狗和影子(The Dog and the Shadow)
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace.Now,on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook.As he crossed,he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath.Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat,he made up his mind to have that also.So he made a snap at the shadow in the water,but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out,dropped into the water and was never seen more.
一只狗嘴里衔着一块肉,走过一条河上面的桥,看见他自己在水里的影子,以为是另一只狗,那时狗衔着的肉,比他自己的还要大一倍.因此他仍掉自己的那一块,狠狠地扑向那只狗,想夺到那一块较大的肉.结果两头都落了空,因为他想要抓取在水中的那一块,只不过是一个影子,而原来的那一块,也被水冲走了.
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
谨记,切莫因追逐幻影而丢失已有的东西.
主人公是狗
田鼠与家鼠
田鼠与家鼠是好朋友,家鼠应田鼠所约,去乡下赴宴.他一边吃着大麦与谷子,一边对田鼠说：“朋友,你知道,你这是过着蚂蚁一般的生活,我那里有很多好东西,去与我一起享受吧!”田鼠跟随家鼠来到城里,家鼠给田鼠看豆子和谷子,还有红枣、干酪、蜂蜜、果子.田鼠看得目瞪口呆,大为惊讶,称赞不已,并悲叹自己的命运.他们正要开始吃,有人打开了门,胆小的家鼠一听声响,害怕得赶紧钻进了鼠洞.当家鼠再想拿干酪时,有人又进屋里拿什么东西.他一见到有人,立刻又钻回了洞里.
这时,田鼠也顾不上饥饿,颤颤惊惊地对家鼠说：“朋友,再见吧!你自己尽情地去吃,担惊受怕地享受这些好吃的东西吧.可怜的我还是去啃那些大麦和谷子,平平安安地去过你看不起的普通生活.”
珍惜自己的生活.
主人公田鼠
大力神和车夫
一名车夫赶着货车沿着乡间小路行进.途中车轮陷入了很深的车辙中,再也无法前进.
这时,愚蠢的车夫吓得茫然失措,一筹莫展,痴呆呆地站在那里,凝视着货车,不断地高声喊叫,求大力神来助他一把.大力神来到后,对他说：“朋友,用你的肩膀扛起车轮,再抽打拉车的马.你自己不自力更生,尽力解决,仅靠祈求我,怎么行呢?”
凡事除了乞求也要依靠自己的力量.
主人公是车夫.
