作者：王勋,纪飞
出版社：清华大学出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
天使的故事试读：
前言
在远古时代，诗人们和编故事的人们构想了许多关于公主与王子、魔鬼与天使、国王与平民、动物与智者、美女与勇士等传说，这些故事由一代代人口述着流传下来。后来人们把它们变成了文字，这些奇妙的故事就被记录下来。这些被记录下来的故事一般是寓言故事、神话传说、历史故事和名人传奇等，它们传诵的主要对象是青少年，是每个民族文化记忆中的核心内容，它们可以统称为传说或童话。它们以口承和文字形式代代相传绵绵不绝，既延续着一个个历久弥新的故事与文本的记载，同时也传递着一种精神的力量。世界上几乎每一个国家都重视对本国青少年的童话教育，特别是源于世界各地的著名童话故事教育，如中国的“花木兰”，丹麦的“丑小鸭”，德国的“小红帽”，英国的“亚瑟王”，俄罗斯的“伊凡王子”，印度的“月亮里的兔子”，日本的“拇指太郎”，中世纪古希腊的“农夫和蛇”等。
基于以上原因，我们认为编写源于世界各地的美丽传说故事读本，对加强当代中国青少年学生素质教育和人文修养是非常有帮助的。作为世界童话宝库的一部分，本书内容取材于浓郁、浪漫的西方国度——意大利和俄罗斯的经典传说故事。这些美丽的传说故事之所以被选入本书，不仅因为它们具有内在美，具有鲜明的西方特色，而且是因为它们为世界传说与神话文学宝库增添了无限的生机。阅读本书，让我们不得不惊叹古人的美妙想象和精神活动。这些故事不仅在于内容的经典性和表达的完美性，而且要蕴含文化的理念和价值，让人们得到人文的熏陶，青少年读者可以从中得到有益的启示。
国内也曾有此类书出版，但主要集中在两个方面：一种是中文翻译版，另一种是中英文对照版。而其中的中英文对照读本比较受青少年读者的欢迎，这主要是得益于中国人热衷于学习英文的大环境。而从英文学习的角度上来看，直接使用纯英文的学习资料更有利于英语学习。考虑到对英文内容背景的了解有助于英文阅读，使用中文导读应该是一种比较好的方式，也可以说是该类型书的第三种版本形式。采用中文导读而非中英文对照的方式进行编排，这样有利于国内读者摆脱对英文阅读依赖中文注释的习惯。在中文导读中，我们尽力使其贴近原作的精髓，也尽可能保留原作风格。我们希望能够编出为当代中国青少年读者所喜爱的经典读本。读者在阅读英文故事之前，可以先阅读中文导读内容，这样有利于了解故事背景，从而加快阅读速度。同时，为了读者更好地理解故事内容，书中加入了大量的插图。
本书主要内容由王勋、纪飞编译。参加本书故事素材搜集整理及编译工作的还有郑佳、刘乃亚、赵雪、左新杲、黄福成、冯洁、徐鑫、马启龙、王业伟、王旭敏、陈楠、王多多、邵舒丽、周丽萍、王晓旭、李永振、孟宪行、熊红华、胡国平、熊建国、徐平国、王小红等。限于我们的文学素养和英语水平，书中难免会有不当之处，我们衷心希望读者朋友批评指正。驴和它的影子 The Ass and His Shadow导读一个人雇了一头驴出远门。天气酷热，这个人和驴的主人都想在驴的影子下休息，可驴的影子太小，结果两人争吵起来，驴就趁机跑掉了。
Atraveler hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The day being intensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the Traveler stopped to rest, and sought shelter from the heat under the Shadow of the Ass. As this afforded only protection for one, and as the Traveler and the owner of the Ass both claimed it, a violent dispute arose between them as to which of them had the right to the Shadow. The owner maintained that he had let the Ass only, and not his Shadow. The Traveler asserted that he had, with the hire of the Ass, hired his Shadow also. The quarrel proceeded from words to blows, and while the men fought, the Ass galloped off.
In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.驴和它的影子狼和驴 The Wolf and the Donkey导读狼在路上遇到了驴。驴急中生智，叫狼不要在公路上吃他，因为那样他会害羞。狼同意和驴用绳子拴一起，等走到“安静”的地方再吃驴。驴将狼带到了自己的主人家。主人想把狼杀了，但不小心让狼逃跑了。
A Wolf once met a Donkey on the road outside the village.
“I’m going to eat you up,” said the Wolf.
“Certainly,” replied the Donkey, thinking fast, “But please don’t eat me out here on the road where everyone can see. I shall be so ashamed. Take me into the forest. Don’t be afraid that I shall try to escape. Here, tie this rope round your neck and fasten it to my bridle. Then I will lead you to a quiet spot I know.”
The Wolf thought this was a good idea so he fastened the rope round his neck and knotted it firmly to the Donkey’s bridle.
“Now I will go wherever you say,” said the Donkey.
“Show me the way to your quiet spot,” ordered the Wolf.
“Very well,” said the Donkey, setting off down the road towards the village. As they came to the first houses the Wolf began to suspect that he had been tricked.
“This is not the way to the forest,” he said, ragging at his end of the rope, “This road goes to the village.”
“Don’t worry,” said the Donkey cheerfully, “This is a short cut.”
The Donkey began to trot faster, then to gallop. The rope round the Wolf’s neck drew tight; in a very short time he was dragged right up to the donkey’s door.
