A Man who wanted to buy an Ass went to market，and，coming across a likely-looking beast，arranged with the owner that he should be allowed to take him home on trial to see what he was like.When he reached home，he put him into his stable along with the other asses.The newcomer took a look round，and immediately went and chose a place next to the laziest and greediest beast in the stable.When the master saw this he put a halter on him at once，and led him off and handed him over to his owner again.The latter was a good deal surprised to see him back so soon，and said，“Why，do you mean to say you have tested him already？”“I don’t want to put him through any more tests，”replied the other：“I could see what sort of beast he is from the companion he chose for himself.”
A man is known by the company he keeps.
｛中文阅读｝
有个人想买一头驴，于是，他来到市场里。有一群貌似一样的畜生被主人牵着向他走来，他提出应该将驴牵回家，好检验一下驴的状况。回到家后，他把驴安置在马棚里，里面还混杂着其他牲口。驴环视了一下四周，立刻来到马棚里一头好吃懒做的驴旁边。主人见此，立刻给那头驴套上辔头，牵去还给驴的卖主。看到他们这么快就回来了，卖主很惊讶，就说：“为什么回来了？你已经检验过它了？”那人答道：“我可不想再做什么检验了，从它选择的同伴来看，我就已经知道它是什么样的牲口了。”
物以类聚，人以群分。
189
THE KID AND THE WOLF
小山羊和狼
A Kid strayed from the ？ock and was chased by a Wolf.When he saw he must be caught he turned round and said to the Wolf，“I know，sir，that I can’t escape being eaten by you：and so，as my life is bound to be short，I pray you let it be as merry as may be.Will you not play me a tune to dance to before I die？”The Wolf saw no objection to having some music before his dinner：so he took out his pipe and began to play，while the Kid danced before him.Before many minutes were passed thegods who guarded the ？ock heard the sound and came up to see what was going on.They no sooner clapped eyes on the Wolf than they gave chase and drove him away.As he ran off，he turned and said to the Kid，“It’s what I thoroughly deserve：my trade is the butcher’s，and I had no business to turn piper to please you.”
｛中文阅读｝
一只从羊群里掉队的小山羊，被狼所追赶。当小山羊感觉自己就快被抓住了时，他回过头来，对狼说：“狼啊，我知道逃不掉了，很快就会成为你的盘中餐，因为我的生命很短暂，求求你让我尽可能地灿烂一回吧。你能在我死之前吹一曲，让我跳一次舞吗？”狼心想在晚餐前听一支曲子也不错，于是，他拿出自己的笛子来，开始吹奏，而小山羊则在他面前跳起舞来。还没过几分钟，守护羊群的牧羊犬闻声而至，想探个究竟。牧羊犬一看到狼，便马上赶走了他。狼一边跑，一边回过头来对小山羊说：“我真活该，我本该杀了你，根本没有义务为你吹笛子取悦你呀。”
190
THE DEBTOR AND HIS SOW
欠债人和母猪
A Man of Athens fell into debt and was pressed for the money by his creditor；but he had no means of paying at the time，so he begged for delay.But the creditor refused and said he must pay at once.Then the Debtor fetched a Sow—the only one he had—and took her to market to offer her for sale.It happened that his creditor was there too.Presently a buyer came along and asked if the Sow produced good litters.“Yes，”said the Debtor，“very fine ones；and the remarkable thing is that she produces females at the Mysteries and males at the Panathenea.”(Festivals these were：and the Athenians always sacri？ce a sow at one，and a boar at the other；while at the Dionysia they sacri？ce a kid.)At that the creditor，who was standing by，put in，“Don’t be surprised，sir；why，still better，at the Dionysia this Sow has kids！”
｛中文阅读｝
一个雅典人欠了别人的钱，债主三番五次来催他还钱，但他当时根本没有办法还钱，所以请求延期几天。可是，债主却不答应，让他立刻还钱。迫不得已，欠债人把家中仅有的母猪带到市场上去卖。碰巧，债主也在那个市场里。过了一会儿，有一个买主走上前来，问这头猪是否还能下小猪崽。“当然了，”欠债人回答说，“能生下很好的小猪崽，而且更惊人的是，她还能在女神节生下小母猪，在帕纳西尼亚节生下小公猪。”（这是希腊的两个节日，雅典人总是在女神节杀一只小母猪祭祀，在帕纳西尼亚节杀一只小公猪祭祀，而在狂欢节杀一只小山羊做祭祀品。）债主听到他说的话，立刻站出来插话道：“一点都不奇怪，先生，为什么呢，因为更厉害的是，在狂欢节时，她还会生下小山羊呢！”
THE BALD HUNTSMAN
秃头的猎人
A Man who had lost all his hair took to wearing a wig，and one day he went out hunting.It was blowing rather hard at the time，and he hadn’t gone far before a gust of wind caught his hat and carried it off，and his wig too，much to the amusement of the hunt.But he quite entered into the joke，and said，“Ah，well！the hair that wig is made of didn’t stick to the head on which it grew；so it’s no wonder it won’t stick to mine.”
