The Sick Lion 病獅

　　A LION， unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself  with food by force， resolved to do so by artifice. He returned  to his den， and lying down there， pretended to be sick， taking  care that his sickness should be publicly known. The beasts  expressed their sorrow， and came one by one to his den， where the  Lion devoured them. After many of the beasts had thus  disappeared， the Fox discovered the trick and presenting himself  to the Lion， stood on the outside of the cave， at a respectful  distance， and asked him how he was. “I am very middling，”  replied the Lion， “but why do you stand without？ Pray enter  within to talk with me.” “No， thank you，” said the Fox. “I  notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave， but  I see no trace of any returning.”    He is wise who is warned by the misfortunes of others.

　　The Horse and Groom馬與馬夫

　　A GROOM used to spend whole days in currycombing and   rubbing down his Horse， but at the same time stole his oats and   sold them for his own profit. “Alas！” said the Horse， “if you really   wish me to be in good condition， you should groom me less， and  feed me more.”

　　從前，有個馬夫，他偷偷地把喂馬的大麥賣掉了，但仍每天給馬擦洗，用梳子梳理馬 毛。馬對馬夫說道：“如果你真心想要我長得美，就不要再賣掉喂我的大麥了。”

　　這是說，那些虛情假意的人用花言巧語和小恩小惠去賄賂別人，卻把別人最必需的東西 奪走了。

　　The Ass and the Lapdog驢子與小狗

　　A MAN had an Ass， and a Maltese Lapdog， a very great beauty.   The Ass was left in a stable and had plenty of oats and hay to eat，  just as any other Ass would. The Lapdog knew many tricks and   was a great favorite with his master， who often fondled him and  seldom went out to dine without bringing him home some tidbit to  eat. The Ass， on the contrary， had much work to do in grinding  the corn-mill and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens  from the farm. He often lamented his own hard fate and  contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the Lapdog， till at  last one day he broke his cords and halter， and galloped into his  master's house， kicking up his heels without measure， and  frisking and fawning as well as he could. He next tried to jump  about his master as he had seen the Lapdog do， but he broke the  table and smashed all the dishes upon it to atoms. He then  attempted to lick his master， and jumped upon his back. The  servants， hearing the strange hubbub and perceiving the danger of  their master， quickly relieved him， and drove out the Ass to his  stable with kicks and clubs and cuffs. The Ass， as he returned  to his stall beaten nearly to death， thus lamented： “I have  brought it all on myself！ Why could I not have been contented to  labor with my companions， and not wish to be idle all the day  like that useless little Lapdog！”

　　有人養著一只狗和一頭驢子，主人常同狗一起嬉戲。有一天，他外出吃飯，帶回一些食 物，扔給狗吃。狗高興得搖著尾巴迎了上去。驢子非常羨慕，也蹦蹦跳跳跑了過去，結果踢 了主人一腳。主人十分氣憤，痛打了驢子一頓，并把它拴在馬槽邊。     這故事說明，同樣的事情不一定適合于所有的人。

　　The Lioness 母獅

　　A CONTROVERSY prevailed among the beasts of the field as to   which of the animals deserved the most credit for producing the  greatest number of whelps at a birth. They rushed clamorously  into the presence of the Lioness and demanded of her the  settlement of the dispute. “And you，” they said， “how many sons  have you at a birth？' The Lioness laughed at them， and said：  ”Why！ I have only one； but that one is altogether a thoroughbred  Lion.“

　　The value is in the worth， not in the number.

　　The Boasting Traveler 吹牛的旅行者

　　A MAN who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much， on  returning to his own country， of the many wonderful and heroic  feats he had performed in the different places he had visited.   Among other things， he said that when he was at Rhodes he had  leaped to such a distance that no man of his day could leap  anywhere near him as to that， there were in Rhodes many persons   who saw him do it and whom he could call as witnesses. One of   the bystanders interrupted him， saying： “Now， my good man， if   this be all true there is no need of witnesses. Suppose this   to be Rhodes ， and leap for us.”

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