The hot summer sun beat down on the village.

Crowds of people jammed into the market place,

adding to the misery and heat. Four animals were tied with ropes to small wooden sticks that
had been pounded into the sand. A large sign, reading ‘Animals For Sale’ was nailed to one of
the sticks.
"I’ll be the first one to go," the elephant said. "I’m strong. I can carry things. I can give rides and I
can do tricks."
"You’re wrong. I’ll be the first one bought. I can sing. I am beautiful. Look at my colored feathers!
They are a prized possession, wanted by many for decorations," the peacock boasted.
"You are both wrong. It shall be I who goes first. I can give milk for cheese. My hair, though
rough, can be used for making Bedouin tents," the goat chimed in. He turned and looked at the
camel. "Nobody will buy you," he scoffed. "You are ugly. You bite, spit and kick. You have a big
hump and smell. You will still be tied to the stick, sweltering in the hot sun long after the three of
us have been sold."
The camel didn’t say a word. He stood munching on some hay.
As the hours passed, more and more people came to the marketplace. The sun seemed to get
hotter and hotter as it made its way higher into the sky. "I could use a drink of cool, refreshing
water," the elephant complained. He was sweating and feeling very thirsty.
"I need a drink of water also," the peacock added. Its feathers were beginning to sag from the
heat.
"If it gets much hotter, I’ll die of thirst," the goat said. He was covered with so much hair that he
felt more miserable than the other three animals.
The camel didn’t say a word. He stood munching on some hay.
A group of men walked up to the animals. They were wearing bright-colored robes that hung to
the ground. Each wore a scarf that was tied around their heads. "I think I shall buy this elephant.
It can carry a heavy load," Ahmed said. The elephant beamed with pride and smiled at the
peacock, goat and camel. Ahmed petted the elephant’s strong legs and trunk.
"The elephant is a strong animal, but it will not do well crossing the hot, desert sands," Rashid
replied.
Ahmed rubbed his chin in thought. "You are right, Rashid," Ahmed said and walked over to the
well to get a drink of water.
"I think I shall buy the peacock. It can sing me to sleep at night while we are traveling by
caravan across Arabia," Ali said. He knelt down and looked at the peacock’s beautiful feathers.
The peacock smiled at the elephant, goat and camel. "The peacock does sing and it is a
beautiful bird, but it could never endure the desert heat," Rashid said.
Ali rubbed his chin in thought. "You are right, Rashid," Ali said and walked into the marketplace
to buy some pistachios.
"I think I will buy this goat. It can give milk for cheese and I can use its coarse hair for my tent,"
Khalil said. The goat smiled at the elephant, peacock and camel.
"The goat does give milk. You could make wonderful cheeses and butter. You can use its
coarse hair for your tent, but it can’t walk fast enough or long enough to be in a caravan,"
Rashid pointed out.
Khalil rubbed his chin in thought. "You are right, Rashid," Khalil said. He walked away and
bought some fine silks instead.
"I am going to buy this camel," Rashid said. He petted the camel’s neck. "You also give milk.
Your hair can be used to make a tent; you can carry heavy loads, such as spices, frankincense,
and precious silks. You can go for days without drinking and can walk for a week without getting
tired. You aren’t huge like the elephant, nor are you as beautiful as the peacock. You can’t sing
at all, but you are the best animal of the four. I will buy you," Rashid said. He paid the man and
walked away with his purchase.
The camel turned and smiled at the elephant, peacock and goat, who stood sweltering in the hot
summer sun.

