那些給我智慧和勇氣的寓言故事72:懶驢

A man bought a Donkey at the market one day and took him home on approval.

一天，有個人在集市上買了一頭驢，把驢牽回家先試用一下。

Now the man owned several Donkeys already and he knew each one's character very well.

這人已經有好幾頭驢了，深知每頭驢的習性。

One of the Donkey was very strong and brave. Another was eager to please but quickly exhausted.

有頭驢又強壯、又勇敢；還有頭驢急於討人喜歡，可一會兒就累了；

One Donkey was very lazy. He hated going to work in the morning and he did as little as he possibly could all day long.

另有頭驢非常懶，它不願意一大早就去幹活，一整天它都儘可能地少乾點活，別的驢載東西時，

When the other animals were being loaded up he always tried to be the last so that he would get the lightest load.

它總是儘量排最後一個，這樣載的東西就會最輕。

The man led the new Donkey into the stable yard. For a moment he stood sniffing at his new companions. Then, without hesitation, he trotted up to the lazy Donkey and began feeding comfortably at his side.

這個人把新買的驢牽進牲口棚的院子裏。驢站了一會兒，聞了聞它的新夥伴們，然後，毫不猶豫地跑到懶驢跟前，在它旁邊悠閒自得地吃起草來。

Though it was late in the day, the man immediately led the new Donkey out of the yard, straight back to the market.

天色已經很晚了，這個人還是馬上把新買的驢牽出了院子，徑直回到集市上。

"You cannot have given him a fair trial yet, "said the merchant. "It is only ten minutes since you bought him."

“你不可能已經好好試過了，”賣驢的人說，“你買了它才十幾分鍾。”

"I don't need to try him any more," replied the man. "I know just what he is like from the friend he chose for himself.

“我不用再試了，”這個人回答道。“從它自己挑選的朋友，我就知道它是頭什麼樣的驢了。

Take him away and give me my money back. I can do without Donkeys like him."

把它牽走，把錢還給我。我沒有這樣的驢也能過日子。”