TheThirstyPigeon口渴的鸽子

　　APIGEON,oppressedbyexcessivethirst,sawagobletofwaterpaintedonasignboard.Notsupposingittobeonlyapicture,sheflewtowardsitwithaloudwhirandunwittinglydashedagainstthesignboard,jarringherselfterribly.Havingbrokenherwingsbytheblow,shefelltotheground,andwascaughtbyoneofthebystanders.

　　Zealshouldnotoutrundiscretion.

　　有只鸽子口渴得很难受,看见画板上画着一个水瓶,以为是真的.他立刻呼呼地猛飞过去,不料一头碰撞在画板上,折断了翅膀,摔在地上,被人轻易地捉住了.

　　这是说,有些人想急于得到所需的东西,一时冲动,草率从事,就会身遭不幸.

　　TheRavenandtheSwan乌鸦和天鹅

　　ARAVENsawaSwananddesiredtosecureforhimselfthesamebeautifulplumage.SupposingthattheSwan'ssplendidwhitecolorarosefromhiswashinginthewaterinwhichheswam,theRavenleftthealtarsintheneighborhoodwherehepickeduphisliving,andtookupresidenceinthelakesandpools.Butcleansinghisfeathersasoftenashewould,hecouldnotchangetheircolor,whilethroughwantoffoodheperished.

　　ChangeofhabitcannotalterNature.

　　乌鸦非常羡慕天鹅洁白的羽毛.他猜想天鹅一定是经常洗澡,羽毛才变得如此洁白无瑕.于是,他毅然离开了他赖以生存的祭坛,来到江湖边.他天天洗刷自己的羽毛,不但一点都没洗白,反而因缺少食物饥饿而死.

　　这故事是说,人的本性不会随着生活方式的改变而改变.

　　TheGoatandtheGoatherd山羊与牧羊人

　　AGOATHERDhadsoughttobringbackastraygoattohisflock.Hewhistledandsoundedhishorninvain;thestragglerpaidnoattentiontothesummons.AtlasttheGoatherdthrewastone,andbreakingitshorn,beggedtheGoatnottotellhismaster.TheGoatreplied,"Why,yousillyfellow,thehornwillspeakthoughIbesilent."

　　Donotattempttohidethingswhichcannotbehid.

　　很多山羊被牧羊人赶到羊圈里.有一只山羊不知在吃什么好东西,单独落在后面.牧羊人拿起一块石头扔了过去,正巧打断了山羊的一只角.牧羊人吓得请求山羊不要告诉主人,山羊说：“即使我不说,又怎能隐瞒下去呢?我的角已断了,这是十分明显的事实.”

　　这故事说明,明显的罪状是无法隐瞒的.

　　TheMiser守财奴

　　AMISERsoldallthathehadandboughtalumpofgold,whichheburiedinaholeinthegroundbythesideofanoldwallandwenttolookatdaily.Oneofhisworkmenobservedhisfrequentvisitstothespotanddecidedtowatchhismovements.Hesoondiscoveredthesecretofthehiddentreasure,anddiggingdown,cametothelumpofgold,andstoleit.TheMiser,onhisnextvisit,foundtheholeemptyandbegantotearhishairandtomakeloudlamentations.Aneighbor,seeinghimovercomewithgriefandlearningthecause,said,"Praydonotgrieveso;butgoandtakeastone,andplaceitinthehole,andfancythatthegoldisstilllyingthere.Itwilldoyouquitethesameservice;forwhenthegoldwasthere,youhaditnot,asyoudidnotmaketheslightestuseofit."

　　有个守财奴变卖了他所有的家产,换回了金块,并秘密地埋在一个地方.他每天走去看看他的宝藏.有个在附近放羊的牧人留心观察,知道了真情,趁他走后,挖出金块拿走了.守财奴再来时,发现洞中的金块没有了,便捶胸痛哭.有个人见他如此悲痛,问明原因后,说道：“喂,朋友,别再难过了,那块金子虽是你买来的,但并不是你真正拥有的.去拿一块石头来,代替金块放在洞里,只要你心里想着那是块金子,你就会很高兴.这样与你拥有真正的金块效果没什么不同.依我之见,你拥有那金块时,也从没用过.”

　　这故事说明,一切财物如不使用等于没有.

　　TheWolfandtheLamb狼与小羊

　　WOLF,meetingwithaLambastrayfromthefold,resolvednottolayviolenthandsonhim,buttofindsomepleatojustifytotheLambtheWolf'srighttoeathim.Hethusaddressedhim:"Sirrah,lastyearyougrosslyinsultedme.""Indeed,"bleatedtheLambinamournfultoneofvoice,"Iwasnotthenborn."ThensaidtheWolf,"Youfeedinmypasture.""No,goodsir,"repliedtheLamb,"Ihavenotyettastedgrass."AgainsaidtheWolf,"Youdrinkofmywell.""No,"exclaimedtheLamb,"Ineveryetdrankwater,forasyetmymother'smilkisbothfo