｛中文阅读｝
有一个人因为所有的头发都掉光了，便戴上了一顶假发。有一天，他出去打猎。突然，一阵狂风吹来，把他头上的帽子和假发一起吹跑了，此事成了狩猎活动中的一大乐事。然而，他本人说出来的话就更加可笑了：“哈哈，好吧，制成这顶假发的那些头发，早已不能固定在原主人的头上了，所以毫无疑问，它们也无法粘在我的头上。”
THE HERDSMAN AND THE LOST BULL
牧人和丢失的公牛
A Herdsman was tending his cattle when he missed a young Bull，one of the finest of the herd.He went at once to look for him，but，meeting with no success in his search，he made a vow that，if he should discover the thief，he would sacrifice a calf to Jupiter.Continuing hissearch，he entered a thicket，where he presently espied a lion devouring the lost Bull.Terrified with fear，he raised his hands to heaven and cried，“Great Jupiter，I vowed I would sacri？ce a calf to thee if I should discover the thief：but now a full-grown Bull I promise thee if only I myself escape unhurt from his clutches.”
｛中文阅读｝
一个牧人在给牛喂草时发现丢了一头小公牛，那可是其中最好的一头牛。他立刻出去找牛，可是哪里都找不到，便发下誓言，只要让他发现偷牛的贼，他就会杀一头小牛供奉朱庇特。牧人继续去找他的牛，走着走着来到了一个灌木丛中，他忽然看见一只狮子正在津津有味地吃着那头丢失了的小公牛。他吓呆了，立刻举起双手向上天祈求说：“伟大的朱庇特，刚才我曾立誓，如果捉到贼，愿意献上一头小牛供奉你；但是现在，如果我可以安全地脱离狮口，我愿意再奉献一头成熟强壮的牛。”
THE MULE
骡子
One morning a Mule，who had too much to eat and too little to do，began to think himself a very ？ne fellow indeed，and frisked about saying，“My father was undoubtedly a high-spirited horse and I take after him entirely.”But very soon afterwards he was put into the harness and compelled to go a very long way with a heavy load behind him.At the end of the day，exhausted by his unusual exertions，he said dejectedly to himself，“I must have been mistaken about my father；he can only have been an ass after all.”
｛中文阅读｝
一天清晨，一匹衣食无忧、悠闲自在的骡子，认为自己天生好命，便高兴地自言自语道：“我的父亲一定是一匹能奔善跑的马，我非常像他。”然而，话音刚落，他就被套上马具，驮着沉重的货物上路了。一天下来，骡子已被那不同寻常的工作累垮了，他愁眉苦脸地说：“关于父亲的出身，我可能想错了，他不过是一头苦命的驴而已。”
THE HOUND AND THE FOX
猎狗和狐狸