The Kingdom of the Lion獅子國王 THE BEASTS of the field and forest had a Lion as their king. He was neither wrathful, cruel, nor tyrannical, but just and gentle as a king could be. During his reign he made a royal proclamation for a general assembly of all the birds and beasts, and drew up conditions for a universal league, in which the Wolf and the Lamb, the Panther and the Kid, the Tiger and the Stag, the Dog and the Hare, should live together in perfect peace and amity. The Hare said, "Oh, how I have longed to see this day, in which the weak shall take their place with impunity by the side of the strong." And after the Hare said this, he ran for his life. 有隻獅子做了國王，他善良、溫和，與人一樣和平、公正。在他的統治下，懲惡揚善， 裁決動物之間的糾紛，使所有的動物和睦相處。膽小的兔子說：“我祈禱能得到這樣的日 子，那時弱者就不怕被強者傷害了。” 然後趕緊逃命去了。 The Wolf and the Crane狼與鷺鷥 A WOLF who had a bone stuck in his throat hired a Crane, for a large sum, to put her head into his mouth and draw out the bone. When the Crane had extracted the bone and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you have surely already had a sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out your head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf." In serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escape injury for your pains. 狼誤吞下了一塊骨頭，十分難受，四處奔走，尋訪醫生。他遇見了鷺鷥，談定酬金請他 取出骨頭，鷺鷥把自己的頭伸進狼的喉嚨裏，叼出了骨頭，便向狼要定好的酬金。狼回答 說：“喂，朋友，你能從狼嘴裏平安無事地收回頭來，難道還不滿足，怎麼還要講報酬？” 這故事說明，對壞人行善的報酬，就是認識壞人不講信用的本質。 The Fisherman Piping吹簫的漁夫 A FISHERMAN skilled in music took his flute and his nets to the seashore. Standing on a projecting rock, he played several tunes in the hope that the fish, attracted by his melody, would of their own accord dance into his net, which he had placed below. At last, having long waited in vain, he laid aside his flute, and casting his net into the sea, made an excellent haul of fish. When he saw them leaping about in the net upon the rock he said: "O you most perverse creatures, when I piped you would not dance, but now that I have ceased you do so merrily." 有一個會吹簫的漁夫，帶着他心愛的簫和漁網來到了海邊。他先站在一塊突出的岩石 上，吹起簫來，心想魚聽到這美妙音樂就會自己跳到他的前面來的。他聚精會神地吹了好 久，毫無結果。他只好將簫放下，拿起網來，向水裏撒去，結果捕到了許多的魚。他將網中 的魚一條條地扔到岸上，並對亂蹦亂跳的魚說：“喂，你們這些不識好歹的東西！我吹簫 時，你們不跳舞，現在我不吹了，你們倒跳了起來。” 這故事適用於那些做事不擇時機的人們。 Hercules and the Wagoner大力神和車伕 A CARTER was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him: "Put your shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and ne ver more pray to me for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or depend upon it you will henceforth pray in vain."Self-help is the best help. 一名車伕趕着貨車沿着鄉間小路行進。途中車輪陷入了很深的車轍中，再也無法前進。 這時，愚蠢的車伕嚇得茫然失措，一籌莫展，癡呆呆地站在那裏，凝視着貨車，不斷地高聲 喊叫，求大力神來助他一把。大力神來到後，對他說：“朋友，用你的肩膀扛起車輪，再抽 打拉車的馬。你自己不自力更生，盡力解決，僅靠祈求我，怎麼行呢？” 這是說自力更生，自助自立是克服困難的最好辦法。 The Ants and the Grasshopper螞蟻與蚱蜢 THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?' He replied, "I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing." They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter." 冬季，螞蟻正忙着把潮溼的穀子曬乾。飢餓的蚱蜢跑來，向他們乞討食物。螞蟻問他： “你爲什麼在夏天不去收集食物呢？” 蚱蜢回答說：“那時沒有時間，我忙於唱美妙動聽的 歌。”螞蟻嘲笑說：“你夏季如要唱歌，那麼冬季就去跳舞吧。”這故事說明，要不失時機 地工作、勞動，才能豐衣足食；如果一味玩樂，只能捱餓。