The master, his wife and their three sons all came running out to rescue the Donkey. They were so angry that they would have killed the Wolf there and then. Fortunately for the Wolf, however, one of the sons threw a knife at him. The knife missed, but it cut the rope round his neck. The next moment all the family could see was a cloud of dust in the road as the Wolf fled to safety in the dark forest.狐狸和猫 The Fox and the Cat导读狐狸对猫说他有很多种逃生方法。突然猎狗来了，猫一下子爬上树。而就在狐狸想着该用哪种方法时，猎人赶到把狐狸杀死了。
A fox was boasting to a Cat of its clever devices for escaping its enemies. “I have a whole bag of tricks,” he said, “which contains a hundred ways of escaping my enemies.”
“I have only one,”said the Cat; “but I can generally manage with that.” Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming towards them, and the Cat immediately scampered up a tree and hid herself in the boughs. “This is my play,”said the Cat. “What are you going to do?”
The Fox thought first of one way, then of another, and while he was debating the hounds came nearer and nearer, and at last the Fox in his confusion was caught up by the hounds and soon killed by the huntsmen. Miss Puss, who had been looking on, said: “Better one safe say than a hundred on which you cannot reckon.”狐狸和猫狮子和蚊子 Lion and Gnat导读狮子很看不起蚊子，蚊子很生气，决定和狮子决一死战。狮子对蚊子的挑战很不屑。蚊子不断地叮咬狮子的前额、鼻子、耳朵。狮子却怎么也打不到蚊子。最后狮子筋疲力尽，瘫倒在地，向蚊子求和了。
I have a tale that tells you that, of how the lion’s pride was humbled by a gnat. Well, here, as I’ve been told, is how the story went. The lion with the gnat put on a cold contempt. The gnat was filled with rage; he could not stand the slight.The gnat he rose in arms and sallied forth to fight. He’s knight and bugler, too; he trumps with all his breath, and challenges his foe to fight him to the death.
The lion laughs; but Gnat’s not jesting. On back, or eyes, or ears, our trumpeter comes pesting; and picking out his spot, and waiting for his chance, with eagle’s swoop he lunges, and in the back his sting he plunges.
The lion quivers; at the foe his tall he flaunts. But nimble is our gnat, besides he knows no fear. Full on the forehead perched, he is sucking near the brain. The lion twists his head; the lion shakes his mane; our hero strikes and strikes again, Gets home upon the nose,or pricks behind the ear. How Lion swore! How terrible his roar!狮子和蚊子
He grinds his teeth with foaming jaws; He tears the earth up with his claws. The forest shakes all around, those awful tones to hear; The beasts are terror-struck; they hide, they fly in fear, The best foot first, and quick at that, As if the flood had come, or some great conflagration. And who? A gnat has thrown them in this consternation.
The lion’s rage is spent; his frantic efforts cease; He falls upon the ground and sues the gnat for peace. The gnat has slaked his ire; his ardour he restrains, Achilles’ part is played: It’s Homer’s now remains; his own, the trump that to the woods shall make his triumph known.老狮子 The Old Lion导读狮子很老了，躺在地上等死。野猪和公牛就攻击狮子报仇。驴子看到了，也过来欺负狮子。狮子对这般虐待却无可奈何。
A Lion, worn out with years and powerless from disease, lay on the ground at the point of death. A Boar rushed upon him,and avenged with a stroke of his tusks a long-remembered injury. Shortly afterwards the Bull with his horns gored him as if he were an enemy. When the Ass saw that the huge beast could be assailed with impunity, he let drive at his forehead with his heels. The expiring Lion said, “I have reluctantly brooked the insults of the brave, but to be compelled to endure such treatment from thee, a disgrace to Nature, is indeed to die a double death.”狗、公鸡和狐狸 The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox导读狗和公鸡结伴出行。晚上公鸡在树上睡，狗在树洞里。第二天早上，狐狸听到公鸡的叫声，想抓公鸡吃。他刚走到树洞，狗就跳出来咬死了它。
A Dog and a Cock being great friends, agreed to travel together. At nightfall they took shelter in a thick wood.The Cock flying up, perched himself on the branches of a tree, while the Dog found a bed beneath in the hollow trunk.
When the morning dawned, the Cock, as usual,crowed very loudly several times.A Fox heard the sound, and wishing to make a breakfast on him, came and stood under the branches, saying how earnestly he desired to make the acquaintance of the owner of so magnificent a voice.The Cock, suspecting his civilities, said: “Sir, I wish you would do me the favor of going around to the hollow trunk below me, and waking my porter, so that he may open the door and let you in.” When the Fox approached the tree, the Dog sprang out and caught him, and tore him to pieces.两个园丁 The Two Gardeners导读有两兄弟都是园丁，他们平分了继承的一块土地。其中一个自诩为伟大的哲学家，整日思考农作物的生长规律，忘记了照看他的园子，结果颗粒无收，不得不求助于他的兄弟。而他的兄弟早起晚归，辛勤劳作，日子一天过得比一天好。
Two brothers who were Gardeners, had a piece of land for their inheritance, of which each cultivated the half; united by a strict friendship they had every thing in common.
One of them, named John, of an inquisitive mind, and some oratorical powers, thought himself a great philosopher;therefore John passed his time in reading the almanac, in observing the weather, the weathercock, and the wind. Presently, giving the rein to his sublime genius, he wished to discover how such millions of peas could be so quickly produced from a single one; and wherefore the seed of the linden, which produced a large tree, should be smaller than the bean, which attained but two feet in height; and again, by what mysterious secret this bean, which was heedlessly sown in the earth, contrived to attain a proper position in its bosom, so as to shoot out a root below, while it elevated its stem above the surface.
