一位父亲有几个孩子,这些孩子时常发生口角。他丝毫没有办法来劝阻他们,只好让他们看看不合群所带来害处的例子。为了达到这个目的,有一天他叫他们替他拿一捆细柴来。当他们把柴带来时,他便先后地将那捆柴放在每一个孩子的手中,吩咐他们弄断这捆柴。他们一个个尽力去试,总是不能成功。
然后他解开那捆柴,一根根地放在他们手里,如此一来,他们便毫不费力地折断了。于是他就告诉他们说:「孩子们!如果你们大家团结一致,互相帮助,你们就像这捆柴一样,不能被你们的敌人折断;但如果你们自行,你们就将和这些散柴一般,不堪一折了。」
The fox, filled with arrogance, examined the cat from head to feet, and for a long time did not know whether he should give an answer. At last he said, "Oh, you poor beard-licker, you speckled fool, you hungry mouse hunter, what are you thinking? Have you the nerve to ask how I am doing? What do you know? How many tricks do you understand?"
"I understand but one," answered the cat, modestly.
"What kind of a trick is it?" asked the fox.
"When the dogs are chasing me, I can jump into a tree and save myself."
"Is that all?" said the fox. "I am master of a hundred tricks, and in addition to that I have a sackful of cunning. I feel sorry for you. Come with me, and I will teach you how one escapes from the dogs."
Just then a hunter came by with four dogs. The cat jumped nimbly up a tree, and sat down at its top, where the branches and foliage completely hid her.
"Untie your sack, Mr. Fox, untie your sack," the cat shouted to him, but the dogs had already seized him, and were holding him fast.
"Oh, Mr. Fox," shouted the cat. "You and your hundred tricks are left in the lurch. If you been able to climb like I can, you would not have lost your life."
一只猫在森林里遇到一只狐狸,心想:“他又聪明,又丰富,挺受人尊重的。”於是它很友好地和狐狸打招呼:“日安,尊敬的狐狸先生,您好吗?这些日子挺艰难的,您过得怎么样?”
狐狸傲慢地将猫从头到脚地打量了一番,半天拿不定主意是不是该和它说话。最后它说:“哦,你这个倒霉的长着鬍子、满身花纹的傻瓜、饥肠辘辘地追赶老鼠的.傢伙,你会啥?有甚么资格问我过得怎么样?你都学了点甚么本事?”
“我只有一种本领。”猫谦虚地说。
“甚么本领?”狐狸问。
“有人追我的时候,我会爬到树上去藏起来保护自己。”
“就这本事?”狐狸不屑地说,“我掌握了上百种本领,而且还有满口袋计谋。我真觉得你可怜,跟着我吧,我教你怎么从追捕中逃生。”
就在这时,猎人带着四条狗走近了。猫敏捷地窜到一棵树上,在树顶上蹲伏下来,茂密的树叶把它遮挡得严严实实。
“快打开你的计谋口袋,狐狸先生,快打开呀!”猫冲着狐狸喊道。可是猎狗已经将狐狸扑倒咬住了。“哎呀,狐狸先生,”猫喊道,“你的千百种本领就这么给扔掉了!假如你能像我一样爬树就不至於丢了性命了!”
有一天下午,鹅太太从河边散步回来,路过火鸡先生的家,她想:我走累了,到火鸡先生家歇一会儿去。
鹅太太敲敲门问:“火鸡先生在家吗?您干吗关着门?”
火鸡先生回答:“我门上的锁坏了,只能从旁边的小窗口里进进出出。”
鹅太太只好走到小窗口那儿,她用力爬呀,拼命挤呀,好不容易才进了屋。
“你还没吃点心吧,我请你吃蛋糕、巧克力,还有橙汁。“火鸡先生说。
鹅太太一听高兴地说:“谢谢,我都要吃!”为鸡先生把东西一样样放在桌子上,“啊,这么甜美的蛋糕,我还是第一次吃呢。”鹅太太说着把一大块蛋糕塞进嘴里去。
“喂,你也来点儿!”鹅太太帮火鸡先生切了一小块蛋糕,她自己也切了一大块蛋糕。瞧,鹅太太吃得多香呀!她的嘴上、鼻子上、眉毛上都沾了奶油,看上去真滑稽。
“嗝,嗝,嗝”鹅太太打着饱嗝说,“太好吃了,谢谢您,我该走了。”
鹅太太走到小窗口那边,她的头和上半个身子伸到了窗外。可是肚子怎么也出不去了。“我,我被夹住了,快来救救我,都是蛋糕害了我!”鹅太太卡在小窗户那儿大叫着。
“哇,你像个瓶塞似的把窗口堵住了!”火鸡先生只得从后面的窗户里跳出去救鹅太太。
“哎哟,哎哟,”火鸡先生用力拔着鹅太太的头颈,“呀,这样拉你会吃不消的.,我另外想个办法。”
一会儿,火鸡先生拿来肥皂和水,在鹅太太的肚子口抹来抹去,鹅太太觉得痒痒的,笑个不停。
“一、二、三,”火鸡先生拽住鹅太太的上半身,“噗”的一声,鹅太太像塞子一样被拔了出来。“嗨,总算出来了,其实我的肚子一点也不大,是你的窗口开得太小了。”
“对,对!我马上去换一把门锁,你以后来就不用再从窗口里挤进挤出了。”
鹅太太摸摸自己的肚子,很高兴地回家去了。
Father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarrelling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They each tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it.
He next unclosed the faggot, and took the sticks separately, one by one, and again put them into their hands, on which they broke them easily. He then
addressed them in these words: "My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks."
Lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up in anger, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go.
It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came up, and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and setting him free, exclaimed: "You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favour; but now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion."
一只老鼠从一只狮子面前跑过去,将它从梦中吵醒。狮子生气地跳起来,捉住老鼠,要弄死它。老鼠哀求说:「只要你肯饶恕我这条小生命,我将来一定会报答你的大恩。」狮子便笑着放了它。
后来狮子被几个猎人捉住,用粗绳捆绑倒在地上。老鼠听出是狮子的`吼声,走来用牙齿咬断绳索,释放了它,并大声说:「你当时嘲笑我想帮你的忙,而且也不指望我有什么机会报答。但是你现在知道了,就算是小老鼠,也能向狮子效劳的。」
© 2022 xuexicn.net,All Rights Reserved.