The Fox and the Crow
狐貍和烏鴉
A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree.
"That's for me, as I am a Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree.
"Good day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are looking today: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eyes. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds."
The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox.
"That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future: "Do not trust flatterers."
有一次,一只狐貍看到一只烏鴉嘴里叼著一塊乳酪飛落在一個(gè)樹枝上。
“那乳酪是給我的,因?yàn)槲沂且恢缓?” 狐貍說著,走到樹腳下.
“你好,烏鴉夫人”, 狐貍喊道,”你今天真好看, 看你的羽毛是多么光亮啊, 你的眼睛多么有神啊, 我覺得你的聲音肯定也是所有鳥之中最好聽的, 你的樣子是那樣的出眾, 讓我聽聽您的歌聲吧,那怕只唱一首, 我以后都會(huì)稱你為鳥中的皇后”。烏鴉驕傲地仰起了頭, 準(zhǔn)備放聲歌唱,但當(dāng)它一張開嘴,那塊乳酪就掉到了地上,馬上就被狐貍叼走了。
“這樣正好”,狐貍說,“這就是我想要的。 看在你送給我乳酪的份上,我會(huì)送給你一條建議:‘不要相信拍馬屁的人”。