AN ASS and a Cock were in a straw-yard together when a Lion,

desperate from hunger, approached the spot. He was about to



spring upon the Ass, when the Cock (to the sound of whose voice

the Lion, it is said, has a singular aversion) crowed loudly, and



the Lion fled away as fast as he could. The Ass, observing his

trepidation at the mere crowing of a Cock summoned courage to



attack him, and galloped after him for that purpose. He had run

no long distance, when the Lion, turning about, seized him and



tore him to pieces.

False confidence often leads into danger.



The Mice and the Weasels

THE WEASELS and the Mice waged a perpetual war with each other,



in which much blood was shed. The Weasels were always the

victors. The Mice thought that the cause of their frequent



defeats was that they had no leaders set apart from the general

army to command them, and that they were exposed to dangers from



lack of discipline. They therefore chose as leaders Mice that

were most renowned for their family descent, strength, and



counsel, as well as those most noted for their courage in the

fight, so that they might be better marshaled in battle array and



formed into troops, regiments, and battalions. When all this was

done, and the army disciplined, and the herald Mouse had duly



proclaimed war by challenging the Weasels, the newly chosen

generals bound their heads with straws, that they might be more



conspicuous to all their troops. Scarcely had the battle begun,

when a great rout overwhelmed the Mice, who scampered off as fast



as they could to their holes. The generals, not being able to

get in on account of the ornaments on their heads, were all



captured and eaten by the Weasels.

The more honor the more danger.



The Mice in Council

THE MICE summoned a council to decide how they might best devise



means of warning themselves of the approach of their great enemy

the Cat. Among the many plans suggested, the one that found most



favor was the proposal to tie a bell to the neck of the Cat, so

that the Mice, being warned by the sound of the tinkling, might



run away and hide themselves in their holes at his approach. But

when the Mice further debated who among them should thus "bell



the Cat," there was no one found to do it.

The Wolf and the Housedog



A WOLF, meeting a big well-fed Mastiff with a woodencollar about

his neck asked him who it was that fed him so well and yet



compelled him to drag that heavy log about wherever he went.

"The master," he replied. Then said the Wolf: "May no friend of



mine ever be in such a plight; for the weight of this chain is

enough to spoil the appetite."



The Rivers and the Sea

THE RIVERS joined together to complain to the Sea, saying, "Why



is it that when we flow into your tides so potable and sweet, you

work in us such a change, and make us salty and unfit to drink?"



The Sea, perceiving that they intended to throw the blame on him,

said, "Pray cease to flow into me, and then you will not be made



briny."

The Playful Ass



AN ASS climbed up to the roof of a building, and frisking about

there, broke in the tiling. The owner went up after him and



quickly drove him down, beating him severely with a thick wooden

cudgel. The Ass said, "Why, I saw the Monkey do this very thing



yesterday, and you all laughed heartily, as if it afforded you

very great amusement."



The Three Tradesmen

A GREAT CITY was besieged, and its inhabitants were called



together to consider the best means of protecting it from the

enemy. A Bricklayer earnestly recommended bricks as affording



the best material for an effectiveresistance. A Carpenter, with

equal enthusiasm, proposed timber as a preferable method of



defense. Upon which a Currier stood up and said, "Sirs, I differ

from you altogether: there is no material for resistance equal to



a covering of hides; and nothing so good as leather."

Every man for himself.



The Master and His Dogs

• companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)


• assist [ə´sist] v.协助；援助；搀扶 (初中英语单词)


• running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


• destruction [di´strʌkʃən] n.破坏，毁灭 (初中英语单词)


• undertake [,ʌndə´teik] vt.从事；承担；担保 (初中英语单词)


• favorable [´feivərəbəl] a.赞成的；顺利的 (初中英语单词)


• sincere [sin´siə] a.真挚的；直率的 (初中英语单词)


• complain [kəm´plein] vi.抱怨，叫屈；控诉 (初中英语单词)


• mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)


• butcher [´butʃə] n.屠夫，刽子手 (初中英语单词)


• instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)


• alliance [ə´laiəns] n.联盟；同盟 (初中英语单词)


• distribute [di´stribju:t] vt.分配；分布；散播 (初中英语单词)


• partner [´pɑ:tnə] n.伙伴 v.同….合作 (初中英语单词)


• resign [ri´zain] v.辞职；放弃；委托 (初中英语单词)


• accurate [´ækjurət] a.准确的；精密的 (初中英语单词)


• perish [´periʃ] v.灭亡；消灭；(使)死去 (初中英语单词)


• feathered [´feðəd] a.有羽毛的；羽状的 (初中英语单词)


• prosperity [prɔ´speriti] n.繁荣；成功；幸运 (初中英语单词)


• sovereign [´sɔvrin] a.至高无上的 n.君主 (初中英语单词)


