Better servitude with safety than freedom with danger.
｛中文阅读｝
狮子身边有一只狐狸在服侍他，每当出去打猎时，狐狸负责寻找猎物，而狮子则扑上去杀死猎物，之后他们按照一定比例瓜分猎物。但狮子总会取走大部分猎物，而狐狸只能得到小小的一份，这让狐狸很不高兴。于是，狐狸决心自己去捕猎。起初，他尝试着从羊群中偷取羔羊，但是牧羊人一见到狐狸，便放狗追他。原来的捕猎者，现在反而变成被猎者，而且狐狸很快就被狗捉住杀死了。
安全的奴役更胜于有危险的自由。
THE QUACK DOCTOR
江湖郎中
A certain man fell sick and took to his bed.He consulted a number of doctors from time to time，and they all，with one exception，told him that his life was in no immediate danger，but that his illness would probably last a considerable time.The one who took a different view of his case，who was also the last to be consulted，bade him prepare for the worst：“You have not twenty-four hours to live，”said he，“and I fear I can do nothing.”As it turned out，however，he was quite wrong；for at the end of a few days the sick man quitted his bed and took a walk abroad，looking，it is true，as pale as a ghost.In the course of his walk he met the Doctor who had prophesied his death.“Dear me，”said the latter，“how do you do？You are fresh from the other world，no doubt.Pray，how are our departed friends getting on there？”“Most comfortably，”replied the other，“for they have drunk the water of oblivion，and have forgotten all the troubles of life.By the way，just before I left，the authorities were making arrangements to prosecute all the doctors，because they won’t let sick men die in the course of nature，but use their arts to keep them alive.They were going to charge you along with the rest，till I assured them that you were no doctor，but a mere impostor.”
｛中文阅读｝
从前，有一个人生病了，且卧床不起。他咨询了很多医生，除了一个医生之外，其他人都说这病没有什么危险，但却需要持续一段时间。那个持相反意见的医生，也是他最后咨询的一个医生，命令他做最坏的打算。“你已经活不过明天了，”那人说，“恐怕我也帮不上什么忙。”然而，事实证明那个医生的确是错了。过了些日子，尽管病人的脸色依然苍白，可他能够下床走动了。在路上，他又遇见了那个宣判他死期将至的医生。医生问他：“你好，感觉如何？不用问，你从另一个世界回来了。拜托，那些死去的朋友怎么样？”“非常舒服，”病人回答说，“因为他们喝了忘情水，忘掉了生命中的所有烦恼。顺便一提，就在我离开前，死神正准备控诉所有医生，因为他们没让病人自然死亡，而是利用各种方式来挽救其生命。原本你也在其中，但是我恳求他们放了你，因为你不是一个真正的医生，而仅仅是个江湖郎中。”
253
THE LION，THE WOLF，AND THE FOX
狮子、狼和狐狸
A Lion，infirm with age，lay sick in his den，and all the beasts of the forest came to inquire after his health with the exception of the Fox.The Wolf thought this was a good opportunity for paying off old scores against the Fox，so he called the attention of the Lion to his absence，and said，“You see，sire，that we have all come to see how you are except the Fox，who hasn’t come near you，and doesn’t care whether you are well or ill.”Just then the Fox came in and heard the last words of the Wolf.The Lion roared at him in deep displeasure，but he begged to be allowed to explain his absence，and said，“Not one of them cares for you so much as I，sire，for all the time I have been going round to the doctors and trying to find a cure for your illness.”“And may I ask if you have found one？”said the Lion.“I have，sire，”said the Fox，“and it is this：you must flay a Wolf and wrap yourself in his skin while it is still warm.”The Lion accordingly turned to the Wolf and struck him dead with one blow of his paw，in order to try the Fox’s preion；but the Fox laughed and said to himself，“That’s what comes of stirring up ill-will.”
