The Rabbit started at the top of the class in running but had a nervous break- down because of so much make-up : [US]- Nachprüfung in swimming.
The Squirrel : Eichhörnchen was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He started to suffer from over-exertion: Überanstrengung, Überbelastung (Noun) and then got C in climbing and D in running.
The Eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely.: streng bestraft; diszipliniert
In the climbing class he beat all others to the top of the tree, but insisted on using his own way to get there.
At the end of the year, an abnormal Eel that could swim exceedingly : herausragend, außerordentlich (adv.) well, and also run, climb and fly a little, had the highest average, and was the best pupil at the school.
The Prairie Dogs : Präriehunde stayed out of school and fought the tax levy : Finanzbehörde, auch: Besteuerung, Steuermodell (noun) because the administration would not add digging: graben (Verb) and burrowing : buddeln to the curriculum.
They apprenticed : in die Lehre geben their child to a Badger : Dachs and later joined the Groundhogs : Murmeltier and Gophers : Erdhörnchen to start a successful private school.
Now some might ask: "Does this fable have a moral?"
Never try to be just average... strike your individuality and keep your profile. I want to keep yours!
[adapted from "The Animal school"- George H. Reavis - variations in ending: U.Bescht]
School of Animals
O nce upon a time, the animals decided that they must do something heroic : heldenhaft, heroisch to meet the problems of a "new world", so they organized a school.
They adopted an activity curriculum : Lehrplan, Studienplan consisting of running, climbing, swimming, and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.
The Duck was excellent in swimming, in fact better than his instructor: Prüfer, Lehrmeister; but he made only passing grades : Noten, mit denen man gerade noch besteht in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running he had to stay in after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running.
This was kept up until his web feet : Plattfüsse, Schwimmfüsse were very badly worn and he was only average in swimming. But average was accepted in school so nobody worried about it - except the duck.