伊索寓言7

　　The Kingdom of the Lion狮子国王

　　THE BEASTS of the field and forest had a Lion as their king. He was neither wrathful, cruel, nor tyrannical, but just and gentle as a king could be. During his reign he made a royal proclamation for a general assembly of all the birds and beasts, and drew up conditions for a universal league, in which the Wolf and the Lamb, the Panther and the Kid, the Tiger and the Stag, the Dog and the Hare, should live together in perfect peace and amity. The Hare said, "Oh, how I have longed to see this day, in which the weak shall take their place with impunity by the side of the strong." And after the Hare said this, he ran for his life. 有只狮子做了国王，他善良、温和，与人一样和平、公正。在他的统治下，惩恶扬善， 裁决动物之间的纠纷，使所有的动物和睦相处。胆小的兔子说："我祈祷能得到这样的日 子，那时弱者就不怕被强者伤害了。" 然后赶紧逃命去了。

　　The Wolf and the Crane狼与鹭鸶

　　A WOLF who had a bone stuck in his throat hired a Crane, for a large sum, to put her head into his mouth and draw out the bone. When the Crane had extracted the bone and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you have surely already had a sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out your head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf."

　　In serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escape injury for your pains. 狼误吞下了一块骨头，十分难受，四处奔走，寻访医生。他遇见了鹭鸶，谈定酬金请他 取出骨头，鹭鸶把自己的头伸进狼的喉咙里，叼出了骨头，便向狼要定好的酬金。狼回答 说："喂，朋友，你能从狼嘴里平安无事地收回头来，难道还不满足，怎么还要讲报酬？"

　　这故事说明，对坏人行善的报酬，就是认识坏人不讲信用的本质。

　　The Fisherman Piping吹箫的渔夫

　　A FISHERMAN skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the seashore. Standing on a projecting rock, he played several tunes in the hope that the fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord dance into his net, which he had placed below. At last, having long waited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and casting his net into the sea, made an excellent haul of fish. When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said: "O you most perverse creatures, when I piped you would not dance, but now that I have ceased you do so merrily." 有一个会吹箫的渔夫，带着他心爱的箫和渔网来到了海边。他先站在一块突出的岩石 上，吹起箫来，心想鱼听到这美妙音乐就会自己跳到他的前面来的。他聚精会神地吹了好 久，毫无结果。他只好将箫放下，拿起网来，向水里撒去，结果捕到了许多的鱼。他将网中 的鱼一条条地扔到岸上，并对乱蹦乱跳的鱼说："喂，你们这些不识好歹的东西！我吹箫 时，你们不跳舞，现在我不吹了，你们倒跳了起来。" 这故事适用于那些做事不择时机的人们。

　　Hercules and the Wagoner大力神和车夫

　　A CARTER was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him: "Put your shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and ne

　　ver more pray to me for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or depend upon it you will henceforth pray in vain."

　　Self-help is the best help. 一名车夫赶着货车沿着乡间小路行进。途中车轮陷入了很深的车辙中，再也无法前进。 这时，愚蠢的车夫吓得茫然失措，一筹莫展，痴呆呆地站在那里，凝视着货车，不断地高声 喊叫，求大力神来助他一把。大力神来到后，对他说："朋友，用你的肩膀扛起车轮，再抽 打拉车的马。你自己不自力更生，尽力解决，仅靠祈求我，怎么行呢？"

　　这是说自力更生，自助自立是克服困难的最好办法。

　　The Ants and the Grasshopper蚂蚁与蚱蜢

　　THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?' He replied, "I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing." They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter." 冬季，蚂蚁正忙着把潮湿的谷子晒干。饥饿的蚱蜢跑来，向他们乞讨食物。蚂蚁问他： "你为什么在夏天不去收集食物呢？" 蚱蜢回答说："那时没有时间，我忙于唱美妙动听的 歌。"蚂蚁嘲笑说："你夏季如要唱歌，那么冬季就去跳舞吧。"这故事说明，要不失时机 地工作、劳动，才能丰衣足食；如果一味玩乐，只能挨饿。