书城童书伊索寓言(中英双语·百年纪念版)
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第32章

刚刚饱餐了一顿的狼正欣喜万分,这时,他看见一个男孩平躺在地上,并且意识到男孩正想藏起来,因为男孩害怕狼。他走到男孩跟前,说:“啊哈,你注意到我发现你了,不过,如果你能对我说出三件无可争议的事情来,我就饶了你的命。”男孩鼓起勇气,想了一会儿,说:“首先,很可惜,你看见了我;其次,我很傻,竟然被你看见了;第三,我们都讨厌狼,因为他们总会无端攻击我们的羊群。”狼回答说:“嗯,从你的角度来看,你所说的都是事实,所以你可以走了。”

THE MILLER,HIS SON,AND THEIR ASS

父亲、儿子和驴

A Miller,accompanied by his young Son,was driving his Ass to market in hopes of ?nding a purchaser for him.On the road they met a troop of girls,laughing and talking,who exclaimed,“Did you ever see such a pair of fools?To be trudging along the dusty road when they might be riding!”The Miller thought there was sense in what they said;so he made his Son mount the Ass,and himself walked at the side.Presently they met some of his old cronies,who greeted them and said,“You’ll spoil that Son of yours,letting him ride while you toil along on foot!Make him walk,young lazybones!It’ll do him all the good in the world.”

The Miller followed their advice,and took his Son’s place on the back of the Ass while the boy trudged along behind.They had not gone far when they overtook a party of women and children,and the Miller heard them say,“What a sel?sh old man!He himself rides in comfort,but lets his poor little boy follow as best he can on his own legs!”

So he made his Son get up behind him.Further along the road theymet some travellers,who asked the Miller whether the Ass he was ridingwas his own property,or a beast hired for the occasion.

He replied that it was his own,and that he was taking it to market to sell.“Good heavens!”said they,“with a load like that the poor beast will be so exhausted by the time he gets there that no one will look at him.Why,you’d do better to carry him!”“Anything to please you,”said the old man,“we can but try.”So they got off,tied the Ass’s legs together with a rope and slung him on a pole,and at last reached the town,carrying him between them.This was so absurd a sight that the people ran out in crowds to laugh at it,and chaffed the Father and Sonunmercifully,some even calling them lunatics.

They had then got to a bridge over the river,where the Ass,frightened by the noise and his unusual situation,kicked and struggled till he broke the ropes that bound him,and fell into the water and was drowned.Whereupon the unfortunate Miller,vexed and ashamed,made the best of his way home again,convinced that in trying to please all he had pleased none,and had lost his Ass into the bargain.

{中文阅读}

磨坊主和小儿子牵着一头驴到邻近的市场上,希望能给驴找到一个新主人。在路上,他们遇见了几个女孩子,她们笑着说:“你们看见过这样的傻瓜吗,放着驴不骑,却要在尘土飞扬的路上走!”磨坊主心想,她们说得有点道理,于是就让儿子骑上驴,自己则牵着驴走。走了一会,他们遇到了几个老朋友,打过招呼后,朋友们说:“你把儿子宠坏了,竟然让他骑在驴上,而你却在地上辛辛苦苦地走!让他下来,这个小懒骨头!这样才对他有好处。”

磨坊主听从了他们的建议,便叫儿子下来,自己骑了上去。没走多远,他们又遇到一群妇女和孩子,磨坊主又听他们说:“这个老头可真自私,自己舒服地骑在驴上,让那可怜的孩子一路跟着跑!”

于是,磨坊主立刻又叫儿子坐到他后面。又往前走了一段路后,他们又遇到了几个路人,他们问磨坊主胯下的这头驴子是自己的,还是临时租的。

磨坊主说是自己的,正要去市场卖掉驴。“天啊!”他们说,“驮着你们俩一路走来,这个可怜的牲口看上去已经筋疲力尽了,等它到了市场里,估计没人愿意多看它一眼。也许你们抬着它去市场更好些!”“只要你高兴就好,”磨坊主说,“我们可以试一下。”于是,他和儿子一起跳下驴,用绳子绑好驴的四条腿,并用一根木棍挑起驴,最后父子俩终于抬着驴来到了镇上。这个场面有点不寻常,很多人围过来看热闹,大家都取笑他们父子俩,说他们太残酷了,甚至还有人说他们是疯子。