Terik cahaya matahari memancarkan sinarannya di suluruh kampung. Orang ramai bersesakan di pasar di
bawah panah terik haba matahari Empat ekor haiwan terikat dengan tali ke batang kayu kecil yang telah
ditumb ke dalam pasir. Tanda besar, membaca haiwan untuk dijual adalah nailed kepada salah satu
daripada kayu pemukul." Saya akan menjadi seorang yang pertama untuk pergi, "kata gajah. "I m yang
kukuh. Saya boleh membawa perkara-perkara. Saya boleh memberi tunggangan dan saya boleh
melakukan helah."" Anda ber salah. Saya akan menjadi orang pertama yang dibeli. Saya boleh menyanyi.
Aku cantik. Lihatlah bulu saya berwarna! Mereka adalah milik sebuah kebanggaan, dikehendaki oleh
banyak untuk hiasan,"burung itu dengan bongkaknya." Anda adalah kedua-duanya salah. Ia akan menjadi
saya yang dulu. Saya boleh berikan susu bagi keju. Rambut saya, walaupun kasar, boleh digunakan untuk
membuat khemah-khemah Badwi,"kambing chimed. Dia berpaling dan melihat unta tersebut. "Tiada
siapa akan membeli anda," beliau akibat. "Anda adalah hodoh. Anda menggigit, meludah dan menendang.
Anda mempunyai bonggol yang besar dan bau. Anda akan masih terikat kepada batang, cuaca di bawah
matahari panas yang panjang selepas tiga kita telah dijual." Unta didn t berkata kata. Dia berdiri
munching pada sesetengah hay. Kerana waktu yang berlalu, semakin ramai orang datang di pasaran.
Matahari seolah-olah untuk mendapatkan lebih panas dan panas kerana ia dibuat dengan cara yang lebih
tinggi ke langit. "Saya boleh menggunakan minuman sejuk, air yang menyegarkan," Gajah mengadu. Dia
berpeluh dan berasa amat dahaga." Saya perlu minum air juga,"burung yang ditambah. Bulu yang telah
mula sag dari haba." Jika ia menjadi lebih panas, saya akan mati kehausan, "kata kambing. Beliau telah
dibincangkan dengan begitu banyak rambut yang bahawa dia merasa lebih sengsara daripada tiga haiwan
lain. Unta didn t berkata kata. Dia berdiri munching pada sesetengah hay. Sekumpulan lelaki berjalan
sehingga haiwan. Mereka semua memakai jubah berwarna cerah yang digantung ke tanah. Masing-
masing memakai tudung itu adalah terikat sekitar kepala mereka. "Saya fikir saya akan membeli Gajah
ini. Ia boleh membawa beban berat,"kata Ahmed. Gajah alang dengan bangga dan tersenyum dalam
burung, kambing dan unta. Ahmed petted Gajah s kuat kaki dan batang." Gajah adalah haiwan yang kuat,
tetapi ia tidak akan berbuat baik merentasi Pasir Panas, Padang Pasir, "Rashid yang menjawab. Ahmed
disapu chin Nya fikiran. "Anda adalah betul, Rashid," Ahmed berkata dan berjalan ke telaga untuk
mendapatkan minuman air. " Saya fikir saya akan membeli burung itu. Ia boleh menyanyi saya untuk
tidur pada waktu malam semasa kami dalam perjalanan oleh kafilah di seluruh Arabia,"kata Ali. Dia
melutut dan memandang s burung bulu yang cantik. Burung itu tersenyum dalam Gajah, kambing dan
unta. "Burung yang menyanyi dan ia adalah seekor burung yang cantik, tetapi ia tidak dapat menahan
kehangatan padang pasir," kata Rashid. Ali disapu chin Nya fikiran. "Anda adalah betul, Rashid," Ali
berkata dan melangkah masuk ke dalam pasaran untuk membeli beberapa pistachios. " Saya fikir saya
akan membeli kambing ini. Ia boleh memberikan susu untuk keju dan saya boleh menggunakan rambut
yang kasar untuk khemah saya,"kata Khalil. Kambing tersenyum dalam Gajah, burung dan unta."
Kambing memberikan susu. Anda boleh membuat indah keju dan mentega. Anda boleh menggunakan
anak rambut kasar untuk khemah anda, tetapi ia boleh berjalan t cukup laju atau cukup lama berada dalam
kabilah, "Rashid menegaskan. Khalil disapu chin Nya fikiran. "Anda adalah betul, Rashid," Khalil
berkata. Dia pulang dan membeli beberapa Sutera halus sebaliknya." Saya mahu membeli unta ini,"kata
Rashid. Dia petted leher unta s. "Anda juga memberi susu. Rambut anda boleh digunakan untuk membuat
sebuah khemah; anda boleh membawa beban yang berat, seperti rempah ratus, Kemenyan dan Sutera
yang berharga. Anda boleh pergi untuk hari tanpa minum dan boleh berjalan selama seminggu tanpa
semakin letih. Anda aren t besar seperti Gajah, atau Adakah anda ketika burung itu. Anda boleh t sing
sekali, tetapi anda haiwan terbaik daripada empat. Saya akan membeli anda,"kata Rashid. Beliau dibayar
lelaki dan pulang dengan pembelian itu. Unta itu berpaling dan tersenyum dalam Gajah, burung dan
kambing, yang berdiri di bawah matahari musim panas panas cuaca.