• willing [´wiliŋ] a.情愿的，乐意的 (初中英语单词)


• unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)


• traitor [´treitə] n.叛徒，卖国贼 (初中英语单词)


• fiercely [´fiəsli] ad.凶猛地，残忍地 (初中英语单词)


• breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)


• waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)


• shepherd [´ʃepəd] n.牧羊人 vt.带领 (初中英语单词)


• voyage [´vɔi-idʒ] n.&vi.航海；航程；旅行 (初中英语单词)


• commerce [´kɔmə:s] n.商业；社交；交流 (初中英语单词)


• barely [´beəli] ad.公开地；仅仅 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• hunger [´hʌŋgə] n.饥饿；渴望 (初中英语单词)


• discipline [´disiplin] n.纪律；训练 (初中英语单词)


• account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)


• wooden [´wudn] a.木制的；呆板的 (初中英语单词)


• collar [´kɔlə] n.衣领；(狗等的)项圈 (初中英语单词)


• wherever [weər´evə] conj.无论在哪里 (初中英语单词)


• monkey [´mʌŋki] n.猴子 v.乱弄；胡闹 (初中英语单词)


• effective [i´fektiv] a.有效的；有力的 (初中英语单词)


• resistance [ri´zistəns] n.抵抗；抵制；耐力 (初中英语单词)


• carpenter [´kɑ:pintə] n.木工 vi.做木工活 (初中英语单词)


• enthusiasm [in´θju:ziæzəm] n.热心；狂热；爱好 (初中英语单词)


• timber [´timbə] n.木材；木料；横梁 (初中英语单词)


• altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə] ad.完全；总而言之 (初中英语单词)


• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)


• remedy [´remidi] n.药品 vt.医治；减轻 (高中英语单词)


• solitary [´sɔlitəri] a.独居的；孤独的 (高中英语单词)


• archer [´ɑ:tʃə] n.射手，弓箭手 (高中英语单词)


• gladly [´glædli] ad.愉快地，高兴地 (高中英语单词)


• combat [´kɔmbæt] v.&n.斗争；战斗；争斗 (高中英语单词)


• tidings [´taidiŋz] n.消息，音信 (高中英语单词)


• lament [lə´ment] v.哀悼 n.哀悼；恸哭 (高中英语单词)


• precaution [pri´kɔ:ʃən] n.预防 vt.预先警告 (高中英语单词)


• tempest [´tempist] n.暴风雨 (高中英语单词)


• singular [´siŋgjulə] a.单一的；非凡的 (高中英语单词)


• perpetual [pə´petʃuəl] a.永恒的；终身的 (高中英语单词)


• renowned [ri´naund] a.有名的，有声望的 (高中英语单词)


• descent [di´sent] n.出身，家世 (高中英语单词)


• herald [´herəld] n.先驱；预兆 vt.预示 (高中英语单词)


• plight [plait] n.境况；困境；苦境 (高中英语单词)


• tiling [´tailiŋ] n.盖瓦；铺瓷砖 (高中英语单词)


• severely [si´viəli] ad.剧烈地；严格地 (高中英语单词)


• heartily [´hɑ:tili] ad.衷心地；亲切地 (高中英语单词)


• earnestly [´ə:nistli] ad.认真地；急切地 (高中英语单词)


• scarcity [´skeəsiti] n.缺乏；不足；稀少 (英语四级单词)


• fleece [fli:s] n.羊毛；羊毛状物 (英语四级单词)


• willingly [´wiliŋli] ad.情愿地，乐意地 (英语四级单词)


• seashore [´si:ʃɔ:] n.海岸；海滨 (英语四级单词)


• sovereignty [´sɔvrinti] n.主权；君权 (英语四级单词)


• whence [wens] ad.从何处；从那里 (英语四级单词)


• anticipation [æn,tisi´peiʃən] n.预期；预料；期望 (英语四级单词)


• warning [´wɔ:niŋ] n.警告；前兆 a.预告的 (英语四级单词)


• subsistence [səb´sistəns] n.生存；生计；生活费 (英语六级单词)


• farmyard [´fɑ:mjɑ:d] n.农家场院 (英语六级单词)


• fodder [´fɔdə] n.饲料；创作素材 (英语六级单词)


• outlay [´autlei] n.费用 vt.支付；花费 (英语六级单词)


• concealment [kən´si:lmənt] n.隐藏，隐瞒 (英语六级单词)


• invoke [in´vəuk] vt.调用，请求 (英语六级单词)


• dolphin [´dɔlfin] n.海豚 (英语六级单词)


• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)


• playful [´pleifəl] a.爱玩耍的；幽默的 (英语六级单词)


• beating [´bi:tiŋ] n.敲；搅打；失败 (英语六级单词)