A Lion，enfeebled by age and no longer able to procure food for himself by force，determined to do so by cunning.Betaking himself to a cave，he lay down inside and feigned to be sick：and whenever any of the other animals entered to inquire after his health，he sprang upon them and devoured them.Many lost their lives in this way，till one day a Fox called at the cave，and，having a suspicion of the truth，addressed the Lion from outside instead of going in，and asked him how he did.He replied that he was in a very bad way：“But，”said he，“why do you stand outside？Pray come in.”“I should have done so，”answered the Fox，“if I hadn’t noticed that all the footprints point towards the cave and none the other way.”
｛中文阅读｝
有一头上了年纪的狮子，已经不能凭借蛮力去抢夺食物了，暗自思忖着只能用智取的办法才能获得必要食物。于是，他钻进一个山洞里，躺在地上假装生病，只要有其它小动物走过来窥探他的健康状况，他就会上前抓住他们，然后吃掉。就这样，许多动物都丧失了性命。直到有一天，怀疑事实真相的狐狸识破了狮子的诡计，他远远地站在洞外，询问狮子现在感觉如何。狮子回答说自己感觉很不好，他问狐狸：“不过，你为什么站在外面问，快进洞里来吧。”狐狸回答说：“我发现只有进去的脚印，却没有一个出来的脚印，若不是看到这些脚印，我也许已经进洞里去了。”
THE BOY BATHING
洗澡的小男孩
A Boy was bathing in a river and got out of his depth，and was in great danger of being drowned.A man who was passing along a road heard his cries for help，and went to the riverside and began to scold him for being so careless as to get into deep water，but made no attempt to help him.“Oh，sir，”cried the Boy，“please help me ？rst and scold me afterwards.”
Give assistance，not advice，in a crisis.
｛中文阅读｝
一天，有个小男孩正在河里洗澡，他走到了水深没顶的地方，眼看就要被淹死了。一个正经过此路的行人听到了男孩的呼救声，他走到河边，开始教训小男孩太鲁莽地进入深水区，但是并没有要去救人的意思。小男孩大声喊道：“先生，拜托你，还是先把我救起来，再好好教训吧。”
危急之中应伸出援手，而非建议。
THE QUACK FROG
庸医青蛙
Once upon a time a Frog came forth from his home in the marshes and proclaimed to all the world that he was a learned physician，skilled in drugs and able to cure all diseases.Among the crowd was a Fox，who called out，“You a doctor！Why，how can you set up to heal others when you cannot even cure your own lame legs and blotched and wrinkled skin？”
Physician，heal thyself.
｛中文阅读｝
从前，有一只青蛙从他那湿地中的家里蹦了出来，向所有的动物宣称自己是一个博学多才的医生，精通于药学，能治百病。其中，有一只狐狸问他：“你这样的医生，连自己的跛足和斑驳起皱的皮都治不好，怎么还敢吹牛说能给别人治病呢？”
要医人，先医己。
THE SWOLLEN FOX
胀肚的狐狸
A hungry Fox found in a hollow tree a quantity of bread and meat，which some shepherds had placed there against their return.Delighted with his find he slipped in through the narrow aperture and greedily devoured it all.But when he tried to get out again he found himself so swollen after his big meal that he could not squeeze through the hole，and fell to whining and groaning over his misfortune.Another Fox，happening to pass that way，came and asked him what the matter was；and，on learning the state of the case，said，“Well，my friend，I see nothing for it but for you to stay where you are till you shrink to your former size；you’ll get out then easily enough.”
