A Hound，roaming in the forest，spied a lion，and being well used to lesser game，gave chase，thinking he would make a ？ne quarry.Presently the lion perceived that he was being pursued；so，stopping short，he rounded on his pursuer and gave a loud roar.The Hound immediately turned tail and ？ed.A Fox，seeing him running away，jeered at him and said，“Ho！ho！There goes the coward who chased a lion and ran away the moment he roared！”
｛中文阅读｝
有一条猎狗，正在森林里闲逛，猛然看见一只狮子，心想这可是一个不错的猎物，便追了上去，想施展一下自己的小伎俩。很快，狮子觉察到自己被追踪了，便突然停住，回过头来冲着追捕者大声吼叫。猎狗立刻转身逃跑了。一只狐狸见状，便嘲笑起猎狗：“呵呵，真是个胆小鬼，竟然还敢追狮子，只要狮子一声吼，你可就落荒而逃了！”
THE FATHER AND HIS DAUGHTERS
父亲和他的女儿
A Man had two Daughters，one of whom he gave in marriage to a gardener，and the other to a potter.After a time he thought he would go and see how they were getting on；and ？rst he went to the gardener’s wife.He asked her how she was，and how things were going with herself and her husband.She replied that on the whole they were doing very well：“But，”she continued，“I do wish we could have some good heavy rain：the garden wants it badly.”Then he went on to the potter’s wife and made the same inquiries of her.She replied that she and her husband had nothing to complain of：“But，”she went on，“I do wish we could have some nice dry weather，to dry the pottery.”Her Father looked at her with a humorous expression on his face.“You want dry weather，”he said，“and your sister wants rain.I was going to ask in my prayers that your wishes should be granted；but now it strikes me I had better not refer to the subject.”
｛中文阅读｝
某人有两个女儿，一个嫁给了园丁，另一个嫁给了陶艺人。过了些日子，父亲心想应该去看看女儿们的生活如何。于是，他先来到嫁给园丁的女儿家里，他问女儿生活过得怎么样，她的丈夫又过得怎么样。女儿回答说一切都很好，“但是，”她又补充道，“我真希望能下场大雨，园子里太需要水了。”接着，他又来到嫁给陶艺人的女儿家里，问了同样的问题。女儿说她和丈夫什么都不缺，“可是，”她继续说，“我只希望能有个阳光充足的好天气，好让陶器快点干。”父亲带着滑稽的表情看着女儿，对她说：“你希望出太阳，而你的姐姐却盼着下雨，我本想祈祷让你的愿望也成真，可是现在，我认为自己最好什么也不管了。”
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THE THIEF AND THE INNKEEPER
小偷和店主
A Thief hired a room at an inn，and stayed there some days on the look-out for something to steal.No opportunity，however，presented itself，till one day，when there was a festival to be celebrated，the Innkeeper appeared in a fine new coat and satdown before the door of the inn for an airing.The Thief no sooner set eyes upon the coat than he longed to get possession of it.There was no business doing，so he went and took a seat by the side of the Innkeeper，and began talking to him.They conversed together for some time，and then the Thief suddenly yawned and howled like a wolf.The Innkeeper asked him in some concern what ailed him.The Thief replied，“I will tell you about myself，sir，but first I must beg you to take charge of my clothes for me，for I intend to leave them with you.Why I have these fits of yawning I cannot tell：maybe they are sent as a punishment for my misdeeds；but，whatever the reason，the facts are that when I have yawned three times I become a ravening wolf and ？y at men’s throats.”As he ？nished speaking he yawned a second time and howled again as before.The Innkeeper，believing every word he said，and terri？ed at the prospect of being confronted with a wolf，got up hastily and started to run indoors；but the Thief caught him by the coat and tried to stop him，crying，“Stay，sir，stay，and take charge of my clothes，or else I shallnever see them again.”As he spoke he opened his mouth and began toyawn for the third time.The Innkeeper，mad with the fear of being eaten by a wolf，slipped out of his coat，which remained in the other’s hands，and bolted into the inn and locked the door behind him；and the Thief then quietly stole off with his spoil.
｛中文阅读｝
一个小偷在旅馆里租了一间房，一连住了好几天，想要偷一点东西。可是，一直没找到机会。直到有一天，人们要庆祝某个节日，老板穿着一件漂亮的新衣坐在门口透气。小偷很快就盯上了那件新衣服，想据为己有。店里也没有什么生意，小偷便走过去坐在老板旁边，与他闲谈起来。聊了一会儿，小偷突然打了一个呵欠，并像狼似的大吼了一声。旅馆老板关切地问他这是怎么了。小偷回答说：“我会告诉你有关我的事情，但是首先，请你负责照看一下我的衣服，因为我想把这些都留给你。我自己也不知道为什么要这样打呵欠，可能是对过去所犯恶行的一种惩罚吧。不过，无论是什么原因，实际上，等我第三次打呵欠时，就会变成一只狼，扑向人的喉咙。”说完之后，他又打了第二个呵欠，接着就像第一次一样大吼了一声。旅馆老板完全信以为真，一想到即将要面对一只狼，心里就很害怕。他立刻站起身来，准备夺门而逃。小偷扯住他的外衣，想留下他，并说：“先生，请等一等，拿走我的衣服吧，不然我再也看不到它们了。”刚一说完，他又张开嘴，准备打第三个呵欠。旅馆老板快被吓疯了，便赶紧从被小偷抓住的外套里溜出来，逃进旅馆里并锁上了门，而小偷则带着他夺来的战利品悄悄地溜走了。
THE PACK-ASS AND THE WILD ASS
家驴和野驴
A Wild Ass，who was wandering idly about，one day came upon a Pack-Ass lying at full length in a sunny spot and thoroughly enjoying himself.Going up to him，he said，“What a lucky beast you are！Your sleek coat shows how well you live：how I envy you！”Not long after the Wild Ass saw his acquaintance again，but this time he was carrying a heavy load，and his driver was following behind and beating him with a thick stick.“Ah，my friend，”said the Wild Ass，“I don’t envy you any more：for I see you pay dear for your comforts.”
Advantages that are dearly bought are doubtful blessings.
｛中文阅读｝
有一天，一头无所事事的野驴，看见一头家驴正舒适地躺在阳光充足的地方自娱自乐。他走了过去，说：“你可真幸运呀！从你那光滑的皮肤就能看出来，你的日子过得很舒服呀，我真羡慕你！”不久，野驴又看见家驴驮着沉重的货物，驴夫还跟在后面不停地用鞭子抽打他，这一次，野驴说：“我的朋友，我不再羡慕你了，因为我知道你付出了惨痛的代价。”
用昂贵代价换来的优势是令人怀疑的福气。
THE ASS AND HIS MASTERS
驴和他的主人们
A Gardener had an Ass which had a very hard time of it，what with scanty food，heavy loads，and constant beating.The Ass therefore begged Jupiter to take him away from the Gardener and hand him over to another master.So Jupiter sent Mercury to the Gardener to bid him sell the Ass to a Potter，which he did.But the Ass was as discontented as ever，for he had to work harder than before：so he begged Jupiter for relief a second time，and Jupiter very obligingly arranged that he should be sold to a Tanner.But when the Ass saw what his new master’s trade was，he cried in despair，“Why wasn’t I content to serve either of my former masters，hard as I had to work and badly as I was treated？for they would have buried me decently，but now I shall come in the end to the tanning-vat.”
Servants don’t know a good master till they have served a worse.
｛中文阅读｝
