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| 136. The Miller, His Son, And Their Ass A Miller and his son were driving their Ass to a neighbouring fair to sell him. They had not gone far when they met with a troop of women collected round a well, talking and laughing. "Look there," cried one of them, "did you ever see such fell ows, to be trudging along the road on foot when they might ride?" The old man hearing this quickly made his son mount the Ass, and continued to walk along merrily by his side. Presently they came up to a group of old m en in earnestdebate. "There," said one of them, "it proves what I was saying. What respect is shown to old age in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding while his old father has to walk? Get down, you young scapegrace, and let the old man rest his weary limbs." Upon this the old man made his son dismount, and got up himself. In this manner they had not proceeded far when they met a company o f women and children: "Why, you lazy old fellow," cried several tongues at once, "how can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can hardly keep pace by the side of you?" The good-natured Miller immediately took up hi s son beside him. They had now almost reached the town. "Pray, honest friend," said a citizen, "is that Ass your own?" "Yes," says the old man. "O, one would not hav e thought so," said the other, "by the way you load him. Why, you two fellows are better able to carry the poor beast than he." "Anything to please you," said the old man; "we can but try." So, al ighting with his son, they tied the legs of the Ass together, and by the help of a pole endeavoured to carry him on their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance of the town. This entertaining sight brought the people in crowds to lau gh at it; till the Ass, not liking the noise, nor the strange handling that he was subject to, broke the cords that bound him, and, tumbling off the pole, fell into the river. Upon this, the old man, vexed and ashamed, made the best of his way home again, convinced that by endeavoring to please everybody he had pleased nobody, and lost his Ass into the bargain. | 136. 磨坊主人、他的儿子和他们的驴子 一位磨坊主人和他的儿子，赶着他们驴子到邻近市集去贩卖。 他们走了没有多少路，遇见一群女人围着井边在谈笑着。 其中有一个说：「瞧，你们可曾看见过这种人吗；他们可以骑驴时，却沿路步行？」 老人听到这些话，立刻叫儿子骑上驴去，他自己继续在儿子的旁边，高兴地沿路走去。 不久，他们遇到一群在热烈争辩的老人。 他们之中有一个说：「啊，这就证明我刚才说的话了。 现在这个时代，谈不上什么敬老尊贤了。 你们可看见那个懒惰的孩子骑着驴，而他年迈的父亲，却只徒步而行呢。 下来，你这小流氓，让这位老年人休息休息他疲乏的腿吧。」 这时，老人便叫他的儿子下来，他自己骑了上去。 他们这样走了一小段路，又遇到一群女人和孩子。有几个人立刻叫道：「为什么你这懒惰的老头儿，你怎么可以骑在这牲口上，而让那可怜的孩子在你旁边走得精疲力竭？」 这位很听话的磨坊主人，立刻叫他儿子上来，两人合坐在它上面。 现在他们已快到市集了。 一个市民看见了便问：「诚实的朋友，这驴子是你自己的吗？」 老人说：「是的。」 那人说：「别人可不这样想，照你们合骑它的情形看来，。 你们两个人能驮这牲口，比它驮你们要合理得多呢。」 老人说道：「那么遵命好了，我们可以试一下。」 因此他和他的儿子一起下来，将驴子的脚捆在一起，用了一根棍子，努力将驴子抬上他们的肩膀，经过一座靠近市集的桥。 这种有趣的景象，使大家聚拢来嘲笑他；直到后来，那驴子不高兴那喧扰，也受不了那奇怪的摆弄，便挣断绳索，脱开棍子，跌到河里去。 这时，老人又气愤又羞惭，从小路逃回家去。他这时才明白，要努力讨每个人的欢心，结果连一个人的欢心也讨不到，反而在这件事情当中失去他的驴子。 |
- presently [´prezəntli]
ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词) - earnest [´ə:nist] a.认真的 n.认真；诚恳 (初中英语单词)
- debate [di´beit] n.&v.讨论，辩论 (初中英语单词)
- ashamed [ə´ʃeimd] a.惭愧；不好意思 (初中英语单词)
- hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)
- merrily [´merili] ad.欢乐地；愉快地 (高中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- dismount [dis´maunt] v.(使)下马(车) (高中英语单词)
- miller [´milə] n.磨坊主；铣床(工) (英语四级单词)
- good-natured [´gud-´neitʃəd] a.脾气好的，温厚的 (英语四级单词)
- bridge [bridʒ] n.桥(梁)；鼻梁；桥牌 (英语四级单词)
- liking [´laikiŋ] n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 (英语六级单词)
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