While he was thus meditating and afflicting himself at not being able to penetrate these important secrets, he forgot to water his garden; his spinach and lettuces died for want of moisture; the north-wind killed his fig-trees, which he neglected to cover up. No fruit was sent to the market, no money came to his purse, and the poor philosopher, with his almanacs, had no resources but his brother.
The latter was at work from the first dawn of day, singing at the top of his lungs; he grafted, and watered everything, from the peach-tree to the currant bush, without caring to discover that which he could not comprehend. He continued to sow, in order that he mighty reap.Consequently his garden thrived to a miracle; he had money, fruit and when John, in astonishment came to ask him how he was so successful. “Brother,” said he, “here is the whole secret: I work, and you reflect; which is the more profitable? You are racking as your mind, while I am enjoying myself; which of us is the wiser?”乞丐的愿望 The Beggar’s Wish导读双目失明的乞丐经常到同一个神殿朝拜，同时还把讨来的钱拿来捐赠给神殿。有一天牧师告诉乞丐：他的捐赠和朝拜让众神很高兴，决定让他实现一个愿望。乞丐很高兴，但他需要的东西太多，想了很久，便说他想在死前见到他的曾孙的房子有六层高，还喝着牛奶和蜂蜜，用金碗吃着芳香四溢的饭菜。于是他这个愿望就实现了。
A beggar who had been blind was very devoted and used to worship regularly at a certain shrine. At the same time, he would empty his bowl of whatever amount of coins he received through begging and offered them to the shrine. The priest in charge of the shrine noticed the beggar’s devotion, and, wishing to encourage him, said one day.
“Oh, beggar, the gods are pleased with your devotion and gifts. They say that they will bestow upon you whatever single gift you may ask for. But remember you may ask for one thing only.”
The beggar was delighted to hear such a wonderful message. He immediately thought what particular gift he should ask for. But the more he thought the more confused he became for there were so many things he felt he needed—sight, wealth, long life, a wife, children, and so on.
But he was a clever man and after much serious meditation, he felt he should ask for all the things he missed in life.He then went to the shrine and said to the priest:
“Oh, holy one, I thank you for intervening with the gods to bestow upon me one gift. I am now about to ask for one thing and one thing only.”
“Say it out loud, and your wish will be granted,” cried the holy man to the beggar.
“Well, my petition is simple. Before I die that I may see my son’s grandson living in a six-storied house, drinking milk and honey and eating fragrant rice out of a golden bowl.”
In this way the clever beggar had really asked for sight, family, wealth, a palace, longevity and happiness and his wish was granted.恶狗 The Mischievous Dog导读有只狗咬了人，主人就在它脖子上系了个铃铛，让路人小心它。它以为铃铛是荣誉的象征，到处炫耀。一只老猎狗告诉它，那是耻辱的标记。
A Dog used to run up quietly to the heels of everyone he met, and to bite them without notice. His master suspended a bell about his neck so that the Dog might give notice of his presence wherever he went. Thinking it a mark of distinction, the Dog grew proud of his bell and were tinkling it all over the marketplace. One day an old hound said to him: “Why do you make such an exhibition of yourself? That bell that you carry is not, believe me, any order of merit, but on the contrary a mark of disgrace, a public notice to all men to avoid you as an ill mannered dog.”
Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.恶狗老妇和医生 The Old Woman and the Physician导读老妇眼睛瞎了，叫医生来治，并许诺治好后给医生一笔钱。医生在治病过程中，趁着老妇看不见，把房子里贵重的东西都拿走了。后来老妇眼睛恢复了，但她拒绝给医生钱，因为她觉得她的眼睛根本没治好，她失明前在房子里有很多东西，可她现在一件也看不到了。
An old woman having lost the use of her eyes,called in a Physician to heal them, and made this bargain with him in the presence of witnesses: that if he should cure her blindness, he should receive from her a sum of money; but if her infirmity remained, she should give him nothing. This agreement being made, the Physician, time after time, applied his salve to her eyes, and on every visit took something away, stealing all her property little by little.
And when he had got all she had, he healed her and demanded the promised payment. The Old Woman, when she recovered her sight and saw none of her goods in her house, would give him nothing. The Physician insisted on his claim, and. As she still refused, summoned her before the Judge.老妇和医生
The Old Woman, standing up in the Court, argued,“This man here speaks the truth in what he says; for I did promise to give him a sum of money if I should recover my sight: but if I continued blind, I was to give him nothing. Now he declares that I am healed. I on the contrary affirm that I am still blind; for before I lost the use of my eyes, I saw in my house various chattels and valuable goods: But now, though he swears I am cured of my blindness, I am not able to see a single thing in it.”鞋匠改行当医生 The Cobbler Turned Doctor导读有个鞋匠由于穷而改行当医生，谎称有万能解药，因而一举成名。当他重病时，镇长把毒药与他的解药放一起强迫他喝，他只好承认自己是骗子。
A Cobbler unable to make a living by his trade and made desperate by poverty, began to practice medicine in a town in which he was not known. He sold a drug, pretending that it was an antidote to all poisons, and obtained a great name for himself by long-winded puffs and advertisements.
