你要長的,那就這個吧
The Thirsty Pigeon口渴的鴿子
A PIGEON, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard. Not supposing it to be only a picture, she flew towards it with a loud whir and unwittingly dashed against the signboard, jarring herself terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by one of the bystanders.
Zeal should not outrun discretion.
有只鴿子口渴得很難受,看見畫板上畫著一個水瓶,以為是真的.他立刻呼呼地猛飛過 去,不料一頭碰撞在畫板上,折斷了翅膀,摔在地上,被人輕易地捉住了.
這是說,有些人想急于得到所需的東西,一時沖動,草率從事,就會身遭不幸.
The Raven and the Swan烏鴉和天鵝
A RAVEN saw a Swan and desired to secure for himself the same beautiful plumage. Supposing that the Swan's splendid white color arose from his washing in the water in which he swam, the Raven left the altars in the neighborhood where he picked up his living, and took up residence in the lakes and pools. But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their color, while through want of food he perished.
Change of habit cannot alter Nature.
烏鴉非常羨慕天鵝潔白的羽毛.他猜想天鵝一定是經常洗澡,羽毛才變得如此潔白無 瑕.于是,他毅然離開了他賴以生存的祭壇,來到江湖邊.他天天洗刷自己的羽毛,不但一 點都沒洗白,反而因缺少食物饑餓而死.
這故事是說,人的本性不會隨著生活方式的改變而改變.
The Goat and the Goatherd 山羊與牧羊人
A GOATHERD had sought to bring back a stray goat to his flock. He whistled and sounded his horn in vain; the straggler paid no attention to the summons. At last the Goatherd threw a stone, and breaking its horn, begged the Goat not to tell his master. The Goat replied, "Why, you silly fellow, the horn will speak though I be silent."
Do not attempt to hide things which cannot be hid.
很多山羊被牧羊人趕到羊圈里.有一只山羊不知在吃什么好東西,單獨落在后面.牧羊 人拿起一塊石頭扔了過去,正巧打斷了山羊的一只角.牧羊人嚇得請求山羊不要告訴主人, 山羊說：“即使我不說,又怎能隱瞞下去呢?我的角已斷了,這是十分明顯的事實.”
這故事說明,明顯的罪狀是無法隱瞞的.
The Miser守財奴
A MISER sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he buried in a hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and went to look at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent visits to the spot and decided to watch his movements. He soon discovered the secret of the hidden treasure, and digging down, came to the lump of gold, and stole it. The Miser, on his next visit, found the hole empty and began to tear his hair and to make loud lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with grief and learning the cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but go and take a stone, and place it in the hole, and fancy that the gold is still lying there. It will do you quite the same service; for when the gold was there, you had it not, as you did not make the slightest use of it."
有個守財奴變賣了他所有的家產,換回了金塊,并秘密地埋在一個地方.他每天走去看 看他的寶藏.有個在附近放羊的牧人留心觀察,知道了真情,趁他走后,挖出金塊拿走了. 守財奴再來時,發(fā)現(xiàn)洞中的金塊沒有了,便捶胸痛哭.有個人見他如此悲痛,問明原因后, 說道：“喂,朋友,別再難過了,那塊金子雖是你買來的,但并不是你真正擁有的.去拿一 塊石頭來,代替金塊放在洞里,只要你心里想著那是塊金子,你就會很高興.這樣與你擁有 真正的金塊效果沒什么不同.依我之見,你擁有那金塊時,也從沒用過.”
這故事說明,一切財物如不使用等于沒有.
The Wolf and the Lamb 狼與小羊
WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him:"Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf , "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations."
The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.
一只小羊在河邊喝水,狼見到后,便想找一個名正言順的借口吃掉他.于是他跑到上游,惡狠狠地說小羊把河水攪渾濁了,使他喝不到清水.小羊回答說,他僅僅站在河邊喝水,并且又在下游,根本不可能把上游的水攪渾.狼見此計不成,又說道：“我父親去年被你罵過.”小羊說,那時他還沒有出生.狼對他說：“不管你怎樣辯解,反正我不會放過 你.”
這說明,對惡人做任何正當的辯解也是無效的.
The Bat and the Weasels蝙蝠與黃鼠狼
A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped.
It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.
蝙蝠掉落在地上,被黃鼠狼叼去,他請求饒命.黃鼠狼說絕不會放過他,自己生來痛恨鳥類.蝙蝠說他是老鼠,不是鳥,便被放了.后來蝙蝠又掉落了下來,被另一只黃鼠狼叼住,他再三請求不要吃他.這只黃鼠狼說他恨一切鼠類.蝙蝠改口說自己是鳥類,并非老 鼠,又被放了.這樣,蝙蝠兩次改變了自己的名字,終于死里逃生.
這故事說明,我們遇事要隨機應變方能避免危險.
The Ass and the Grasshopper 驢子與蚱蜢
AN ASS having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food they lived on to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew." The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.
驢子聽見蚱蜢唱歌,被美妙動聽的歌聲所打動,自己也想能發(fā)出同樣悅耳動聽的聲音,便 羨慕地問他們吃些什么,才能發(fā)出如此美妙的聲音來.蚱蜢答道：“吃露水.”驢子便也只吃露水,沒多久就餓死了.
這個故事告訴人們不要企望非份之物.
The Lion and the Mouse 獅子與報恩的老鼠
A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came and gnawed the rope with his teeth and set him free, exclaiming:
"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion."
獅子睡著了,有只老鼠跳到了他身上.獅子猛然站起來,把他抓住,準備吃掉.老鼠請求饒命,并說如果保住性命,必將報恩,獅子輕蔑地笑了笑,便把他放走了.不久,獅子真的被老鼠救了性命.原來獅子被一個獵人抓獲,并用繩索把他捆在一棵樹上.老鼠聽到了他 的哀嚎,走過去咬斷繩索,放走了獅子,并說：
“你當時嘲笑我,不相信能得到我的報答, 現(xiàn)在可清楚了,老鼠也能報恩.” 這故事說明,時運交替變更,強者也會有需要弱者的時候.