents had no money to send me to school. I did not even know how to write my name. But was that my fault? I also secretly hid inside the classroom and tried to learn something more. But then I was almost beaten to death. After such a narrow escape I gave up and since then have made the streets my home, beside the drains and garbage bins. People always complain that I smell bad. How can I be good? If I could stay at the Hilton and wear Chanel fragrance, of course I would not smell bad. But where on earth will the money come from? Let me declare here that although I’m poor, it doesn’t mean that I’m also lazy. In fact, according to the scientific research, we have proof, that the cockroach is one the most hardworking species in the world. But this is such an unfair world and it depends entirely on having the right connections to find highly paid jobs. There is a vacancy in today’s classified section seeking a female to work as a cleaner for the Xiamen Police department. Even that position requires a university graduate (degree in Chinese language or media), who must be good looking as well as being taller than 160cm. Ay, what can I do? Just let it be.
I also like beautiful girls. There was one time, I saw a crowd of beautiful girls. They were very young, attractive and smelled sooo good. I was fascinated. Suddenly there’s one of them screamed “Cockroach..”.They saw me as if seeing a ghost. No, even worse than that. They were in a great panic and one of them stepped on my leg. Since then, I have been permanently crippled.
After that incident, my life became more difficult. Often I do not have enough to eat. Now I really have had enough. I recently ate some contaminated food which caused me to have non-stop diarrhea and high fever. I have no money to see a doctor. I can do nothing besides lying on this death bed. Suddenly I can see my parents who passed away a long time ago. They are walking towards me with the sweetest smile. They are wearing fancy clothes. They tell that they will bring me to a wonderful place where there’s no sickness, no worries, no poverty, no hunger. Great! It’s just the right time. Wait for me. I’m coming immediately, immediately….

Lioness / 狮子

别人都认为你最有勇气，称你为万兽之王，不过只有你自己才明白你是多么的脆弱。因为自己光明磊落，绝想不到别人背后的动作，唯有独自哭泣。-- 有感于数年前的一则报道--某年广西发大水，连动物园也无法幸免，狮子的家园亦遭遇水漫金山，动物园的工作人员为了拯救狮子，把她的笼子吊高，然而惊恐万状的她却死于心脏病发，落得了万兽之王被吓死的悲惨结局。

You are considered as the most courageous in the world. You are respected as the queen of the animal kingdom. But only you yourself know how fragile you are. Because you are an honest, open and straight forward person, you will never be able to imagine that someone might stab you from behind. Until this happens, the only thing you can do is cry to yourself. You hate to be betrayed. Unfortunately this is something that always happens to you -- a lonely lioness.
Inspired by the momument in Lucerne in Switzerland which I visited in 2001.

Specially presented to you - a leo!
写给狮子的你！