短童話故事英文版

　　 橡樹和蘆葦

　　An oak got talking with a reed one day: "you certainly have cause of nature to complain; why even a sparrow's weight for you is quite a strain. At even the slightest breeze that makes the ripples1 play, you quake as if you're touched with blight2; you bend and bow so desolate3, indeed you are a sorry sight."

　　"Now I, like Caucasus in all his pride and state 'Tis little that the rage of Phoebus Iabate4; Laughing at hurricanes; beneath thunder's roar at ease, I stand as strong and straight, as though I bore a shield of peace inviolate5. For you each breath's a storm, for me the storm's a breeze. For you each breath's a storm, for me the storm's a breeze. If only you were growing somewhere close, then in the depths of shade that my broad boughs6could lend you form stress of weather I could easily defend you.Alas7 that nature for yourdwelling8 chose the banks of a Eolus, the stormy realm of air; No doubt, for such as you she found no time to care. 'You are full of charity,' the reed replied with scorn; 'But do not be distressed9! My lot can well be borne! If storms I fear, it is not for my sake."

　　"Though bend I must I shall not break; Tis little harm they do to me. Methinks, for you yourself more danger there may be Tis true that up till now, beneath the fiercest blast Your sturdy from stands firm and fast; from all its angry blows you face you never hide; but wait and see the end!"

　　And scarce the reed had thus replied when see, all sudden from the North. Theboisterous10 aquilo with hail and rain broke forth11. The oak stood firm; the reed down to the earth must bend. On raged the storm still fiercer than before Till, roaring, from his root it tore, The tree that close to heaven his towering summit flaunted12 and in the realm of shade his sturdy foot had planted.

　　一天，一棵橡膠樹和蘆葦交談。橡樹說：“你的確有權抱怨老天，不是嗎?即使是一隻麻雀，你也會覺得沉重不堪。即使是引起漣漪的微風，你也會顫抖地像遇到災難，你搖搖擺擺，俯首低頭，十分淒涼，看著真讓人悲哀心痛。”

　　“而我卻像高加索山脈一樣威嚴自豪……太陽的威嚴，對我只是小事一樁，狂風大作，我敢嗤之以鼻，雷聲咆哮，我仍然安然自在，我矗立得筆直遒勁，彷彿握著弓不破的和平之盾。對於你，清風拂過就是風暴，對於我，一場風暴只是徐徐和風。只要你生長在我的周圍，我寬廣的枝葉就可以借給你濃蔭，遇到險厄的天氣，我就可以庇護你。可惜老天為你選擇的住所是風神的河岸，是狂風暴雨的國土。無疑，像你這樣，老天來不及照顧。”

　　蘆葦鄙夷地說：“你真是一片好心，可你不用擔心，我的的命令自能安然無恙!即使我害怕風暴，也不是因為我自己，雖然我要俯首彎腰，但是不會折斷，暴風雨對我的損害並不大。我認為，你自己的危險倒可能更大，的確，到現在為止，再猛烈的風暴中，你茁壯的身體屹立不動，你也從未躲避過狂風暴雨的正面打擊，可是，還是看看最後得結果吧!”

　　蘆葦剛剛這樣說完，突然之間，呼嘯的北風夾帶著冰雹，還有暴雨從北方襲來。橡樹屹立不動，而蘆葦必須俯倒在地，風雨更加狂暴了，那樹尖鑽入雲霄、炫耀誇口的橡樹，那跟深入濃蔭下土壤內，茁壯的橡樹，最終被呼嘯的風連根拔起來了。

　　 獅子和狼

　　A lion on a lamb had settled down to sup. A mongrel pup about the royal board allowed to wander. Snatched almost from his claws a piece of meat down wander.

　　The king of beasts looked on, not minding in the least, for puppy was a young and foolish beast. Observing this, the wolf began to ponder, "This lion seems so meek1, he must be very weak!"

　　He too put out a paw, some dainty snack to seek. But woe2 befell the sinner. He went toswell3 the lion's dinner.

　　"My friend," said Lion, as he calmly tore him up. "You saw me spare the dog, it's true. But so indulgent I should hardly be with you. He's young and stupid still, but you are not a pup."

　　獅子大王坐下來吃羔羊，一隻准許走近大王餐桌的***小狗，幾乎就是從大王的腳爪下撈走了一塊羊肉。

　　眾獸之王淡淡地一眼，心裡一點也不介意，因為小狗是一隻年紀輕輕不懂事的野獸。狼看到這件事，心中想道：“獅子好像很溫順，它一定很軟弱!”

　　於是它也伸出一隻腳爪來找點好吃的東西。可是，這犯罪的傢伙可倒黴了，它自己就成了大王豐盛的大餐。

　　“我的朋友，”獅子大王一面平靜地撕著狼，一面對它說道，“你看見我放過了小狗，那是真的，然而我可不能這樣放縱你，它年紀小，還不懂事，可你不是什麼年幼的畜生啊!”

　　 螃蟹和狐狸

　　A crab1 once left the sea-shore and went and settled in a meadow2 some way inland, which looked very nice and green and seemed likely to be a good place to feed in. But a hungry fox came along and spied the crab and caught him. Just as he was going to be eaten up, the crab said, "This is just what I deserve, for I had no business to leave my natural home by the sea and settle here as though I belonged to the land."

　　Be content with your lot.

　　有一次，一隻螃蟹離開海邊，定居在內陸的一塊草地上，那裡看著很美，有青青的綠草，是個養分充足的好地方。然而，一隻飢餓的狐狸走過來，看見螃蟹並捉住了他。就在狐狸將要吃掉他之前，螃蟹說：“我真是活該，我沒有理由要離開海邊那個天然的家，像陸地棲息的動物一樣，偏要到這裡來定居。”

　　知足才能常樂。