The Dog in the Manger马槽中的狗    

A DOG lay in a manger, and by his growling¹ and snapping   prevented the oxen from eating the hay which had been placed for   them.   "What a selfish Dog!" said one of them to his companions; "he  cannot eat the hay himself, and yet refuses to allow those to eat  who can."       

一条狗躺在马槽中，不停地叫，不让马吃干草。一匹马对同伴说：“这条狗太自私了！ 他自己不会吃干草，还不让会吃的去吃。”     

这故事是说那些总是不愿别人得到好处的人。  

The Fox and the Goat掉在井里的狐狸和公山羊    

A FOX one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of  escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and  seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing² his  sad plight³ under a merry guise⁴, the Fox indulged in a lavish⁵ praise   of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and   encouraging him to descend⁶. The Goat, mindful only of his  thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox  informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a  scheme for their common escape. "If," said he, "you will place  your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up  your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards." The Goat  readily assented⁷ and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying  himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the  well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided⁸  him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out,  "You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head  as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down  before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself   to dangers from which you had no means of escape."    

Look before you leap.       

一只狐狸失足掉到了井里，不论他如何挣扎仍没法爬上去，只好呆在那里。公山羊觉得 口渴极了，来到这井边，看见狐狸在井下，便问他井水好不好喝？狐狸觉得机会来了，心中 暗喜，马上镇静下来，极力赞美井水好喝，说这水是天下第一泉，清甜爽口，并劝山羊赶快 下来，与他痛饮。一心只想喝水信以为真的山羊，便不假思索地跳了下去，当他咕咚咕咚痛 饮完后，就不得不与狐狸一起共商上井的办法。狐狸早有准备，他狡猾地说：“我倒有一个 方法。你用前脚扒在井墙上，再把角竖直了，我从你后背跳上井去，再拉你上来，我们就都 得救了。”公山羊同意了他的提议，狐狸踩着他的后脚，跳到他背上，然后再从角上用力一 跳，跳出了井口。狐狸上去以后，准备独自逃离。公山羊指责狐狸不信守诺言。狐狸回过头 对公山羊说：“喂，朋友，你的头脑如果像你的胡须那样完美，你就不至于在没看清出口之 前就盲目地跳下去。”     

这故事说明，聪明的人应当事先考虑清楚事情的结果，然后才去做。  

The Bear and the Two Travelers朋友与熊    

TWO MEN were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met   them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and  concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he must   be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came up   and felt him with his snout, and smelt⁹ him all over, he held his   breath, and feigned¹⁰ the appearance of death as much as he could.   The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch a dead body.  When he was quite gone, the other Traveler descended¹¹ from the   tree, and jocularly inquired of his friend what it was the Bear had   whispered in his ear. "He gave me this advice," his companion   replied. "Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the   approach of danger."    

Misfortune tests the sincerity¹² of friends.       两个平常非常要好的朋友一道上路。途中，突然遇到一头大熊，其中的一个立即闪电般 地抢先爬上了树，躲了起来，而另一个眼见逃生无望，便灵机一动马上躺倒在地上，紧紧地 屏住呼吸，假装死了。据说，熊从来不吃死人。熊走到他跟前，用鼻子在他脸上嗅了嗅，转 身就走了。躲在树上的人下来后，问熊在他耳边说了些什么。那人委婉地回答说：“熊告诉 我，今后千万注意，别和那些不能共患难的朋友一起同行。”     

这故事说明，不能共患难的人不是真正的朋友。  

The Oxen and the Axle-Trees公牛与车轴    

A HEAVY WAGON¹³ was being dragged along a country lane by a  team of Oxen. The Axle-trees groaned¹⁴ and creaked terribly;   whereupon the Oxen, turning round, thus addressed the wheels:   "Hullo there! why do you make so much noise? We bear all the   labor, and we, not you, ought to cry out."    

Those who suffer most cry out the least.      

几头公牛正使劲拉着货车行走，车轴被压得发出吱吱的响声，牛回过头，不耐烦地对车 轴说道：“喂，朋友，我们无声无息负担着全部重量，你叫唤什么？”     

这故事是说，那些叫唤得特别响的人往往干活少，而那些不作声的人往往承担着全部重量。