一只狐狸失足掉到了井里，无论如何也爬不上来。一只口渴的公山羊来到这个井边，看见狐狸待在井下，便问他井水好不好喝。“好不好喝？”狐狸说，“这可是我有生以来尝过最好喝的水，你快下来亲自试试吧。”一心只想喝水的山羊信以为真，便不假思索地跳了下去，当他“咕咚咕咚”痛饮完，就不得不开始思考爬上井去的办法，可他也像狐狸那样一筹莫展。狐狸早有准备，他狡猾地说：“我倒有一个方法。你用前脚扒在井墙上，再把后腿蹬直了，我从你的后背跳上井去，再拉你上来，这样我们就都得救了。”公山羊同意了他的提议，狐狸踩着山羊的后背跳出了井口，接着便大摇大摆地扬长而去。公山羊指责狐狸不信守诺言，没有把他拉上去。但是，狐狸却回过头来对公山羊说：“喂，朋友，如果你的心眼能像胡须那样多，就不至于在没想清楚应该如何跳出井之前，盲目地跳下去了。”
三思而行。
THE FISHERMAN AND THE SPRAT
渔夫和小鲱鱼
A Fisherman cast his net into the sea，and when he drew it up again it contained nothing but a single Sprat that begged to be put back into the water.“I’m only a little ？sh now，”it said，“but I shall grow big one day，and then if you come and catch me again I shall be of some use to you.”But the Fisherman replied，“Oh，no，I shall keep you now I’ve got you：if I put you back，should I ever see you again？Not likely！”
｛中文阅读｝
渔夫将网撒向大海，当他再次收网时，只看到一条翻腾着想回大海里去的小鲱鱼。“我只是一条小鱼，”可怜的小鱼说，“但是我总有一天会长大，等我长大后，你再来抓我，那时才会对你更有好处。”然而，渔夫却回答说：“不行，我现在就要留下你来，如果我放你回去，还会再看到你吗？绝对不会了！”
THE BOASTING TRAVELLER
吹牛的路人
A Man once went abroad on his travels，and when he came home he had wonderful tales to tell of the things he had done in foreign countries.Among other things，he said he had taken part in a jumping-match at Rhodes，and had done a wonderful jump which no one could beat.“Just go to Rhodes and ask them，”he said；“every one will tell you it’s true.”But one of those who were listening said，“If you can jump as well as all that，we needn’t go to Rhodes to prove it.Let’s just imagine this is Rhodes for a minute：and now—jump！”
Deeds，not words.
｛中文阅读｝
有一个人曾经出国去旅行，回家后他就大肆吹嘘在异国他乡曾有过的那些奇妙经历。其中，他就提到曾在罗德岛参加过跳远比赛，而且还得了第一名。“只要去罗德岛问问当地人，”他说，“他们都会告诉你这是真的。”当时在场的一个人对他说：“如果你现在也能跳得那么远，我们根本就不需要去罗德岛找证据了。我们姑且暂时把这里当做是罗德岛，你跳吧！”
行动胜于雄辩。
THE CRAB AND HIS MOTHER
小螃蟹和他的妈妈
An Old Crab said to her son，“Why do you walk sideways like that，my son？You ought to walk straight.”The Young Crab replied，“Show me how，dear mother，and I’ll follow your example.”The Old Crab tried，but tried in vain，and then saw how foolish she had been to ？nd fault with her child.
Example is better than precept.
｛中文阅读｝
母蟹对小蟹说：“我的儿子，为什么你要这样横着走？你应该直行。”小螃蟹回答道：“妈妈，请您亲自教我怎样走，我会跟着您学的。”母蟹试了几次，却根本不会直走，接着便发现自己竟然愚蠢地去指责孩子的错误。
身教胜于言传。
THE ASS AND HIS SHADOW
驴和他的影子
A certain man hired an Ass for a journey in summertime，and started out with the owner following behind to drive the beast.By and by，in the heat of the day，they stopped to rest，and the traveller wanted to lie down in the Ass’s Shadow；but the owner，who himself wished to be out of the sun，wouldn’t let him do that；for he said he had hired the Ass only，and not his Shadow：the other maintained that his bargain secured him complete control of the Ass for the time being.From words they came to blows；and while they were belabouring each other the Ass took to his heels and was soon out of sight.
｛中文阅读｝
一次，某人为了夏日的旅行而雇了一头驴，于是，驴的主人跟在后面赶着驴出发了。烈日当头的正午时分，越走越热的他们停下来休息。行人想要躺在驴的影子下休息，可是驴的主人也希望能够躲避太阳的照射，不想让他这么做，因为行人只说雇佣了驴，没说要雇佣它的影子。而行人也坚持认为自己完全有权利控制驴的一切行为。他们争论不休，互相打了起来。就在他们打架时，驴逃之夭夭了。
THE FARMER AND HIS SONS
农夫和儿子