｛中文阅读｝
饥饿的狐狸在一棵中空的树干中发现了一些牧羊人存留的面包和肉。高兴之余，他立即通过那狭窄的缝隙挤进去，贪婪地大吃起来。然而，当他吃饱之后，却发现自己的肚子胀鼓鼓的，即便费了九牛二虎之力，却怎么也钻不出那个洞来，便在树洞里唉声叹气。另一只狐狸恰巧经过那里，听到他的呻吟，便过去问他原因。听明白缘由后，那只狐狸便说道：“我的朋友，你就老老实实待在里边吧，等到恢复了钻进去之前的身材，你就能轻松地出来了。”
THE MOUSE，THE FROG，AND THE HAWK
老鼠、青蛙和老鹰
A Mouse and a Frog struck up a friendship；they were not well mated，for the Mouse lived entirely on land，while the Frog was equally at home on land or in the water.In order that they might never be separated，the Frog tied himself and the Mouse together by the leg with a piece of thread.As long as they kept on dry land all went fairly well；but，coming to the edge of a pool，the Frog jumped in，taking the Mouse with him，and began swimming about and croaking with pleasure.The unhappy Mouse，however，was soon drowned，and ？oated about on the surface in the wake of the Frog.There he was spied by a Hawk，who pounced down on him and seized him in his talons.The Frog was unable to loose the knot which bound him to the Mouse，and thus was carried off along with him and eaten by the Hawk.
｛中文阅读｝
一只老鼠与一只青蛙建立起了友谊。但是他们并非十分相配，因为老鼠完全生活在陆地上，而青蛙则除了陆地上的生活外，还时常在水中生活。为了永远不分开，青蛙用一根绳子把自己的腿和老鼠的腿绑在了一起。他们在干燥的地面上行走时，一切都正常，可是当他们来到池塘边时，青蛙带着老鼠一起跳进了水里，一边游泳，一边高兴得呱呱大叫。然而，可怜的老鼠很快就被淹死了，并且尾随着青蛙漂浮在水面。这时，一只鹰发现了老鼠，猛然冲向水面，用鹰爪把他抓了起来。青蛙无法松开与老鼠绑在一起的绳结，于是也一同被抓走，成了老鹰的美食。
THE BOY AND THE NETTLES
男孩和荨麻
A Boy was gathering berries from a hedge when his hand was stung by a Nettle.Smarting with the pain，he ran to tell his mother，and said to her between his sobs，“I only touched it ever so lightly，mother.”“That’s just why you got stung，my son，”she said；“if you had grasped it ？rmly，it wouldn’t have hurt you in the least.”
｛中文阅读｝
一个小男孩在篱笆丛中采集浆果，一不小心被荨麻刺伤了。带着难受的刺痛感，他急忙跑回家，边哭边对妈妈说：“妈妈，我只是轻轻地碰了它一下。”妈妈说：“这就是你被刺痛的原因，我的儿子。如果你勇敢地一把抓住它，就不会被刺伤了。”
THE PEASANT AND THE APPLE-TREE
农夫和苹果树
A Peasant had an Apple-tree growing in his garden，which bore no fruit，but merely served to provide a shelter from the heat for the sparrows and grasshoppers which sat and chirped in its branches.Disappointed at its barrenness he determined to cut it down，and went and fetched his axe for the purpose.But when the sparrows and the grasshoppers saw what he was about to do，they begged him to spare it，and said to him，“If you destroy the tree we shall have to seek shelter elsewhere，and you will no longer have our merry chirping to enliven your work in the garden.”He，however，refused to listen to them，and set to work with a will to cut through the trunk.A few strokes showed that it was hollow inside and contained a swarm of bees and a large store of honey.Delighted with his find he threw down his axe，saying，“The old tree is worth keeping after all.”
Utility is most men’s test of worth.
｛中文阅读｝
有一个农夫，他的园子里有一棵苹果树，这棵树并不茂盛，只能为麻雀和蝉提供一个可栖息的地方，让他们坐在枝桠上歇息和喋喋不休地吵闹。农夫认为这棵树没有什么大用处，决定把它砍掉，于是便拿起斧头走过去砍起树来。然而，那些蝉和麻雀看到农夫的行为后，便请求农夫留下这棵树，并且对他说：“如果你砍掉这棵树，我们还得另外再找一个窝，而你也不会在园子里干活时听到我们为你鼓劲的欢快歌声了。”农夫没理睬他们，继续拿起斧头砍这棵树。几斧下去之后，树上出现了一个洞，他发现树洞里有蜂巢和蜂蜜。他高兴地连忙抛下斧头，说：“这棵老树还真是值得保留下来。”
实用性是大多数人对价值的检验。
THE JACKDAW AND THE PIGEONS
寒鸦与鸽子