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Aesop's Fables
The Cock and the经验用英语怎么说
Pearl
A cock was once strutting up and down the farmyard among the hens
when suddenly he espied something shinning amid the straw. "Ho! ho!"
quoth he, "that's for me," and soon rooted it out from beneath the straw.
What did it turn out to be but a Pearl that by some chance had been lost in
the yard? "You may be a treasure," quoth Master Cock, "to men that
prize you, but for me I would rather have a single barley-corn than a peck
of pearls."
Precious things are for tho that can prize them.
2
Aesop's Fables
The Wolf and the Lamb
Once upon a time a Wolf was lapping at a spring on a hillside, when,
looking up, what should he e but a Lamb just beginning to drink a little
lower down. "There's my supper," thought he, "if only I can find some
excu to ize it." Then he called out to the Lamb, "How dare you
muddle the water from which I am drinking?"
"Nay, master, nay," said Lambikin; "if the water be muddy up there, I
cannot be the cau of it, for it runs down from you to me."
"Well, then," said the Wolf, "why did you call me bad names this time
last year?"
"That cannot be," said the Lamb; "I am only six months old."
"I don't care," snarled the Wolf; "if it was not you it was your father;"
and with that he rushed upon the poor little Lamb and .WARRA
WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA .ate her all up. But before she
died she gasped out ."Any excu will rve a tyrant."
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Aesop's Fables
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 crosd, 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 en more.
Beware lest you lo the substance by grasping at the shadow.
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Aesop's Fables
The Lion's Share
The Lion went once a-hunting along with 美女写真图
the Fox, the Jackal, and the
Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they surprid a Stag, and
soon took its life. Then came the question how the spoil should be
divided. "Quarter me this Stag," roared the Lion; so the other animals
skinned it and cut it into four parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front
of the carcass and pronounced judgment: The first quarter is for me in
my capacity as King of Beasts; the cond is mine as arbiter; another share
comes to me for my part in the cha; and as for the fourth quarter, well,
as for that, I should like to e which of you will dare to lay a paw upon
it."
"Humph," grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail between
his legs; but he spoke in a lo
w growl ."You may share the labours of the
great, but you will not share the spoil."
5
Aesop's Fables
The Wolf and the Crane
A Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, when suddenly
a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he could not swallow it.
He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ran up and down groaning and
groaning and eking for something to relieve the pain. He tried to
induce every one he met to remove the bone. "I would give anything,"
said he, "if you would take it out." At last the Crane agreed to try, and
told the Wolf to lie on his side and open his jaws as wide as he could.
Then the Crane put its long neck down the Wolf's throat, and with its beak
looned the bone, till at last it got it out.
"Will you kindly give me the reward you promid?" said the Crane.
The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: "Be content. You
have put your head inside a Wolf's mouth and taken it out again in safety;
that ought to be reward enough for you."
Gratitude and greed go not together.
6
Aesop's Fables
The Man and the Serpent
A Countryman's son by accident trod upon a Serpent's tail, which
turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage got his axe, and
pursuing the Serpent, cut off part of its tail. So the Serpent in revenge
began stinging veral of the Farmer's cattle and caud him vere loss.
Well, the Farmer thought it best to make it up with the Serpent, and
brought food and honey to the mouth of its lair, and said to it: "Let's forget
and forgive; perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance
on my cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that we
are both satisfied why should not we be friends again?"
"No, no," said the Serpent; "take away your gifts; you can never forget
the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail."
Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.
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Aesop's Fables
The Town Mou and the Country
Mou
Now you must know that a Town Mou once upon a time went on a
visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this cousin,
but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and
bacon, chee and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them
freely. The Town Mou rather turned up his long no at this country
fare, and said: "I cannot understand, Cousin, how yo地瓜粥的做法
u can put up with
such poor food as this, but of cour you cannot expect anything better in
the country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When
you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have
stood a country life." No sooner said than done: the two mice t off for
the town and arrived at the Town Mou's residence late at night. "You
will want some refreshment after our long journey," said the polite Town
Mou, and took his friend into the grand dining-room. There they found
t
he remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies
and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and
barking. "What is that?" said the Country Mou. "It is only the dogs of
the hou," answered the other. "Only!" said the Country Mou. "I do
not like that music at my dinner." Just at that moment the door flew open,
in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to scamper down and run
off. "Good-bye, Cousin," said the Country Mou, "What! going so
soon?" said the other. "Yes," he replied;
"Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."
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Aesop's Fables
The Fox and the Crow
A Fox once saw品牌眼镜
a Crow fly off with a piece of chee in its beak and
ttle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a Fox," said Master
Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. "Good-day, Mistress
Crow," he cried. "How well you are looking to-day: how glossy your
feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of
other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you
that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds." The Crow lifted up her head
and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the
piece of chee fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox.
"That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In exchange for your
chee I will give you a piece of advice for the future ."Do not trust
flatterers."
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Aesop's Fables
The Sick Lion
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick unto death at the
mouth of his cave, gasping for breath. The animals, his subjects, came
round him and drew nearer as he grew more and more helpless. When
they saw him on the point of death they thought to themlves: "Now is
the time to pay off old grudges." So the Boar came up and drove at him
with his tusks; then a Bull gored him with his horns; still the Lion lay
helpless before them: so the Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up,
and turning hi珊瑚树
s tail to the Lion kicked up his heels into his face. "This is
a double death," growled the Lion.
