狗和影子(The Dog and the Shadow)It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now, on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
一只狗嘴里衔着一块肉,走过一条河上面的桥,看见他自己在水里的影子,以为是另一只狗,那时狗衔着的肉,比他自己的还要大一倍。因此他仍掉自己的那一块,狠狠地扑向那只狗,想夺到那一块较大的肉。结果两头都落了空,因为他想要抓取在水中的那一块,只不过是一个影子,而原来的那一块,也被水冲走了。
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
谨记,切莫因追逐幻影而丢失已有的东西。
The Thirsty Pigeon口渴的鸽子
A PIGEON, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water
painted on a signboard. Not supposing it to be only a picture,
she flew towards it with a loud whir and unwittingly dashed
against the signboard, jarring herself terribly. Having broken
her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by
one of the bystanders.
Zeal should not outrun discretion.
有只鸽子口渴得很难受,看见画板上画着一个水瓶,以为是真的。他立刻呼呼地猛飞过 去,不料一头碰撞在画板上,折断了翅膀,摔在地上,被人轻易地捉住了。
这是说,有些人想急于得到所需的东西,一时冲动,草率从事,就会身遭不幸。
(The Dog and the Shadow)It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now, on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
狗和影子:一只狗嘴里衔着一块肉,走过一条河上面的桥,看见他自己在水里的影子,以为是另一只狗,那时狗衔着的肉,比他自己的还要大一倍。因此他仍掉自己的那一块,狠狠地扑向那只狗,想夺到那一块较大的肉。结果两头都落了空,因为他想要抓取在水中的那一块,只不过是一个影子,而原来的那一块,也被水冲走了。
参考资料
爱童书:http://www.aitongshu.com/tale/10010/
an old woman had a cat. the cat was very old; she could not run quickly, and she could not bite, because she was so old. one day the old cat saw a mouse; she jumped and caught the mouse. but she could not bite it; so the mouse got out of her mouth and ran away, because the cat could not bite it.
then the old woman became very angry because the cat had not killed the mouse. she began to hit the cat. the cat said, "do not hit your old servant. i have worked for you for many years, and i would work for you still, but i am too old. do not be unkind to the old, but remember what good work the old did when they were young."
【译文】
老猫
一位老妇有只猫,这只猫很老,它跑不快了,也咬不了东西,因为它年纪太大了。一天,老猫发现一只老鼠,它跳过去抓这只老鼠,然而,它咬不住这只老鼠。因此,老鼠从它的嘴边溜掉了,因为老猫咬不了它。
于是,老妇很生气,因为老猫没有把老鼠咬死。她开始打这只猫,猫说:“不要打你的老仆人,我已经为你服务了很多年,而且还愿意为你效劳,但是,我实在太老了,对年纪大的不要这么无情,要记住老年人在年青时所做过的有益的事情。”
The Fox and the Cat 狐狸和猫
It happened that the cat met Mr. Fox in the woods. She thought, "He is intelligent and well experienced, and is highly regarded in the world," so she spoke to him in a friendly manner, "Good-day, my dear Mr. Fox. How is it going How are you How are you getting by in these hard times"
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."
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