寓言故事英語
***一***The labourer and the snake 工人和蛇
A labourer's little son was bitten by a snake and died of the wound. The father was beside himself with grief, and in his anger against the snake the caught up an axe and went and stood close
to the snake's hole, and watched for a chance of killing it. Presently the snake come out, and the man aimed a blow at it, but only succeeded in cutting of the tip of its tail before it
wriggled in again. He then tried to get it to come out a second time, pretending that he wished to make up the quarrel. But the snake said, "I can never be your friend because of my lost tail,
nor you mine because of your lost child."
工人的小兒子被一條毒蛇咬了一口，並且死於蛇傷。悲痛氣憤之餘，工人抓起一把斧頭，氣沖沖地跑到蛇洞外，等待機會砍死蛇。不久，蛇從洞裡出來了，工人立即一斧頭砍過去，可是隻砍斷了它的尾巴尖。隨後，工人還想再如法炮製，便假裝想與蛇和解。可是，蛇卻說：“我永遠也無法成為你的朋友，因為我丟了自己的尾巴，而你卻丟失了兒子。”
在造成創傷的雙方心裡，永遠無法忘卻傷痛。
***二***The blind man and the cub 盲人與小野獸
There was once a blind man who had so fine a sense of touch that, when any animal was put into his hands, he could tell what it was merely by the feel of it. One day the cub of a wolf was put into his hands, and he was asked what it was. He felt it for some time, and then said, "Indeed, I am not sure whether it is a wolf's cub or a fox's: but this I know -- it would never do to trust it in a sheepfold."
從前，有一個人眼睛雖然瞎了，可是他精於嗅覺，只要用手摸一摸，憑藉著觸感就便能說出這是什麼動物。有一天，一隻小狼崽被送到他的手中，請他告知這是什麼東西。他用手摸了一會兒，然後說：“我不太確定，這到底是一隻小狼崽，還是一隻狐狸的幼崽，但是有一點我十分確定，千萬別讓它進羊圈。”
惡劣的本性從小便知。
***三***A little box 小箱子
How oft the commonest of tasks looks long and tiresome till begun. To use your wits, is all it asks, start doing, and it's done.
They brought John Brown a box, fresh from the workman's hands. Twas work that took the eye, so neatly, cleanly done. This charming little box delighted everyone.
Then in comes a mechanic. Oh yes, these things he understands. He glances at the box. 'This box has got some trick. You see it has no lock. And yet I warrant you, I'll have it open quick. You boobies over there, don't mock! Just wait! I'll find the catch, then show the trick to you. In matters of this kind I know a thing or two.'
He sets to work, leaves nothing untried. He turns it round on every side; he guesses and he guesses. One knob and then the next, and then the handle presses. John looks at him and all the while Just shakes his head and James and Ned whisper among themselves and smile. From time to time some onlooker will say: 'Not that way! No, not there!'
But harder still and harder he puzzles, he perspires, till damped is all his ardour. He gives it up and puts it on the shelf. And why not raise the lid? He never tried that way! This was a box that opened of itself.
最普通的工作,沒動手之前，總覺得費心費力。其實只要開動腦筋，考慮好了，一做就成。
有人拿了一隻剛做好的箱子。箱子做得細緻又大方，讓人眼前一亮。這箱子如此漂亮，人人都喜歡。
這時，一個機械師來了。不錯，他還懂得這玩意兒，他一眼小箱子說道：“這箱子有點名堂，你瞧，連鎖都看不到;然而我擔保，我能立刻開啟它。站在一邊的蠢才別恥笑，等著瞧吧!我一定會找到竅門，把祕密告訴大家的。說到機械，我多少也懂點門道。”
於是，他動手在小箱子上到處摸索，翻來轉去，琢磨了又琢磨，試試這個釘，又摸摸那個紐，然後按按把手。這時候啊，有人緊瞅著他，有人搖頭，相顧而笑。旁觀者不時地說著話：“不是那樣,不，不，不在那裡!”
他拼命地琢磨，渾身大汗，出得氣都洩了。終於，他放棄了，把小箱子放到架子上。為什麼不掀起蓋子呢?他從來沒有這樣試過。其實，這是一個沒有鎖可以自己開啟的箱子。