Only cowards insult dying majesty.
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Aesop's Fables
The Ass and the Lapdog
A Farmer one day came to the stables to e to his beasts of burden:
among them was his favourite Ass, that was always well fed and often
carried his master. With the Farmer came his Lapdo清热暗疮丸
g, who danced about
and licked his hand and frisked about as happy as could be. The Farmer
felt in his pocket, gave the Lapdog some dainty food, and sat down while
he gave his orders to his rvants. The Lapdog jumped into his master's
lap, and lay there blinking while the Farmer stroked his ears. The Ass,
eing this, broke loo from his halter and commenced prancing about in
imitation of the Lapdog. The Farmer could not hold his sides with
laughter, so the Ass went up to him, and putting his feet upon the Farmer's
s
houlder attempted to climb into his lap. The Farmer's rvants rushed
up with sticks and pitchforks and soon taught the Ass that .Clumsy
jesting is no joke.
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Aesop's Fables
The Lion and the Mou
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mou began running up and
down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw
upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King,"
cried the little Mou: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who
knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of the days?" The
Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mou being able to help him, that
he lifted up his paw and let him go. Some time after the Lion was caught
in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied
him to a tree while they went in arch of a waggon to carry him on. Just
then the little Mou happened to pass by, and eing the sad plight in
which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that
bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mou.
Little friends may prove great friends.
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Aesop's Fables
The Swallow and the Other Birds
It happened that a Countryman was sowing some hemp eds in a
field where a Swallow and some other birds were hopping about picking
up their food. "Beware of that man," quoth the Swallow. "Why, what is
he doing?" said the others. "That is hemp ed he is sowing; be careful
to pick up every one of the eds, or el you will repent it." The birds
paid no heed to the Swallow's words, and by and by the hemp grew up and
was made into cord, and of the cords nets were made, and many a bird that
had despid the Swallow's advice was caught in nets made out of that
very hemp. "What did I tell you?" said the Swallow.
Destroy the ed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin.
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Aesop's Fables
The Frogs Desiring a King
The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy swamp that
just suited them; they went splashing about caring for nobody and nobody
troubling with them. But some of them thought that this was not right,
that they should have a king and a proper constitution, so they determined
to nd up a petition to Jove to give them what they wanted. "Mighty
Jove," they cried, "nd unto us a king that will rule over us and keep us in
order." Jove laughed at their croaking, and threw down into the swamp a
huge Log, which came downrplashto the swamp. The Frogs were
frightened out of their lives by the commotion made in their midst, and all
rushed to the bank to look at the horrible monster; but after a time, eing
that it did not move, one or two of the boldest of them ventured out
towards the Log, and even dared to touch it; still it did not move. Then
the greatest hero of the Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced
dancing up and down upon it, thereupon all the Frogs came and did the
sam
e; and for some time the Frogs went about their business every day
without taking the slightest notice of their new King Log lying in their
midst. But this did not suit them, so they nt another petition to Jove, and
said to him, "We want a real king; one that will really rule over us." Now
this made Jove angry, so he nt among them a big Stork that soon t to
work gobbling them all up. Then the Frogs repented when too late.
Better no rule than cruel rule.
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Aesop's Fables
The Mountains in Labour
One day the Countrymen noticed that the Mountains were in labour;
smoke came out of their summits, the earth was quaking at their feet, trees
were crashing, and huge rocks were tumbling. They felt sure that
something horrible was going to happen. They all gathered together in
one place to e what terrible thing this could be. They waited and they
waited, but nothing came. At last there was a still more violent
earthquake, and a huge gap appeared in the side of the Mountains. They
all fell down upon their knees and waited. At last, and at last, a teeny,
tiny mou poked its little head and bristles out of the gap and came
running d教资考试题
own towards them, and ever after they ud to say:
"Much outcry, little outcome."
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Aesop's Fables
The Hares and the Frogs
The Hares were so percuted by the other beasts, they did not know
where to go. As soon as they saw a single animal approach them, off
they ud to run. One day they saw a troop of wild Hors stampeding
about, and in quite a panic all the Hares scuttled off to a lake hard by,
determined to drown themlves rather than live in such a continual state
of fear. But just as they got near the bank of the lake, a troop of Frogs,
frightened in their turn by the approach of the Hares scuttled off, and
jumped into the 伏尔泰名言
water. "Truly," said one of the Hares, "things are not so
bad as they em:
"There is always someone wor off than yourlf."
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Aesop's Fables
The Wolf and the Kid
A Kid was perched up on the top of a hou, and looking down saw a
Wolf passing under him. Immediately he began to revile and attack his
enemy. "Murderer and thief," he cried, "what do you here near honest
folks' hous? How dare you make an appearance where your vile deeds
are known?"
"Cur away, my young friend," said the Wolf.
"醋品牌
It is easy to be brave from a safe distance."
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Aesop's Fables
The Woodman and the Serpent
One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when
he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came clor he saw
it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his
bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got indoors he put
the Serpent down on the hearth before the fire. The children watched it
and saw it slowly come to life again. Then one of them stooped down to
stroke it, but thc Serpent raid its