When the Cobbler happened to fall sick himself of a serious ill-ness, the Governor of the town determined to test his skill. For this purpose he called for a cup, and while filling it with water,pretended to mix poison with the Cobbler’s antidote,commanding him to drink it on the promise of a reward. The Cobbler, under the fear of death, confessed that he had no knowledge of medicine, and was only made famous by the stupid clamors of the crowd.The Governor then called a public assembly and addressed the citizens: “Of what folly have you been guilty? You have not hesitated to entrust your heads to a man, whom no one could employ to make even the shoes for their feet.”小狗 The Little Dog导读小狗向它妈妈请教如何才能得到主人的宠爱。它的妈妈说只要它深深爱着主人，并适当表现对主人的爱就可以了。这时主人正好进来，小狗就跑过去向主人示好，主人很欢喜，于是小狗成了主人散步不可少的伙伴。小狗尝试去保护主人的财产，被称为主人忠实的财产守护者。主人生病了，小狗陪坐在门前，一口饭也不吃。主人病好后知道了，非常感动。又有一天，主人在一个凉亭里休息，小狗听到有异样的声响，急忙把主人叫醒。主人刚跑出凉亭，亭子就塌了。主人安然无恙，而小狗却受伤了。后来主人就无微不至地照顾小狗，小狗的忠诚和爱得到了最大的回报。
What shall I do,”said a very little dog one day to his mother, “to show my gratitude to our good master, and make myself of some value to him？ I cannot draw or carry burdens like the horse; nor give him milk like the cow; nor lend him my covering for his clothing like the sheep; nor produce him eggs like the poultry; nor catch mice and rats so well as the cat.I cannot divert him with singing like the canaries and linnets; nor can I defend him against robbers like our relation, Towzer, I should not be of use to him even if I were dead, as the hogs are. I am a poor insignificant creature,not worth the cost of keeping; and I don’t see that I can do a single thing to entitle me to his regard.” So saying, the poor little dog hung down his head in silent despondency.
“My dear child,”replied his mother, “though your abilities are but small, yet a hearty good-will is sufficient to supply all defects. Do but love him dearly, and prove your love by all the means in your power, and you will not fail to please him.”
The little dog was comforted by this assurance; and, on his master’s approach, ran to him,licked his feet, gambolled before him, and every now and then stopped, wagging his tail, and looking up to his master with expressions of the most humble and affectionate attachment. The master observed him. “Ah!little Fido,” said he, “you are an honest, good-natured little fellow!” and stooped down to pat his head. Poor Fido was ready to go out of his wits for joy.
Fido was now his master’s constant companion in his walks, playing and skipping round him,and amusing him by a thousand sportive tricks. He took care, however, not to be troublesome by leaping on him with dirty paws, nor would he follow him into the parlour, unless invited. He also attempted to make himself useful by a number of little services. He would drive away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens’ meat; and would run and bark with the utmost fury at any strange pigs or other animals that offered to come into the yard.He kept the poultry, geese, and pigs from straying beyond their bounds and particularly from doing mischief in the garden. He was always ready to alarm Towzer if there was any suspicious noise about the house, day or night. If his master pulled off his coat in the field to help his workman, as he would sometimes do, Fido always sat by it, and would not suffer either man or beast to touch it. By this means he came to be considered as a very trusty protector of his master’s property.
His master was once confined to his bed with a dangerous illness. Fido planted himself at the chamber-door, and could not be persuaded to leave it even to take food; and as soon as his master was so far recovered as to sit up, Fido, being admitted into the room, ran up to him with such marks of excessive joy and affection, as would have melted any heart to behold. This circumstance wonderfully endeared him to his master, and some time after, he had an opportunity of doing him a very important service.
One hot day, after dinner, his master was sleeping in a summer-house, with Fido be his side. The building was old and crazy; and the dog, who was faithfully watching his master, perceived the walls shake, and pieces of mortar fall from the ceiling. He comprehended the danger,and began barking to awaken his master; and this not sufficing, he jumped up,and gently bit his finger. The master upon this started up, and had just time to get out of the door before the whole building fell down. Fido who was behind, got hurt by some rubbish which fell upon him: on which his master had him taken care of with the utmost tenderness, and ever afterwards acknowledged his obligation to this little animal as the preserver of his life. Thus his love and fidelity had their full reward.狗和野兔 The Dog and the Hare导读猎狗追着野兔，一会儿咬，一会儿又放开野兔和它玩耍。野兔弄不清猎狗到底是朋友还是敌人。
A Hound having started a Hare on the hillside pursued her for some distance, at one time biting her with his teeth as if he would take her life, and at another fawning upon her, as if in play with another dog. The Hare said to him, “I wish you would act sincerely by me, and show yourself in your true colors. If you are a friend, why do you bite me so hard? If an enemy, why do you fawn on me?”
No one can be a friend if you know not whether to trust or distrust him.狗和倒影 The Dog and the Shadow导读一只狗叼着肉回家。它走到一座桥上时，看到自己在水里的倒影，就朝倒影叫，谁知它一开口，肉就掉进水里。
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace.Now on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook.As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also.So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.狼和鹤 The Wolf and the Crane导读狼进食时，一块骨头卡在它的喉咙里。狼很难受，就四处去找帮助，并答应给报酬。鹤答应了狼，用长嘴把狼喉咙里的骨头弄了出来。而狼却反悔，没有给鹤报酬。
A Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, when suddenly a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he could not swallow it. He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ran up and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something to relieve the pain. He tried to induce every one he met to remove the bone. “I would give anything,” said he, “if you would take it out.” At last the Crane agreed to try, and told the Wolf to lie on his side and open his jaws as wide as he could. Then the Crane put its long neck down the Wolf’s throat, and with its beak loosened the bone, till at last it got it out.
