When people go on a voyage they often take with them lap-dogs or monkeys as pets to wile away the time.Thus it fell out that a man returning to Athens from the East had a pet Monkey on board with him.As they neared the coast of Attica a great storm burst upon them，and the ship capsized.All on board were thrown into the water，and tried to save themselves by swimming，the Monkey among the rest.A Dolphin saw him，and，supposing him to be a man，took him on his back andbegan swimming towards the shore.When they got near the Piraeus，which is the port of Athens，the Dolphin asked the Monkey if he was an Athenian.The Monkey replied that he was，and added that he came of a very distinguished family.“Then，of course，you know the Piraeus，”continued the Dolphin.The Monkey thought he was referring to some high official or other，and replied，“Oh，yes，he’s a very old friend of mine.”At that，detecting his hypocrisy，the Dolphin was so disgusted that he dived below the surface，and the unfortunate Monkey was quickly drowned.
｛中文阅读｝
人类在出海航行时喜欢带上哈巴狗或猴子之类的宠物，以供消遣。一个人从东方回到雅典时，就带了一只猴子随行。当他们靠近阿提卡海岸时，一场风暴突然袭来，船被狂风巨浪打翻了，甲板上的所有人都被抛入水中，人们试着游向岸边，猴子也在其中。一只海豚看见了猴子，以为是人，立即将它驮到背上，游向岸边。当他们快要到达雅典的珀赖欧斯海港时，海豚问那猴子是不是雅典人。猴子回答说是的，而且还补充说自己出身名门望族。“那么，你肯定了解珀赖欧斯了？”海琢接着又问道。猴子以为海豚说的是某个官员或什么人，便回答说：“他是我的一个老朋友。”海豚察觉到了猴子的虚伪，十分气愤，便没入水中，不幸的猴子很快就被淹死了。
THE CROW AND THE SNAKE
乌鸦和蛇
A hungry Crow spied a Snake lying asleep in a sunny spot，and，picking it up in his claws，he was carrying it off to a place where he could make a meal of it without being disturbed，when the Snake reared its head and bit him.It was a poisonous Snake，and the bite was fatal，and the dying Crow said，“What a cruel fate is mine！I thought I had made a lucky ？nd，and it has cost me my life！”
｛中文阅读｝
一只饥饿的乌鸦暗中发现一条蛇正在温暖的阳光下熟睡，便猛扑过去用爪子抓住了蛇，带着他飞到一个可以安然享受美食而不受打扰的地方，这时，惊醒的蛇回过头来，咬了乌鸦一大口。这是一条毒蛇，挨咬的乌鸦受到了致命袭击。将死时，乌鸦说：“我的命运多么不幸呀！我以为自己找到了美食，可是却因此而丢掉了性命。”
THE DOGS AND THE FOX
狗和狐狸
Some Dogs once found a lion’s skin，and were worrying it with their teeth.Just then a Fox came by，and said，“You think yourselves very brave，no doubt；but if that were a live lion you’d ？nd his claws a good deal sharper than your teeth.”
｛中文阅读｝
几条狗发现了一张狮子皮，便使劲用牙齿撕碎了。碰巧，一只狐狸走过来，说：“显然，你们以为自己很英勇，可如果这是一头活着的狮子，你们就会明白，他的爪子显然要比你们的牙齿更锋利。”
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE HAWK
夜莺和老鹰
A Nightingale was sitting on a bough of an oak and singing，as her custom was.A hungry Hawk presently spied her，and darting to the spot seized her in his talons.He was just about to tear her in pieces when she begged him to spare her life：“I’m not big enough，”she pleaded，“to make you a good meal：you ought to seek your prey among the bigger birds.”The Hawk eyed her with some contempt.“You must think me very simple，”said he，“if you suppose I am going to give up a certain prize on the chance of a better of which I see at present no signs.”
｛中文阅读｝
夜莺坐在一棵橡树的树枝上，像往常一样在歌唱。一只饥饿的老鹰看见她后，便猛飞过去用鹰爪抓住了她。就在老鹰将要撕碎夜莺时，她恳求老鹰饶命：“我的个头太小了，不能让你饱餐一顿，你应当去抓那些个头更大的鸟。”老鹰不屑一顾地看着她，说：“如果你认为我会放弃手中现成的食物，而去追求目前看不见影的东西，那可真是太小看我了。”
THE ROSE AND THE AMARANTH
玫瑰花和苋菜
A Rose and an Amaranth blossomed side by side in a garden，and the Amaranth said to her neighbour，“How I envy you your beauty and your sweet scent！No wonder you are such a universal favourite.”But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice，“Ah，my dear friend，I bloom but for a time：my petals soon wither and fall，and then I die.But your flowers never fade，even if they are cut；for they are everlasting.”
｛中文阅读｝
玫瑰花和苋菜在花园里并排而立，苋菜对自己的邻居——玫瑰花说：“我真羡慕你，有着漂亮的颜色和芬芳的香味！毫无疑问，你是世上最美丽的花朵！”玫瑰花却回答说：“亲爱的朋友，我只开一季而已。我的花瓣很快就会枯萎凋谢，然后我就死去了。而你的花却永不褪色，即使被割断了，它们依然能够常绿、不褪色。”
THE MAN，THE HORSE，THE OX，AND THE DOG
人、马、牛、狗
One winter’s day，during a severe storm，a Horse，an Ox，and a Dog came and begged for shelter in the house of a Man.He readily admitted them，and，as they were cold and wet，he lit a fire for their comfort：and he put oats before the Horse，and hay before the Ox，while he fed the Dog with the remains of his own dinner.When the storm abated，and they were about to depart，they determined to show their gratitude in the following way.They divided the life of Man among them，and each endowed one part of it with the qualities which were peculiarly his own.The Horse took youth，and hence young men are high-mettled and impatient of restraint；the Ox took middle age，and accordingly men in middle life are steady and hard-working；while the Dog took old age，which is the reason why old men are so often peevish and ill-tempered，and，like dogs，attached chie？y to those who look to their comfort，while they are disposed to snap at those who are unfamiliar or distasteful to them.
｛中文阅读｝
冬日里的一天，一场强烈风暴过后，马、牛、狗纷纷来到人居住的房子里，乞求得到庇护。人爽快地接纳了他们。因为他们又湿又冷，人便生火取暖，让他们舒服一些。不仅如此，人还把燕麦放到马的面前，把干草放到牛的面前，把自己吃剩的饭放在狗的面前。风暴减弱后，他们准备离开人的房子，决定以某种方式来表示自己的感激之情。他们将人的一生分成几个阶段，然后在每个阶段分别赋予自己的某种特殊品质。马取走了年轻阶段，因此，年轻人奋发向上但不受约束；牛取走了中年阶段，因此，中年人踏实稳定且埋头苦干；而狗则接受了老年阶段，这正是老年人经常脾气暴躁的原因之一，他们也像狗那样，主要依赖那些能给他们带来温暖和舒适的人，而厉声呵斥那些陌生或令其不悦的人。
THE WOLVES，THE SHEEP，AND THE RAM
狼群、羊群和公羊
