A woman buys a parrot from a pet shop. But she wants to give the parrot back to the shop the next day.
"This parrot doesn't talk." she tells the shopkeeper.
"Does he have a mirror(镜子)in his cage(笼子)?" The shopkeeper asks, "Parrots love mirrors."
The woman buys a mirror and leaves. The next day she comes back again, saying that the parrot still doesn't talk.
"How about a ladder(梯子)? Parrots love ladders." the shopkeeper says. The woman buys a ladder and leaves. But again she is back the next day.
"Does your parrot have a swing(秋千)? No? Well, if he starts swinging, he'll talk a lot." the shopkeeper says.
The woman then buys a swing and leaves.
When she walks into the shop the next day, she begins to cry, "The parrot dies(死亡)."
The shopkeeper looks very surprised. "I'm sorry to hear that. Tell me. Does he ever say anything?" he asks.
"Yes, right before he dies," the woman answers, "he asks me in a low voice(嗓音), ‘Don't they sell any food at that pet shop?'"