“Will you kindly give me the reward you promised?” said the Crane.
The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: “Be content. You have put your head inside a Wolf’s mouth and taken it out again in safety; that ought to be reward enough for you.”
Gratitude and greed go not together.狼和鹤狼和牧羊人 The Wolf and Shepherd导读狼假装和羊群和睦相处，时间久了，牧羊人就对它很放心，便把羊群托付给狼而进城办事。结果狼吃了很多羊，牧羊人回来后哀叹自己愚蠢。
A Wolf followed a flock of sheep for a long time and did not attempt to injure one of them. The Shepherd at first stood on his guard against him, as against an enemy, and kept a strict watch over his movements.
But when the Wolf, day after day, kept in the company of the sheep and did not make the slightest effort to seize them, the Shepherd began to look upon him as a guardian of his flock rather than as a plotter of evil against it; and when occasion called him one day into the city,he left the sheep entirely in his charge. The Wolf, now that he had the opportunity, fell upon the sheep, and destroyed the greater part of the flock.When the Shepherd returned to find his flock destroyed, he exclaimed: “I have been rightly served; why did I trust my sheep to a Wolf?”狼和牧羊人感恩的狮子 The Grateful Lion导读一个骑士在打猎中救了一只狮子。后来他冒犯了国王，被抓住了。国王想拿他来喂狮子，但狮子认出了它的救命恩人，没有吃他。国王听说了这件事，很感动，就赐予了他 自由。
There was a knight who devoted much of his time to hunting. It happened one day, as he was pursuing this diversion, that he was met by a lame lion who showed him his foot. The knight dismounted, and drew from it a sharp thorn; and then applied an unguent to the wound, which speedily healed it. A while after this, the king of the country hunted in the same wood, and caught the lion, and held him captive for many years.
Now, the knight having offended the king,fled from his anger to the very forest in which he had been accustomed to hunt.There he betook himself to plunder, and spoiled and slew a multitude of travellers. But the king’s sufferance was exhausted; he sent out an army, captured, and condemned him to be delivered to a fasting lion.
The knight was accordingly thrown into a pit,and remained in terrified expectation of the hour when he should be devoured.But the lion, considering him attentively, and remembering his former friend,fawned upon him; and remained seven days with him destitute of food. When this reached the ears of the king, he was struck with wonder, and directed the knight to be taken from the pit.
“Friend,” said he, “by what means have you been able to render the lion harmless?”
“As I once rode along the forest, my lord,that lion met me lame. I extracted from his foot a large thorn, and afterwards healed the wound, and therefore he has spared me.”
“Well,” returned the king, “since the lion has spared you, I will for this time ratify your pardon. Study to amend your life.”
The knight gave thanks to the king, and ever afterwards conducted himself with all propriety. He lived to a good old age,and ended his days in peace.鸽子和蚂蚁 The Dove and the Ant导读蚂蚁掉进水中差点淹死，鸽子发现就救了它。过了一会，蚂蚁看到一个流氓想捉鸽子，便咬他的脚，惊动了鸽子，鸽子便飞走了。
A dove came to a brook to drink, and an ant fell in, and vainly tried, in this, to her, an ocean tide, to reach the land;whereat the dove, with every living thing in love, was prompt a spire of grass to throw her, by which the ant regained the shore.
A barefoot scamp, both mean and sly, soon after chanced this dove to spy; and, being armed with bow and arrow, the hungry codger doubted not the bird of Venus, in his pot, would make a soup before the morrow. Just as his deadly bow he drew, our ant just bit his heel. Roused by the villain’s squeal, the dove took timely hint, and flew far from the rascal’s coop—and with her flew his soup.口渴的鸽子 The Thirsty Pigeon导读一只鸽子很口渴，看到一张清水的画像，就朝画像飞去，结果撞在画上晕倒，被人抓走了。
A Pigeon, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard. Not supposing it to be only a picture, she flew towards it with a loud whir and unwittingly dashed against the signboard, jarring herself terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow,she fell to the ground, and was caught by one of the bystanders.
Zeal should not outrun discretion.驴和老牧人 The Ass and the Old Shepherd导读牧人和他的驴在草地上，突然敌人攻过来。牧人急忙叫驴和他一起逃走，但驴说不管是牧人还是敌人，都一样会让它背驮篮，所以它不用逃了。
A Shepherd, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all of a sudden by the cries of the enemy. He appealed to the Ass to fly with him, lest they should both be captured, but the animal lazily replied, “Why should I, pray? Do you think it likely the conqueror will place on me two sets of panniers?” “No,” rejoined the Shepherd. “Then,” said the Ass, “as long as I carry the panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?”