他们接着要穿过河上的一座桥,就在这时,被吵闹声和自己的奇怪姿势吓呆了的驴,用力挣断了绑缚它的绳子,掉到河里被冲走了。不幸的磨坊主又气愤又羞愧,连忙夺路而逃。他终于信服了一个道理——努力取悦所有人,其实等于谁也没取悦到,反倒还丢了自己的驴。

THE STAG AND THE VINE

牡鹿和葡萄藤

A Stag,pursued by the huntsmen,concealed himself under cover of a thick Vine.They lost track of him and passed by his hiding-place without being aware that he was anywhere near.Supposing all danger to be over,he presently began to browse on the leaves of the Vine.The movement drew the attention of the returning huntsmen,and one of them,supposing some animal to be hidden there,shot an arrow at a venture into the foliage.The unlucky Stag was pierced to the heart,and,as he expired,he said,“I deserve my fate for my treachery in feeding upon the leaves of my protector.”

Ingratitude sometimes brings its own punishment.

{中文阅读}

一只鹿为了逃避猎人的追捕,躲藏在一棵茂盛的葡萄藤下。猎人找不到鹿的踪迹了,虽然刚从葡萄藤旁经过,却并没有发现他。鹿以为躲过了危险,便旁若无人地开始吃那茂盛的葡萄叶子。这个动静吸引了猎人们的注意,他们马上掉回头来,其中一个人认为叶子底下一定躲着什么动物,一箭就射中了鹿。不幸的鹿被箭刺穿了心脏,临死前说道:“我真是活该,因为我恩将仇报,吃了那曾经救过我一命的葡萄藤。”

恩将仇报有时会受到更严重的惩罚。

THE LAMB CHASED BY A WOLF

被狼追赶的羊羔

A Wolf was chasing a Lamb,which took refuge in a temple.The Wolf urged it to come out of the precincts,and said,“If you don’t,the priest is sure to catch you and offer you up in sacri?ce on the altar.”To which the Lamb replied,“Thanks,I think I’ll stay where I am:I’d rather be sacri?ced any day than be eaten up by a Wolf.”

{中文阅读}

一只狼正在追赶一只小羊,而羊逃进了一个神庙里。狼为了怂恿小羊出来,便说:“要是你不赶快出来,祭司就会抓住你,把你放到神坛上当祭祀品。”小羊则回答说:“谢谢你,我会一直待在这里,宁愿有一天能成为祭祀品,也比被你吃掉好。”

THE ARCHER AND THE LION

射手和狮子

An Archer went up into the hills to get some sport with his bow,and all the animals fled at the sight of him with the exception of the Lion,who stayed behind and challenged him to fight.But he shot an arrow at the Lion and hit him,and said,“There,you see what my messenger can do:just you wait a moment and I’ll tackle you myself.”The Lion,however,when he felt the sting of the arrow,ran away as fast as his legs could carry him.A fox,who had seen it all happen,said to the Lion,“Come,don’t be a coward:why don’t you stay and show ?ght?”But the Lion replied,“You won’t get me to stay,not you:why,when he sends a messenger like that before him,he must himself be a terrible fellow to deal with.”

Give a wide berth to those who can do damage at a distance.

{中文阅读}

从前,有一个神射手到山里去寻找猎物,森林里的野兽一见到他,全都逃得无影无踪,只有高傲的狮子依然待在原地,向他发出挑战。然而,射手冲狮子射出一箭,说:“这只是给你报个信,你等着吧,看看我怎么收拾你。”狮子感觉到箭伤的疼痛后,竭力地快速逃走了。一只在旁观看的狐狸对狮子说:“别做懦夫呀,为什么你不待在原地,展示一下你的斗志呢?”可是狮子却回答说:“你可不能让我冒死呀,显示斗志的又不是你。为什么要跑,他射过来的一支箭都这么厉害,他本人肯定也不是一个好对付的家伙。”

要对那些从远处就具杀伤力的人敬而远之。

THE WOLF AND THE GOAT

狼和山羊