《小马过河》是浙江瑞安中小学教师彭文席先生创作的寓言(童话)故事，原载于1955年11月《新少年报》（《中国儿童报》前身）。
“Little Horse Crossing the River” is a fable (fairy tale) created by Mr. Peng Wenxi, a teacher of Ruian Primary and Middle School in Zhejiang Province. It was originally published in “New Youth Daily” (the predecessor of “China Children’s Daily”) in November 1955.
马棚里住着一匹老马和一匹小马。有一天，老马对小马说：“你已经长大了，能帮妈妈做点事吗？”小马连蹦带跳地说：“怎么不能？我很愿意帮您做事。”老马高兴地说：“那好哇，你把这半口袋麦子驮到磨坊去吧。”
小马驮起麦子，飞快地往磨坊跑去。跑着跑着，一条小河挡住了去路，河水哗哗地流着。小马为难了，心想：我能不能过去呢？如果妈妈在身边，问问她该怎么办，那多好哇！
他向四周望望，看见一头老牛在河边吃草。小马嗒嗒嗒跑过去，问道：“牛伯伯，请您告诉我，这条河，我能趟过去吗？”老牛说：“水很浅，刚没小腿，能趟过去。”
小马听了老牛的话，立刻跑到河边，准备趟过去。突然，从树上跳下一只松鼠，拦住他大叫：“小马，别过河，别过河，河水会淹死你的！”小马吃惊地问：“水很深吗？”松鼠认真地说：“深得很呢！昨天，我的一个伙伴就是掉进这条河里淹死的！”
小马连忙收住脚步，不知道怎么办才好。他叹了口气，说：“唉！还是回家问问妈妈吧！”
小马甩甩尾巴，跑回家去。妈妈问：“怎么回来啦？”小马难为情地说：“一条河挡住了，我……我过不去。”妈妈说：“那条河不是很浅吗？”小马说：“是啊！牛伯伯也这么说。可是松鼠说河水很深，还淹死过他的伙伴呢！”妈妈说：“那么河水到底是深还是浅？你仔细想过他们的话吗？”小马低下了头，说：“没……没想过。”妈妈亲切地对小马说：“孩子，光听别人说，自己不动脑筋，不去试试，是不行的。河水是深是浅，你去试一试就会明白了。”
小马跑到河边，刚刚抬起前蹄，松鼠又大叫起来：“怎么，你不要命啦！”小马说：“让我试试吧。”他下了河，小心地趟了过去。原来河水既不像老牛说的那样浅，也不像松鼠说的那样深。
An old horse and a small horse lived in the stable. One day, the old horse said to the little horse: “You have grown up, can you do something for your mother?” The little horse bounced and said: “Why not? I am willing to help you do things.” The old horse is happy. Said: “That’s great, you can carry this half-pocket of wheat to the mill.”
The little horse picked up the wheat and ran quickly to the mill. Running, a small river blocked the way, and the river was rushing. Xiao Ma was embarrassed and thought: Can I go there? It would be great if mom was around and asked her what to do!
He looked around and saw an old cow grazing by the river. The pony dashed over and asked: “Uncle Niu, please tell me, can I walk across this river?” The old cow said, “The water is very shallow, and I just didn’t have a calf, so I can walk across it.”
After hearing what the old cow said, the little horse immediately ran to the river, ready to wade over. Suddenly, a squirrel jumped from the tree and stopped him yelling: “Little horse, don’t cross the river, don’t cross the river, the river will drown you!” The little horse asked in surprise, “Is the water deep?” Squirrel Seriously said: “It’s very deep! Yesterday, one of my partners fell into this river and drowned!”
The pony stopped quickly, not knowing what to do. He sighed and said, “Oh! Let’s go home and ask mom!”
The pony flicked its tail and ran home. The mother asked: “How come back?” The little horse said embarrassedly: “A river is blocked, I…I can’t get through.” The mother said, “Isn’t that river very shallow?” The little horse said, “Yes! Cow!” Uncle said the same. But the squirrel said that the river was deep and he drowned his partner!” Mother said, “So is the river deep or shallow? Have you thought about what they said?” The little horse lowered his head and said : “No… I didn’t think about it.” Mom said kindly to Xiao Ma: “Child, just listen to others, don’t use your brain, don’t try, it won’t work. The river is deep or shallow, you go try it. You will understand if you try.”
The pony ran to the river, and just raised his front hoof, the squirrel yelled again: “Why, you don’t want to die!” The pony said, “Let me try.” He went down the river and waded over carefully. . It turns out that the river is neither as shallow as the old cow said, nor as deep as the squirrel said.