THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

狐貍和葡萄

A hungry Fox saw some fine bunches of grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis，and did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air.But it was all in vain，for they were just out of reach：so he gave up trying，and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern，remarking，"I thought those grapes were ripe，but I see now they are quite sour."

｛中文閱讀｝

一只饑腸轆轆的狐貍，看見纏繞在高架上的葡萄枝掛著幾串成熟的葡萄，就盡力向上跳，想要摘下那些葡萄。但無論他怎么努力，也是徒勞無功，因為他始終夠不著那些葡萄。于是他放棄了，反而帶著不屑一顧的樣子走開了，邊走邊說：“還以為那些葡萄已經熟透了呢，現在看來根本就是酸葡萄。”

THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGGS

下金蛋的鵝

A Man and his wife had the good fortune to possess a Goose which laid a golden egg every day.Lucky though they were，they soon began to think they were not getting rich fast enough，and imagining the bird must be made of gold inside，they decided to kill it in order to secure the whole store of precious metal at once.But when they cut it open they found it was just like any other goose.Thus，they neither got rich all at once，as they had hoped，nor enjoyed any longer the daily addition to their wealth.

Much wants more and loses all.

｛中文閱讀｝

有一對夫婦非常幸運，他們有一只每天下一枚金蛋的母鵝。盡管非常幸運，可他們很快就覺著財富增加得還不夠快，不僅如此，他們還以為這只鵝的內臟肯定也是金的。于是，他們決定殺掉它，這樣就能立刻得到全部珍寶了。然而，他們把鵝開膛破肚之后，卻發現和其它鵝沒什么兩樣。如此，他們既沒有像當初希望得那樣一夜暴富，也不能再享有財富與日俱增的好運氣了。

貪多必失。

THE CAT AND THE MICE

貓和老鼠

There was once a house that was overrun with Mice.A Cat heard of this，and said to herself，"That's the place for me，"and off she went and took up her quarters in the house，and caught the Mice one by one and ate them.At last the Mice could stand it no longer，and they determined to take to their holes and stay there."That's awkward，"said the Cat to herself："the only thing to do is to coax them out by a trick."So she considered a while，and then climbed up the wall and let herself hang down by her hind legs from a peg，and pretended to be dead.By and by a Mouse peeped out and saw the Cat hanging there."Aha！"it cried，"you're very clever，madam，no doubt：but you may turn yourself into a bag of meal hanging there，if you like，yet you won't catch us coming anywhere near you."

If you are wise you won't be deceived by the innocent airs of those whom you have once found to be dangerous.

｛中文閱讀｝

從前，有一座房子，里面的老鼠泛濫成災。一只貓聽到此事，便自言自語：“那正是我要去的地方。”于是她走到那座房子里住下來，一只接一只地抓老鼠，然后吃掉他們。最后，老鼠們再也無法忍受下去，決定躲到自己的洞里，再也不出來。“這還真不好辦了，”貓自言自語道，“若想騙他們出來，只能耍個花招了。”她琢磨了一會兒，然后爬上墻，用后腿鉤住木樁倒掛下來，假裝已經死了。過了一會兒，一只老鼠向外窺探，看到了掛在那里的貓。“啊哈！”老鼠大叫，“夫人，你還真聰明，不過，就算你假裝成一袋糧食掛在那里，你也騙不了我們去接近你。”

如果有足夠的智慧，面對那些曾認定的危險人物所假裝出的無辜，你也不會上當受騙。

THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG

惡狗

There was once a Dog who used to snap at people and bite them without any provocation，and who was a great nuisance to every one who came to his master's house.So his master fastened a bell round his neck to warn people of his presence.The Dog was very proud of the bell，and strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction.But an old dog came up to him and said，"The fewer airs you give yourself the better，my friend.You don't think，do you，that your bell was given you as a reward of merit？On the contrary，it is a badge of disgrace."

Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.

｛中文閱讀｝

從前，有一條狗經常無緣無故地抓人、咬人，去他主人家做客的每個人都很討厭他。主人在他的脖子上系了一個鈴鐺，以此提醒人們提防他的出現。這條狗對脖子上戴著的鈴鐺引以為傲，大搖大擺地戴著它走來走去，十分滿意這種叮當聲。但是，一條老狗卻走過來對他說：“我的朋友，姿態越低，對你越好。你不會真的以為這個鈴鐺是對你的獎賞吧？事實恰恰相反，它是恥辱的標志呀。”

惡名常被誤認為美譽。

THE CHARCOAL-BURNER AND THE FULLER

燒炭工和漂洗工

There was once a Charcoal-burner who lived and worked by himself.A Fuller，however，happened to come and settle in the same neighborhood；and the Charcoal-burner，having made his acquaintance and finding he was an agreeable sort of fellow，asked him if he would come and share his house："We shall get to know one another better that way，"he said，"and，beside，our household expenses will be diminished."The Fuller thanked him，but replied，"I couldn't think of it，sir：why，everything I take such pains to whiten would be blackened in no time by your charcoal."

｛中文閱讀｝

從前，有一個自力更生的燒炭工人獨自在家工作。碰巧，一個漂洗工搬至隔壁，與他成了鄰居。結識漂洗工后，燒炭工人經過了解發現，這個鄰居將是一個很好的合作伙伴，就問漂洗工愿不愿意搬到他的鋪子里一起工作。“那樣我們會變得更加親密，”燒炭人說，“不僅如此，我們還可以節省生活開銷呢。”漂洗工卻謝絕了他，回答說：“我可不這樣看，先生，因為不管我把衣服漂洗得多么白，都會立刻被你的木炭染黑了。”

THE MICE IN COUNCIL

老鼠開會

Once upon a time all the Mice met together in Council，and discussed the best means of securing themselves against the attacks of the cat.After several suggestions had been debated，a Mouse of some standing and experience got up and said，"I think I have hit upon a plan which will ensure our safety in the future，provided you approve and carry it out.It is that we should fasten a bell round the neck of our enemy the cat，which will by its tinkling warn us of her approach."This proposal was warmly applauded，and it had been already decided to adopt it，when an old Mouse got upon his feet and said，"I agree with you all that the plan before us is an admirable one：but may I ask who is going to bell the cat？"

｛中文閱讀｝

從前，所有的老鼠聚集在一起，開會商討免受貓攻擊的良策。幾個建議相繼都被否決之后，一只很有威望且經驗豐富的老鼠站起來，說：“我忽然想到一個辦法，可以確保大家未來的安全，假如你們贊成的話，我們就這么辦。這個辦法是，我們應該在敵人的脖子上掛一個鈴鐺，貓走路時發出的叮當聲，就會警告我們——貓要來了。”他的提議受到了大家的贊同，都決定采用這個辦法，就在這時，一只年長的老鼠伸出他的前爪，說：“我也贊同這是一個絕妙的好辦法，但是，我想問一下，誰去給貓系鈴鐺呢？”

THE BAT AND THE WEASELS

蝙蝠和黃鼠狼

A Bat fell to the ground and was caught by a Weasel，and was just going to be killed and eaten when it begged to be let go.The Weasel said he couldn't do that because he was an enemy of all birds on principle."Oh，but，"said the Bat，"I'm not a bird at all：I'm a mouse.""So you are，"said the Weasel，"now I come to look at you"；and he let it go.Some time after this the Bat was caught in just the same way by another Weasel，and，as before，begged for its life."No，"said the Weasel，"I never let a mouse go by any chance.""But I'm not a mouse，"said the Bat；"I'm a bird.""Why，so you are，"said the Weasel；and he too let the Bat go.

Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself.