伊索寓言英語故事四則

　　The Wolf and the Lamb 狼與小羊

　　WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him:"Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf , "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations."

　　The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.

　　一隻小羊在河邊喝水，狼見到後，便想找一個名正言順的藉口吃掉他。於是他跑到上 遊，惡狠狠地說小羊把河水攪渾濁了，使他喝不到清水。小羊回答說，他僅僅站在河邊喝 水，並且又在下游，根本不可能把上游的水攪渾。狼見此計不成，又說道：“我父親去年被 你罵過。”小羊說，那時他還沒有出生。狼對他說：“不管你怎樣辯解，反正我不會放過 你。”

　　這說明，對惡人做任何正當的辯解也是無效的。

　　The Bat and the Weasels蝙蝠與黃鼠狼

　　A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped.

　　It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.

　　蝙蝠掉落在地上，被黃鼠狼叼去，他請求饒命。黃鼠狼說絕不會放過他，自己生來痛恨 鳥類。蝙蝠說他是老鼠，不是鳥，便被放了。後來蝙蝠又掉落了下來，被另一隻黃鼠狼叼 住，他再三請求不要吃他。這隻黃鼠狼說他恨一切鼠類。蝙蝠改口說自己是鳥類，並非老 鼠，又被放了。這樣，蝙蝠兩次改變了自己的名字，終於死裡逃生。

　　這故事說明，我們遇事要隨機應變方能避免危險。

　　The Lion and the Mouse 獅子與報恩的老鼠

　　A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, 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 and gnawed the rope with his teeth and set him free, exclaiming:

　　"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion."

　　獅子睡著了，有隻老鼠跳到了他身上。獅子猛然站起來，把他抓住，準備吃掉。老鼠請 求饒命，並說如果保住性命，必將報恩，獅子輕蔑地笑了笑，便把他放走了。不久，獅子真 的被老鼠救了性命。原來獅子被一個獵人抓獲，並用繩索把他捆在一棵樹上。老鼠聽到了他 的哀嚎，走過去咬斷繩索，放走了獅子，並說：

　　“你當時嘲笑我，不相信能得到我的報答， 現在可清楚了，老鼠也能報恩。” 這故事說明，時運交替變更，強者也會有需要弱者的時候。

　　The Ass and the Grasshopper 驢子與蚱蜢

　　AN ASS having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food they lived on to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew." The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.

　　驢子聽見蚱蜢唱歌，被美妙動聽的歌聲所打動，自己也想能發出同樣悅耳動聽的聲音，便 羨慕地問他們吃些什麼，才能發出如此美妙的聲音來。蚱蜢答道：“吃露水。”驢子便也只吃露水，沒多久就餓死了。

　　這個故事告訴人們不要企望非份之物。