英語寓言短故事及翻譯

　　寓言是文學體裁的一種,它雖然篇幅短小,但是有非常強的社會性和教育性,給人以生活的啟示。小編整理了，歡迎閱讀!

　　一

　　籠子裡的鳥與蝙蝠

　　A singing-bird was confined in a cage which hung outside a window, and had a way of singing at night when all other birds were asleep. One night a bat came and clung to the bars of the cage, and asked the bird why she was silent by day and sang only at night. "I have a very good reason for doing so," said the bird: "it was once when I was singing in the daytime that a fowler was attracted by my voice, and set his nets for me and caught me. Since then I have never sung except by night." But the bat replied, "It is no use your doing that now when you are a prisoner. If only you had done so before you were caught, you might still have been free."

　　Precautions are useless after the event.

　　一隻畫眉鳥被囚禁在窗外掛著的一個籠子裡，當其他鳥兒都酣睡時，她卻在夜裡唱歌。有一個夜晚，蝙蝠飛過來，抓住鳥籠的柵欄，問她為什麼白天默默無聲，卻在夜裡放聲歌唱。小鳥回答說：“我這樣做是有道理的，曾經有一次，當我在白天唱歌時，一個捕鳥人被我的歌聲吸引，就用鳥籠子捉住了我。從此我只在夜裡歌唱。”可是，蝙蝠卻說：“你現在這樣做根本沒用了，因為你已經成為階下囚。若是在被捉住之前這樣做就好了，那樣或許你依然是自由之身!”

　　待事情發生之後再預防，為時已晚。

　　二

　　家驢和野驢

　　A wild ass, who was wandering idly about, one day came upon a pack-ass lying at full length in a sunny spot and thoroughly enjoying himself. Going up to him, he said, "What a lucky beast you are! Your sleek coat shows how well you live. How I envy you!" Not long after the wild ass saw his acquaintance again, but this time he was carrying a heavy load, and his driver was following behind and beating him with a thick stick. "Ah, my friend," said the Wild Ass, "I don't envy you any more, for I see you pay dear for your comforts."

　　Advantages that are dearly bought are doubtful blessings.

　　有一天，一頭無所事事的野驢，看見一頭家驢正舒適地躺在陽光充足的地方自娛自樂。他走了過去，說：“你可真幸運呀!從你那光滑的面板就能看出來，你的日子過得很舒服呀，我真羨慕你!”不久，野驢又看見家驢馱著沉重的貨物，驢夫還跟在後面不停地用鞭子抽打他，這一次，野驢說：“我的朋友，我不再羨慕你了，因為我知道你付出了慘痛的代價。”

　　用昂貴代價換來的優勢是令人懷疑的服氣。

　　三

　　家驢、野驢和獅子

　　A wild ass saw a pack-ass jogging along under a heavy load, and taunted him with the condition of slavery in which he lived, in these words: "What a vile lot is yours compared with mine! I am free as the air, and never do a stoke of work; and, as forfodder, I have only to go to the hills and there I find far more than enough for my needs. But you! You depend on your master for food, and he makes you carry heavy loads every day and beats you unmercifully." At that moment a lion appeared on the scene, and made no attempt to molest the pack-ass owing to the presence of the driver, but he fell upon the wild ass, who had no one to protect him, and without more ado made a meal of him.

　　It is no use being your own master unless you can stand up for yourself.

　　一頭野驢看到一頭家驢揹負這沉重的貨物一路小跑，便譏諷他過著奴隸般的生活：“和我相比，你過得多麼卑微呀!我自由自在地享受著大自然，從不下苦力，說道食物，我只需要跑到山上去，就能發現大量吃的東西。再看看你!只能依靠主人施捨吃點，他不僅每天都讓你馱重物，還無情地鞭打你。”這時，一隻獅子出現在他們的視野中，由於驢夫的出現，獅子沒有騷擾家驢，直接撲向了沒有保護者的野驢，立即吃掉了野驢。

　　除非能照顧好自己，否則做自己的主人一點用也沒有。