In Calaveras, California, there lived a man whose name was Jim Smiley. Jimenjoyed betting somuch that he would bet on anything. If anyone said goodmorning to him, he would bet themthat it was not a good morning. Whenever therewas a horse race or a chicken fight, Jim wouldbet on it. He didn’t care whichside he bet on, as long as he had a bet.
One day, Jim showed a frog to a stranger who had just arrived in Calaveras,and bet thestranger forty dollars that the frog can jump farther and faster thanany other in CalaverasCounty. The stranger said he didn’t see anything about thefrog different from any other, and ifhe had a frog he would bet Jim. Jim lefthis frog with the stranger and go out to find a frog forthe stranger. Meanwhile,the stranger took out a bag of gunshot, forcing the frog’s mouthopen and pouredthe shot into it.
Soon Jim returned with a frog for the stranger.The two frogs were put onthe floor, and theneach man gave his frog a push. The stranger’s frog hopped offsmartly. But Jim’s frog just satthere, unable to move an inch. Jim had nochoice. He gave forty dollars to the stranger, whotook the money and startedaway. Jim picked up his frog, and found it extremely heavy. Heturned it upsidedown, and the gunshot came out. He knew he had been fooled and, like a madman,started running after the stranger.
As he ran, he passed one of his friends, who asked him where he wasgoing.
"To catch a thief!" shouted Jim. "No matter how fast he may run, I'll catchhim. I'll bet you fivedollars!"
在加利福尼亚的卡拉维拉斯县，有个人名叫吉姆?斯迈里。他好打赌，见什么赌什么。要是有人跟他说“早上好”，他会说，这天早上不怎么样，不信就打个赌。只要有赛马和斗鸡，他都要去赌。在哪一边下注他不在乎，有机会赌就行。
有一天，吉姆见到一个来到卡拉维拉斯县的陌生人，就把自己的一只青蛙给他看，说这是卡拉维拉斯全县跳得最快最远的青蛙，不信就打个赌，赌40块钱。陌生人说他看不出那只蛙有什么非凡之处，如果他手头有一只蛙，就赌一赌。听了这话，吉姆就把自己的青蛙交给陌生人看管，出去为陌生人找一只蛙来。他不在的时候，陌生人掏出一口袋铅弹，掰开青蛙嘴，把铅弹灌了进去。
不久吉姆就给陌生人带了一只青蛙回来。两只青蛙在地上摆好，然后各人将各自的青蛙轻轻一推。陌生人的青蛙一下子就跳起来，跳得好快好远。但吉姆的蛙却呆在那里纹丝不动，像钉在地上似的。吉姆无奈，只得交出40块钱。陌生人拿了钱就走了。吉姆把自己的蛙拿起来，觉得沉甸甸的。他把蛙倒提起来一抖，铅弹掉了出来。他知道自己上了当，就像疯子似的去追陌生人。
正跑着，一个朋友瞧见他，不问他风风火火地去干什么。
“去抓贼!”他吼道，“无论他跑得有多快，我都要追上他。不信打5块钱的赌!”
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