In a change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name of their master.砂罐和铁罐 The Earthen Pot and the Iron Pot导读铁罐邀请砂罐去旅行，砂罐知道自己脆弱，就拒绝了。铁罐说他能保护好砂罐，于是二者开始了旅行。结果在路上走时，铁罐就把砂罐撞碎了。
An iron pot proposed to an earthen pot a journey. The latter was opposed, expressing the concern he had felt about the danger of going out a ranger. He thought the kitchen hearth the safest place on earth for one so very brittle. “For you, who are a kettle, and have a tougher skin, there’s nothing to keep you in.” “I’ll be your bodyguard,” replied the iron pot, “if anything that’s hard should threaten you a jot, between you I will go, and save you from the blow.” This offers him persuaded. The iron pot paraded himself as guard and guide close at his cousin’s side. Now, in their tripod way, they hobble as they may; and eke together bolt at every little jolt—which gives the crockery pain; but presently his comrade hits so hard, he dashes him to bits, before he can complain.砂罐和铁罐钻石和萤火虫 The Diamond and the Glow-worm导读一天晚上，戒指上的钻石掉落了，在黑暗中不再闪闪发光。萤火虫就嘲笑钻石暗淡无光。钻石对此嗤之以鼻，因为它知道，明天太阳升起时它就会再次闪闪发光。
A diamond happened to fall from the ring of a young lady as she was walking one evening on a terrace in the garden. A glow-worm, who had beheld it sparkle in its descent, as soon as the gloom of night had eclipsed its lustre, began to mock and to insult it. “Art thou that wondrous thing, that vauntest of thy prodigious brightness? Where now is all thy boasted brilliancy? Alas! In evil hour has fortune thrown thee within the reach of my superior blaze.”
“Conceited insect!”replied the gem, “that owes your feeble glimmer to the darkness that surrounds thee. Know, my lustre bears the test of day, and even derives its chief advantage from that distinguishing light, which discovers thee to be no more than dark and paltry worm!”螃蟹母子 The Crab and Its Mother导读母螃蟹看到儿子横着走路，就纠正他应该直着走。可她发现自己也不能直着走，于是就不再说她儿子了。
A Crab said to her son, “Why do you walk so one-sided, my child? It is far more becoming to go straight forward.” The young Crab replied: “Quite true, dear Mother; and if you will show me the straight way, I will promise to walk in it.” The Mother tried in vain,and submitted without remonstrance to the reproof of her child.
Example is more powerful than precept.螃蟹母子天使的故事 A Story of the Angel导读两个天使外出旅行，晚上借宿在一户富人家里。富人没让他们睡客房，而是让他们在地下室睡。老天使把地下室的一个墙洞补好了。第二天，两个天使借宿在一户贫苦农家里。农夫夫妇俩对他们非常好。第二天早上，年轻的天使发现夫妇俩在哭，原来农夫的奶牛死了。年轻的天使气愤老天使的不公。老天使解释说，他补墙洞是为了让富人找不到掩藏的金块，他看到死神来召唤农夫的妻子，就让奶牛替她去死了。
Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s, guestroom, instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, “things aren’t always what they seem.”
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears, their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field, the younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused, the second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.
“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied. “when we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall, since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it.”
“Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead, things aren’t always what they seem.”
Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don’t turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage.You might not know it until some time later...贼和他的母亲 The Thief and His Mother导读一个男孩偷了小东西，得到母亲的赞扬。男孩长大后就偷更值钱的东西，后来被人抓住，要带去刑场处死。贼恨母亲没有从小教养他，一口咬掉了母亲的耳朵。
A boy stole a lesson-book from one of his schoolfellows and took it home to his mother. She not only abstained from beating him, but encouraged him.
He next time stole a cloak and brought it to her, and she again commended him.
The Youth, advanced to adulthood, proceeded to steal things of still greater value. At last he was caught in the very act,and having his hands bound behind him, was led away to the place of public execution.
His mother followed in the crowd and violently beat her breast in sorrow, whereupon the young man said, “I wish to say something to my mother in her ear.”
She came close to him, and he quickly seized her ear with his teeth and bit it off. The mother upbraided him as an unnatural child, whereon he replied, “Ah! if you had beaten me when I first stole and brought to you that lesson-book, I should not have come to this, nor have been thus led to a disgraceful death.”通向伟大的皇家大道 The Royal Road to Greatness导读三兄弟来拜见国王，希望国王赋予他们“伟大”。国王答应帮他们找到通往“伟大”的途径。国王告诉他们必须走的一条路并让六个仆人协助他们，于是三人就出发了。他们来到了一座大山脚下。大兄弟让仆人搬石头，建台阶，这样他就能爬上去，但最后没有成功。二兄弟把仆人都打发走，一个人探索去了。第三个兄弟则和仆人齐心协力，一起爬了上去。国王说三兄弟的内心就是真正的“伟大”。
A king once lived in a palace, which stood where all roads of the world met. He was indeed the most-powerful man on the planet. But he was also a kind and wise king. He would not turn anyone away and he built a house where travelers could rest and food provided.
One day, three strangers appeared before the palace door. They had traveled a long way to meet him. After they had rested and had their stomachs filled, they were ushered into the king’s room.
One of the spokesman among them said, “Your Majesty, we are three brothers and we have traveled a long way as we heard much about your power. If you could grant us ‘greatest’ our search would be over. Then we would understand what ‘greatest’ means.”
The king replied, “Yes,I am great but I cannot bestow’ greatness’ upon any man. The most I am permitted is to point the pathway along which ‘greatest’ may be found.”
The three brothers were told a path each had to take. Six servants were to help them to achieve their “greatness.” A messenger who would also accompany him would observe what each man did and then report to the king.
Four days they traveled along the roads,looking eagerly for “greatness.” At last the brothers came to a huge mountain that rose like a great rock almost touching the big blue sky above. They were dismayed when they saw this mountain but after they scanned the heights they realized it was the thing they had sought.
