一、A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold,the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field.While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy and soon began to sing A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate.Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung and promptly dug him out and ate him!
一只小鸟飞往南方去过冬,天气实在太冷了,这只小鸟被冻僵了。掉到了一块田地里。当它僵硬地躺在那里,一头牛走了过来,拉了一堆牛粪在它身上。冻僵的小鸟躺在这堆牛粪里,便开始有了意识,渐渐的意识到躺在那里有多暖和。这堆牛粪的确令它苏醒过来,它躺在上面又暖和又快乐,一会儿便欢乐的唱起歌来。一只路过的猫听到鸟的歌声便过来探个究竟,寻声而来,猫发现了在这堆牛粪下的小鸟,便很快将它挖出来吃掉了。
该篇故事的寓意是:
1)不是所有说你坏话的人都是你的敌人。(不是所有往你身上拉牛粪的人都是你的敌人)
2)不是所有帮你解围的人都是你的朋友。(不是所有将你从牛粪里拉出来的人都是你的朋友)
3)在你还没有完全摆脱困境时,别得意忘形。(当你还没有从粪堆里出来时,把嘴闭上)
二、An ox, grazing in a swampy meadow, chanced to set his foot among a parcel of young frogs, and crushed nearly the whole brood to death .One that
escaped ran off to his mother with the dreadful news.\"and ,oh ,mother !\"said he ,\"it was a beast -such a big four footed beast!-that did it .\"\"Big?\" quoth the old frog , \"How big? Was it as big\" -- and she puffed herself out to a great degree-\"as big as this ?\"\"oh!\"said the little one ,\"a great deal bigger than that .\"\"well, was it so big ?\"and she swelled herself out yet mere .\"Indeed ,mother ,but it was ,and of you were to burst yourself you would never reach half its size.\"provoked at such a disparagement of her powers, the old frog made one more trial ,and burst herself indeed.
So men are ruined by attempting greatness to which they have no claim.
译文:
一头牛在一快泥泞的草地上吃草,偶然把脚踏在一堆小青蛙当中,几乎把所有的幼蛙踩死。脱险的一个带着这可怕的消息跑到他母亲那里去了。\"啊,母亲!\"他说\"是一只野兽-那样一只有四只脚的大野兽-踩的。\"\"大吗?\"老青蛙说。\"多大?\"她股足了气把自己胀得大大的说:\"他像这样的吗?\"\"啊!\"小青蛙说,\"比那大多了。\"\"哦,有这么大吗?\"她鼓着气胀地更大了。\"真的,母亲,但确实如此,即使你胀破了自己,也不够他一半大。\"老青蛙看到自己的力气受到轻视很是激怒,于是又鼓了一下气,果然这次胀破了自己。
妄自尊大的人必将自取灭亡的。
三、Hercules and the Wagoner
A carter was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank
down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him: \"Put your shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and never more pray to me for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or depend upon it you will henceforth pray in vain.\"
一名车夫赶着货车沿着乡间小路行进。途中车轮陷入了很深的车辙中,再也无法前进。这时,愚蠢的车夫吓得茫然失措,一筹莫展,痴呆呆地站在那里,凝视着货车,不断地高声喊叫,求大力神来助他一把。大力神来到后,对他说:“朋友,用你的肩膀扛起车轮,再抽 打拉车的马。你自己不自力更生,尽力解决,仅靠祈求我,怎么行呢?”
寓言告诉我们:
自力更生,自助自立是克服困难的最好办法。
四、The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
A Charcoal-Burner carried on his trade in his own house. One day he met a friend, a Fuller, and entreated him to come and live with him, saying that they should be far better neighbors and that their housekeeping expenses would be lessened. The Fuller replied, \"The arrangement is impossible as far as I am concerned, for whatever I should whiten, you would immediately blacken again with your charcoal.\"
烧炭人在一所房子里干活,看见有一个漂布人搬迁到他的旁边来住时,满怀高兴地走上 去劝他与自己同住,并解释说这样彼此更亲密,更方便,还更省钱。漂布人却回答说:“也 许你说的是真话,但完全不可能办到,因为凡我所漂白的,都将被你弄黑。”
这故事说明:
不同类的人难相处。Like will draw like.
五、The Bat and the Weasels
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,被黄鼠狼叼去,他请求饶命。黄鼠狼说绝不会放过他,自己生来痛恨 鸟类。蝙蝠说他是老鼠,不是鸟,便被放了。后来蝙蝠又掉落了下来,被另一只黄鼠狼叼 住,他再三请求不要吃他。这只黄鼠狼说他恨一切鼠类。蝙蝠改口说自己是鸟类,并非老 鼠,又被放了。这样,蝙蝠两次改变了自己的名字,终于死里逃生。
这故事说明,我们遇事要随机应变方能避免危险。
