英語寓言故事：丘比特和綿羊

摘要：綿羊曾經一度被迫忍受別的動物對它造成的諸多傷害。終於，它來見丘比特，懇求他爲自己減輕痛苦。

A Sheep was once forced to submit to much harm from the other animals. He thereforeappeared before Jupiter, and begged him to lessen his misery.

Jupiter appeared willing, and said to the Sheep, " I see plainly, my pious creature, that I havecreated you too defenseless . Now choose how I had best remedy this fault. Shall I arm yourjaws with terrible fangs and your feet with claws?"

綿羊曾經一度被迫忍受別的動物對它造成的諸多傷害。終於，它來見丘比特，懇求他爲自己減輕痛苦。

丘比特看上去樂意幫忙，他對綿羊說：“我和清楚，我虔誠的小東西，我創造的你太沒有防禦能力了。現在你可以選擇讓我怎樣來彌補自己的過失。我讓你的上下顎長上尖牙，腳上長出利爪，好嗎?”

"O, no! " exclaimed the Sheep, " I will have nothing in common with the beasts of prey."

“噢，不!”綿羊驚叫道，“我不願意和掠食的野獸有任何相同之處。”

"Or," said Jupiter, " Shall I make your bite poisonous?"

丘比特和綿羊

“要不然，”丘比特說，“讓你被咬的動物中毒?”

"Alas!" replied the Sheep, " the poisonous snakes are so sadly detested."

“哎呀!”綿羊回答說，“毒蛇可是讓人深惡痛絕的。”

" Well, what shall I do ?Shall I plant horns on your forehead, and give strength to your neck?"

“那麼，怎麼辦呢?我讓你的頭上長出角來，讓你的脖頸變得有勁兒，行嗎?”

"Nor that, gracious father; I should then butt like the goat."

“那也不行，我的天父，那樣我就會像山羊一樣用頭去抵撞別人的。”

"At the same time you would be able to injure others, if I gave you the means of defendingyourself."

“一旦我給了你自衛的武器，你就具有了傷害別人的能力。”

"Should I, indeed? " sighed the Sheep. "Oh! Then leave me, merciful father, as I am. For thepower of injuring would, I am fearful, awake the desire of doing so; and it is better to sufferharm, than to inflict it."

“真的會那樣嗎?”綿羊嘆息道，“唉!那麼仁慈的天父，你就讓我保持原樣吧。因爲，我擔心有了傷害別人的能力，就會引發起那樣去做的念頭。自己忍受傷害總比給別人造成傷害要好呀。”

Jupiter blessed the pious Sheep, who ceased from that moment his complaints.

丘比特爲這隻虔誠的綿羊祝福，綿羊此後再也不抱怨了。

　　孤獨的老人

He was a little, wrinkled, all skin and bones, old man and lived all alone. No one knew muchabout him. One day he got a bad cold and he called for a doctor.

他是一個小老頭，皮膚皺縮，瘦得皮包骨頭，自己一個人住。大家對他都不太瞭解，有一天，他得了重感冒，請了醫生過來。

While the doctor was examining the old man, he asked, "Haven't you a trend who could comein to look after you?" "No, I have no friends--never had any." the old man replied.

給老人檢查時，醫生問：“你沒有朋友來照看你嗎?”“沒有，我沒有朋友——一直都沒有。 ”老人回答。

"What you've lived in this village all your life and never had a friend! " ... "Well, I am notashamed to say that I am passed sixty-four years but I never met anyone I could call a friendfor long.

“什麼!你在村子裏住了一輩子，居然從未有過一個朋友!” “活了64年卻沒有遇到一個值得長久交往的朋友，我沒有什麼不好意思地。他們不是這差。 就是那差。 ”

If it isn't one thing wrong with them, it's another" "Come, come our village head mart, Mr. Li, willsurely come to your aid if he knows you are sick I am sure you too know him."

“好啦，好啦!假如我們地村長李先生知道你病了，一定會來幫你地。 你一定知道他吧。 ” “沒錯， 我認識他，”

Of course, I know him, " replied the old man, "but he is such a bore to hear him talk, you'dimagine the world had nothing in it but his wheat field and how wonderful and healthy his pigsare."

老人回答，“不過，他這個人很討厭，跟他說話。你會覺得世界上除了他的麥田和他那壯實、健康的豬，就沒有別的東西了。 ”

"Then what about who lives down the road?" "A more selfish fellow l ever came across,though admit he has got a head on him. He has traveled and read many books and he's mightyinteresting to talk to.

“那麼在這條街上住的馬先生如何呢?”“雖然我承認他有點兒聰明，可他是我見過的最自私地傢伙。 他四處旅行。 讀過很多書，和他聊天會非常有意思。

He used to come in here a lot at one time. But he would come only when he felt like doing soand he would stay away for long periods of time.

有一段時間，他經常來我這裏。不過。 他想來地時候纔會來，並且會一連好長時間都不出現。

I don't call that neighborly. "The doctor laughed."You can't bring up anything against Mr. Zhou?Everyone loves him." "You're right," agreed the old man. "

我可不喜歡他這樣的鄰居。 ” 醫生只好笑了笑：“你說什麼也不能找出周先生地毛病吧?所有人都喜歡他。 ”“你說地沒錯，”老人表示認可，

Zhou would live on my doorstep if I let him He's a bit of a wit and rattling good company, buthis noisy tongue makes my poor head ache."

“假如我願意。 周先生會與我住得很近。 他很聰明，是個很好的伴兒。 可他說起話來地聲音吵得我頭疼。 ”

"I'm afraid you see so much of your neighbor's failings that you're blind to their virtues. You'rea hard nut to crack, old many anyway, please call me if you need me.

“恐怕是你太注重鄰居們地缺點而忽略了他們的優點。 老先生，給您服務可真難!無論如何，假如需要我地時候，你就叫我。

As a doctor I will attend to you regardless whether you like me or not" The doctor remarked ashe took up his bag and hat to leave. The door banged and not a word of "thank you" washeard.

身爲一名醫生。 無論你喜不喜歡我。 我都會照看你的!” 醫生說着就拿起帽子離開了。 門“嘣”的一聲就關上了，老人連一句“謝謝”都沒說。