“Alright, this must be the path we must take to ‘greatest’,” they cried out eagerly.
The first brother called out to the six servants and said, “Carry as many stones as you can and make steps that I may ascend.’’ When every stone was put in place, they came short of the mountaintop. He was angry and commanded that with their bodies; the six servants should complete the steps. Then over their bodies and over their shoulders, the man climbed but he still could not reach the mountaintop. He was only an arm’s length to his “greatness” prize.
The messenger returned and reported to the king what he saw. “A most strange figure to behold. He could not reach the top nor climb down. As I am now speaking, Your Majesty, the man would perhaps still be standing like a rock with his arm upstretched.”
The second brother called out to the servants and the messenger. “I have found a pathway where there is only one room for me. You all return to the king lest you impede my progress,” as he dismissed them away.
When the king heard what had happened, he was sad, and sent other servants to seek the man should he needed help. They found his footprints on the winding path but the man was nowhere to be found, and he never reached the top.
The third brother said to the servants, “You all remain below, I will make use of my hand and foot and slowly climb to the top.” When he had gone a little way up, he looked down and saw the servants watching admiringly at what he was doing. He shouted as loud as he could and asked, “would you all like to join me?” And from the echo of the wind, he heard, “Yes, we would love to come up with you.” The man descended and with bended shoulders helped each one of them up the rock. “Together we will succeed!” he exclaimed.
The messenger told the king what this man had done. “Bid him return, for this man truly has ‘greatest’ within him.”树和斧子 The Trees and Axe导读一个人请求树们给他一个斧柄，树们把一棵小桉树给了他。有了小桉树，人就装上斧头，砍倒了许多名贵的大树。
A Man came into a forest and asked the Trees to provide him a handle for his axe. The Trees consented to his request and gave him a young ash-tree. No sooner had the man fitted a new handle to his axe from it, than he began to use it and quickly felled with his strokes the noblest giants of the forest.
An old oak, lamenting when too late the destruction of his companions, said to a neighboring cedar, “The first step has lost us all. If we had not given up the rights of the ash, we might yet have retained our own privileges and have stood for ages.”三个工匠 The Three Tradesmen导读一座大城市受到围攻，居民被召集讨论破敌方法。泥瓦匠建议用砖做防御材料，木匠则力推木头，鞣皮匠就说鞣过的兽皮做材料最好。
A Great City was besieged, and its inhabitants were called together to consider the best means of protecting it from the enemy. A Bricklayer earnestly recommended bricks as affording the best material for an effective resistance. A Carpenter, with equal enthusiasm,proposed timber as a preferable method of defense. Upon which a Currier stood up and said, “Sirs, I differ from you altogether: there is no material for resistance equal to a covering of hides; and nothing so good as leather.”
Every man for himself.轻率的猴子 The Harebrained Monkey导读边远的地区有不法之徒造反，国王带着全国的军队，前往边疆镇压。行军途中，国王看到一只猴子抓了一把豌豆吃，掉了一颗，它为了捡掉到地上的豌豆，结果使一把的豌豆都掉了。军师借此向国王说，他们目前的处境和那只猴子差不多。国王恍然大悟，立刻班师回朝，避免后防空虚，造成更大的损失。
The king of Benares received news one day that a group outlaws were committing outrages on a distant border of kingdom.The news angered the King. He quickly gathered his army and started off for the distant border, leaving his kingdom unguarded and without a ruler.
On their long march, the king and his army made camp for the night wherever they could. One rainy day they stopped in a forest, seeking shelter under the trees. They unsaddled their horses and steamed some peas, which they fed to their steeds in long narrow troughs.
A Monkey in a tree nearby saw the horses being fed, and he came racing down, filled both paws with peas, then scampered nimbly up to a branch and settled down to eat. But as he opened one paw, a single pea fell to the ground. Without hesitation, the Monkey jumped down from his perch to hunt for the lost pea, and in doing so he dropped all the other peas in his paws.
The king observed this foolish Monkey and was greatly amused. He turned to his counselor and asked: “Friend,what do you think of this Monkey who would give up so much to retrieve so little?”
“That is the way of the foolish,” replied the counselor (who was the Bodisat), “they will give up much that is certain for a little that is uncertain.”
Then he added, “And we, great monarch,are we not like the monkey in the tree? To gain so little we neglect so much—exactly like the monkey with its pea.”
The king understood the rebuke and realized how very foolish he had been himself to leave his kingdom unguarded. He issued orders to his men, and he and his army returned at once to Benares.鹰和蜘蛛 Eagle and Spider导读鹰飞到高加索山的顶峰，感谢上帝赐予他的力量。一只蜘蛛突然出现在鹰旁边的树上，蜘蛛让鹰不要吹嘘，因为它站的地方比鹰还高。但事实上，蜘蛛是爬在鹰的翅膀上，被鹰带上山顶的，没有什么实力。这时来了一阵风，蜘蛛就被吹到山谷里去了。
An eagle to the clearer air of topmost Caucasus did rise, perched on a time-worn cedar there, and feasted on the view that stretched beneath his eyes! From thence he seemed to see the edge of all the world, out yonder through the steppes the winding rivers curled, and nearer, wood and pasture wide, dressed out in all the charms of spring, and further still, the angry Caspian’s tide. Black on the skyline lay, like some great raven’s wing.
