There was once a wise old woman who lived back in the hills. All the children used to come and ask her questions. She always gave the right answers.
There was a naughty little troublemaker among the children. One day he caught a tiny bird and held it in his cupped hands. Then he gathered his friends around. He said, “Let's trick the old woman. I'll ask her what I'm holding in my hands. Of course, she'll answer that I have a bird. Then I'll ask her if the bird is living or dead. If she says the bird is dead, I'll open my hands and let the bird fly away. If she says the bird is alive. I'll quickly crush it and show her the dead bird. Either way, she'll be wrong.”
The children agreed that this was a clever plan. Up the hill they went to the old woman's hut.
“Old woman, we have a question for you, ”they all shouted.
“What's in my hands?” asked the little boy.
“Why, it must be a bird,” replied the old woman.
“But is it living or dead?” demanded the excited boy.
The old woman thought for a second and then replied, “It is as you will, my child.”
So it is with country. Our country's future is in your hands. “It is as you will, my child.”
在那偏僻的山沟里，曾经住着一位睿智老太太。所有的孩子都找她问问题，而她总是有问必答。
小孩中有一个调皮的捣蛋鬼。某一天他抓到一只幼鸟，用双手捧着，然后招来一帮朋友，对他们说：“咱们去耍一耍那老太婆。我先问她手里有什么。当然，她会说有只鸟。接着我要问她这只鸟是死还是活。要是她说‘死的’，我就松开手让鸟飞走；要是她说‘活的’，我就用劲一捏，给她看一只死鸟。不管怎么着，她都对不了。”
小鬼们都觉得这点子太绝了，于是他们爬上山，进了老太太的小屋。
“奶奶，我们要问您一个问题，”他们叫道。
“我手上是什么？”那小鬼问道。
“嗯，肯定是只小鸟。”
“对，可这鸟是死还是活？”等着看笑话的小鬼问道。
老太太沉思片刻后，说道：“孩子，这由你来定。”
孩子们，我们国家也掌握在你们手中。我们民族的未来，也“由你们来定，孩子们。”