The Ass and the Grasshopper 驢子與蚱蜢  

AN ASS having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food they lived on to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew." The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.

驢子聽見蚱蜢唱歌，被美妙動聽的歌聲所打動，自己也想能發出同樣悅耳動聽的聲音，便羡慕地問他們吃些什麼，才能發出如此美妙的聲音來。蚱蜢答道：“吃露水。”驢子便也只吃露水，沒多久就餓死了。

這個故事告訴人們不要企望非份之物。

………………………………………………

The Bat and the Weasels蝙蝠與黃鼠狼

A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped.

It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.

蝙蝠掉落在地上，被黃鼠狼叼去，他請求饒命。黃鼠狼說絕不會放過他，自己生來痛恨鳥類。蝙蝠說他是老鼠，不是鳥，便被放了。後來蝙蝠又掉落了下來，被另一隻黃鼠狼叼 住，他再三請求不要吃他。這只黃鼠狼說他恨一切鼠類。蝙蝠改口說自己是鳥類，並非老鼠，又被放了。這樣，蝙蝠兩次改變了自己的名字，終於死裡逃生。

這故事說明，我們遇事要隨機應變方能避免危險。

………………………………………………………………