THE OLD HOUND
老猎狗
A Hound who had served his master well for years，and had run down many a quarry in his time，began to lose his strength and speed owing to age.One day，when out hunting，his master started a powerfulwild boar and set the Hound at him.The latter seized the beast by theear，but his teeth were gone and he could not retain his hold；so the boar escaped.His master began to scold him severely，but the Hound interrupted him with these words：“My will is as strong as ever，master，but my body is old and feeble.You ought to honour me for what I have been instead of abusing me for what I am.”
｛中文阅读｝
一条老猎狗已经尽心尽力为主人服务了很多年，现在已经衰老了，也失去了年轻力壮时的力气和速度。有一天，当他们出去狩猎时，主人盯上了一头野猪，让老猎狗扑上去咬他。老猎狗咬住了野猪的耳朵，可是由于他的牙齿已经脱落，根本无法牢牢地咬住野猪，于是，野猪侥幸逃跑了。主人严厉地痛骂了他一顿，老猎狗打断主人的斥骂，说：“主人呀，我倒是也想像以前一样强壮，但我的身体已经衰老无力了。想一想从前我为你所付出的一切，你理应称赞我，而不应该责备我。”
THE CLOWN AND THE COUNTRYMAN
小丑和乡下人
A Nobleman announced his intention of giving a public entertainment in the theatre，and offered splendid prizes to all who had any novelty to exhibit at the performance.The announcement attracted a crowd of conjurers，jugglers，and acrobats，and among the rest a Clown，very popular with the crowd，who let it be known that he was going to give an entirely new turn.When the day of the performance came，the theatre was filled from top to bottom some time before the entertainment began.Several performers exhibited their tricks，and then the popular favourite came on empty-handed and alone.At once there was a hush of expectation：and he，letting his head fall upon his breast，imitated the squeak of a pig to such perfection that the audience insisted on his producing the animal，which，they said，he must have somewhere concealed about his person.He，however，convinced them that there was no pig there，and then the applause was deafening.Among the spectators was a Countryman，who disparaged the Clown’s performance and announced that he would give a much superior exhibition of the same trick on the following day.Again the theatre was ？lled to over？owing，and again the Clown gave his imitation amidst the cheers of the crowd.The Countryman，meanwhile，before going on the stage，had secreted a young porker under his smock；and when the spectators derisivelybade him do better if he could，he gave it a pinch in the ear and made itsqueal loudly.But they all with one voice shouted out that the Clown’s imitation was much more true to life.Thereupon he produced the pig from under his smock and said sarcastically，“There，that shows what sort of judges you are！”
｛中文阅读｝
一个富翁对外宣称要在剧场搞一次公开表演，并且还说，要重重奖励那些表演新戏法的人。这个公告吸引了一群魔术师、杂耍艺人和杂技演员，其中，一个广受欢迎的小丑说他要在台上表演一个全新的把戏。到了公开表演的那一天，还没开场，整个剧场就已被围得水泄不通。几个演员表演了他们的特技之后，小丑接着就两手空空地独自一人出现在舞台上。观众因为太期待看他的表演，全场立刻鸦雀无声。而小丑突然把头俯到胸前，学小猪叫，他叫的声音逼真得使人惊叹，以至于大家都说，他一定是把猪藏在什么地方了。然而，他却说服观众，并没有藏起猪来，接着，全场掌声雷鸣。场下有一位观众是个乡下人，看完小丑的表演后，他就宣称自己明天也要表演同样的把戏，一定会比小丑的更好。第二天，剧场里又挤满了人，小丑照样以他的模仿秀赢得了观众的欢呼和喜爱。同时站在舞台上的乡下人，早已在上台前，将一只小猪藏到了衣服里，就在观众嘲弄他是否能表演得更精彩时，他揪了一下小猪的耳朵，让他大声叫起来。然而，观众们都大喊小丑的叫声更逼真。于是，乡下人便从衣服里拿出小猪来，讽刺地说：“请看这里，你们到底是什么样的裁判呀！”
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THE LARK AND THE FARMER
百灵鸟和农夫
A Lark nested in a ？eld of corn，and was rearing her brood under cover of the ripening grain.One day，before the young were fully ？edged，the Farmer came to look at the crop，and，？nding it yellowing fast，he said，“I must send round word to my neighbours to come and help me reap this ？eld.”One of the young Larks overheard him，and was very much frightened，and asked her mother whether they hadn’t better move house at once.“There’s no hurry，”replied she；“a man who looks to his friends for help will take his time about a thing.”In a few days the Farmer came by again，and saw that the grain was overripe and falling out of the ears upon the ground.“I must put it off no longer，”he said；“This very day I’ll hire the men and set them to work at once.”The Lark heard him and said to her young，“Come，my children，we must be off：he talks no more of his friends now，but is going to take things in hand himself.”
Self-help is the best help.
｛中文阅读｝
一只百灵鸟在绿油油的麦田里做了巢，在成熟的麦穗掩映下，正哺育着一窝小百灵鸟。虽然小百灵鸟们的羽翼还未完全丰满，但有一天，农夫来田里看庄稼，发现麦子已经变黄了，便说：“我得去告诉邻居们，帮我到田里来收割庄稼。”一只小百灵鸟听到了这番话，心里非常害怕，便赶忙问妈妈是否应该立刻搬家。“不用着急，”百灵鸟说，“孩子，请朋友来帮忙是需要时间的。”过了几天，农夫又到田里来了，看到麦子早已熟透，几乎快掉下来了，便心急火燎地说：“不能再拖了，我今天就得雇人，立刻开始收割。”百灵鸟听到这话后，便对小鸟们说：“我的孩子们，现在我们必须要搬家了，因为他没有再提到请朋友帮忙，而是要自己亲自动手了。”
自助是最好的帮助。
THE LION AND THE ASS
狮子和驴
A Lion and an Ass set up as partners and went a-hunting together.In course of time they came to a cave in which there were a number of wild goats.The Lion took up his stand at the mouth of the cave，and waited for them to come out；while the Ass went inside and brayed for all he was worth in order to frighten them out into the open.The Lion struck them down one by one as they appeared；and when the cave was empty the Ass came out and said，“Well，I scared them pretty well，didn’t I？”“I should think you did，”said the Lion：“why，if I hadn’t known you were an Ass，I should have turned and run myself.”
｛中文阅读｝
一只狮子和一头驴合作外出打猎。走了一会儿，他们来到几只野山羊居住的洞口。狮子守在洞口等着野山羊出来，驴则跑进洞里，为了把山羊赶出去而乱喊乱跳，吓唬他们。守候在洞口的狮子将跑出洞来的野山羊依次抓获了，等到洞里空无一只羊之后，驴跑出洞来，说：“怎么样，我把他们都吓出来了，干得不错吧？”“我认为你干得很好，”狮子说，“如果我不知道你是一头驴，也许就会转身走了。”
THE PROPHET
算命人
A Prophet sat in the market-place and told the fortunes of all who cared to engage his services.Suddenly there came running up one who told him that his house had been broken into by thieves，and that they had made off with everything they could lay hands on.He was up in a moment，and rushed off，tearing his hair and calling down curses on the miscreants.The bystanders were much amused，and one of them said，“Our friend professes to know what is going to happen to others，but it seems he’s not clever enough to perceive what’s in store for himself.”
｛中文阅读｝
