童話，一般指虛構故事作品(英文名：fairy tale)，是文學體裁中的一種，主要面向兒童。

　　斑鴻說裊

　　One day, an owl1 flew persistently2 towards the east till it was completely exhausted3, so it stopped in a forest to take a rest. It happened that a turtledove was also resting there. Hearing the panting of the owl, it asked: "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

　　The owl said: "I am moving to the east."

　　The turtledove asked closely: "Why?"

　　The owl said: "The people in the west all say my cry is unpleasant and dislike me I cannot stay there any longer. I must move to a new place."

　　The turtledove said: "Can you solve your problem by changing a place? In my opinion, no matter where you move to, it won't help."

　　The owl felt rather angry at the words of the turtledove, but it still asked in surprise: "Can you forecast the future?"

　　The turtledove said: "This is very simple. If you don't change your cry, the people in the east will dislike you all the same."

　　一天，貓頭鷹一個勁兒地向東方飛去，飛得精疲力盡，停在樹林里休息。一只斑鴻恰巧也在那里休息，聽見貓頭鷹呼味呼味地喘氣，就對貓頭鷹說：“你這樣急急忙忙地趕路，去哪兒呀?”

　　貓頭鷹說：“我想到東方去住。”

　　斑雞追問：“為什么?”

　　貓頭鷹說：“西邊的人，都說我叫的聲音很難聽，都討厭我。在那兒我住不下去了，非換個地方不可!”

　　斑鴻說：“難道換個地方就可以解決問題嗎?我看，不管你搬到哪里去，都沒有用!”

　　貓頭鷹覺得斑塢的話太氣人，便驚奇地問：“你能未卜先知?”

　　斑雞說：“這很簡單，如果你不改變你的叫聲，那么東邊的人也一樣會討厭你的!”