｛中文阅读｝
一只上了年纪的狮子，生病躺在自己的洞里。除了狐狸外，森林里的其他动物都来问候狮子。狼心想，这正是一个好机会，可以和狐狸算算旧账了。于是，他便提醒狮子注意到狐狸的缺席，并且说：“您看，大王，我们所有动物都来看望您，可狐狸却胆大包天，竟然不来问候。他根本都不关心您的健康状况是好是坏。”正在此时，狐狸进来了，听到了狼所说的最后一句话。狮子立刻冲狐狸怒吼起来，狐狸马上请求让他解释一下缺席的原因。狐狸说：“他们谁也没有我这样关心您，我一直在四处奔走，遍访名医，为您寻找治病的妙方呢！”“我问一下，你找到了什么？”狮子说。“我找到了一个灵丹妙方，那就是——您必须活剥了狼，趁着它的皮还有体温时，赶紧披在身上。”为了试一下狐狸的偏方，狮子立刻转向狼，用一只爪子掐死了狼，而狐狸则笑着自言自语道：“这可是你自己激发出来的敌意。”
HERCULES AND PLUTUS
赫拉克勒斯和财神
When Hercules was received among the gods and was entertained at a banquet by Jupiter，he responded courteously to the greetings of all with the exception of Plutus，the god of wealth.When Plutus approached him，he cast his eyes upon the ground，and turned away and pretended not to see him.Jupiter was surprised at this conduct on his part，and asked why，after having been so cordial with all the other gods，he had behaved like that to Plutus.“Sire，”said Hercules，“I do not like Plutus，and I will tell you why.When we were on earth together I alwaysnoticed that he was to be found in the company of scoundrels.”
｛中文阅读｝
赫拉克勒斯被众神接纳为神以后，朱庇特为他设宴庆贺。宴会上，赫拉克勒斯热情友好地向众神们一一问好，唯独财神普路托斯除外。当财神向他走去时，他却低下头盯着地面看，然后转身走开了，假装没有看到他。朱庇特看到他的举动十分惊讶，便问他为什么与其他神都能高兴地打招呼，唯独对财神普路托斯却另眼相看。赫拉克勒斯回答说：“陛下，我不喜欢财神普路托斯，我会告诉您原因的。当我们俩都在人间时，总见到他与坏人在一起。”
THE FOX AND THE LEOPARD
狐狸与豹
A Fox and a Leopard were disputing about their looks，and each claimed to be the more handsome of the two.The Leopard said，“Look at my smart coat；you have nothing to match that.”But the Fox replied，“Your coat may be smart，but my wits are smarter still.”
｛中文阅读｝
一只狐狸和一只豹正在争论自己的外表，争着吹嘘自己是更俊朗的那一个。豹说：“看看我这漂亮的外套，你可没有什么能与之媲美的。”可是，狐狸却说：“你的外表或许比较漂亮，但我的智慧却更胜过你。”
THE FOX AND THE HEDGEHOG
狐狸与刺猬
A Fox，in swimming across a rapid river，was swept away by the current and carried a long way downstream in spite of his struggles，until at last，bruised and exhausted，he managed to scramble on to dry ground from a backwater.As he lay there unable to move，a swarm of horse？ies settled on him and sucked his blood undisturbed，for he was too weak even to shake them off.A Hedgehog saw him，and asked if he should brush away the ？ies that were tormenting him；but the Fox replied，“Oh，please，no，not on any account，for these ？ies have sucked their ？ll and are taking very little from me now；but，if you drive them off，another swarm of hungry ones will come and suck all the blood I have left，and leave me without a drop in my veins.”
｛中文阅读｝
一只狐狸正在渡过一条水流湍急的河，尽管他努力挣扎着，可依然被水流冲到了远处的河下游。后来，遍体鳞伤的他精疲力竭，想尽一切办法从水中爬回到了一块干燥的土地上，躺在那里一动也不能动。这时，一群饥饿的马蝇叮满了他的全身，泰然自若地吮吸着他的血。因为狐狸实在太虚弱，根本无法抖落这些马蝇。一只刺猬看见了他，并问他是否应该赶走这些害他的马蝇。
但是，狐狸却回答说：“不用啦，坚决不要打扰他们，因为这些马蝇已经吃饱，不再叮咬我了；假如你把它们都赶走了，另外一群饥饿的马蝇就会过来，继续吸取我体内剩余的血，这样就会吸干血管里的血。”
257
THE CROW AND THE RAVEN
乌鸦与渡鸦