“All hail, O Zeus, to you, that ruling earth and heaven, of your all-wisdom, you to me such strength had given, that I have seen no height my wings could not essay,” to Zeus the grateful eagle said, “And all the beauties of the world survey, from where no eagle’s wing was spread.”
“Good heavens! Was such a braggart ever known?” Thus answered from a twig a spider overhead, “Why, comrade! Here I sit, no lower, you must own.”
The eagle looks that way. Up there, the spider, his silken net spreads ever wide and wider, and hops and skips about,and spins as if to block the eagle’s sunlight out.
“But you, how came you here so high?” The eagle asked, “Even they who climb on fearless wings the closest to the sky, not all will dare to come this way. You’re weak, and you have no wings. You surely did not crawl?”
“Oh, that I would not dare to do!”
“Then tell me how you came at all!”
“You see, I fastened on to you! You brought me hero yourself! I sat upon your tail. But now, without your help, you see that I can stay. So when you speak to me, be much more modest, pray! Be sure that I—”
But here, a swift and sudden gale, blew off our boastful friend far yonder down the vale.蚕和蜘蛛 The Silk worm and Spider导读蚕接了狮子公主的订单，开始在织机上工作。一只蜘蛛过来借了蚕的一间纺织室，不一会儿就在室内织好一张大网。蜘蛛嘲笑蚕的工作进度太慢，蚕回应说蜘蛛的作品一文不值，而它精制的作品将被皇室收藏。
Having received an order for twenty yards of silk from Princess Lioness, the Silkworm sat down at her loom and worked away with zeal. A Spider soon came around and asked to hire a web-room near by. The Silkworm acceded, and the Spider commenced her task and worked so rapidly that in a short time the web was finished.
“Just look at it,”she said, “and see how grand and delicate it is. You cannot but acknowledge that I’ m a much better worker than you. See how quickly I perform my labors.” “Yes,” answered the Silkworm, “but hush up, for you bother me. Your labors are designed only as base traps, and are destroyed whenever they are seen, and brushed away as useless dirt; while mine are stored away, as ornaments of Royalty.”
True art is thoughtful, delights and endures.仁慈的狐狸 The Kind Fox导读一只知更鸟无意中被射死了，留下了三个可怜的小知更鸟。狐狸蹲在鸟巢的下面，向其他的鸟求助，请求鸟儿们照顾小知更鸟。后来，小知更鸟们饿晕了，掉下树来，狐狸就忘记了它的仁慈心，把小知更鸟吃了。
One day, a careless shot brought down a robin.
If all the harm had stopped at that! But it did not; Alas! The fatal blow set three small hearts a-throbbing; Her three poor helpless chicks were widowed by that shot. These chicks have just been hatched; small wit, small strength they’ve got. They miss their supper-giver; With cold they shiver, They call their mother back with plaintive little squeaks.
“Who would not be distressed these piteous babies to see? Whose heart will not grow warm with sympathy?” So to the birds Dame Foxy speaks, haft squatting on a atone just underneath their nest:
“Kind friends, you won’t desert these children in their need. Let each for then pool chicks to bring some offering strive! Let each into their nest his wisp of straw contrive! By this you’ll keep these babes alive, What’s better then a kindly deed?仁慈的狐狸
“Come, cuckoo, use your wits! You’re moulting, it is plain, Now isn’t it more use to pluck yourself instead, and with your feathers make a downy little bed?You’ll lose them anyhow, to no one’s gain.
“You, lark—enough of taking headers, and doing circles in the air! You should be seeking food about the fields and meadows, to give these orphaned babes a share.
“You, woodpigeon—your chicks by now their wings have spread, I’m sure they’re old enough to earn their daily bread; why can’t you quit your nest on yonder tree? To these poor chicks a mother you could be; of your small pigeons over there Let God take care!
“You, swallow, catch some flies to eat! Poor orphaned mites, they need a treat!
“And you, my nice,kind nightingale, you know how all delight when you are nigh; while zephyrs gently sway their little nest so frail, Do send them off to sleep with your sweet lullaby!
“Such care and tenderness, I feel assured,might make them even forget the loss they have endured. Do what I ask! Let’s show what kindly hearts there are even in the wilds. Let’s show...”
She’d hardly got so far, when all those tiny robins three could hold no more, for hunger, to the tree, came tumbling down at Fox’s side. And Fox—she dropped her sentiments so fine, and sat straight down to dine.
My friends, you’re mortified? A man who’s really kind, no time in speeches lost, in silence does his kindly deeds. Who pours his sentiments in any ear that heeds, is only kind at others’ cost, and quick enough to see, no wish of his is crossed; and ask such men for deeds—I’ve seen the same with dozens—My Fox and they are cousins.价值 Values导读一个人在田地里挖出一尊大理石雕像，就拿到收藏家那里换了一大笔钱。这个人拿着钱非常高兴，而收藏家为得到如此珍品，也欣喜若狂。
Once a man unearthed in his field a marble statue of great beauty. And he took it to a collector who loved all beautiful things and offered it to him for sale, and the collector bought it for a large price. And they parted.
And as the man walked home with his money he thought, and he said to himself, “How much life this money means! How can anyone give all this for a dead carved stone buried and undreamed of in the earth for a thousand years?”
And now the collector was looking at his statue, and he was thinking, and he said to himself, “What beauty! What life! The dream of what a soul! —And fresh with the sweet sleep of a thousand years. How can anyone give all this for money, dead and dreamless?”驴和盐 The Donkey and the Salt导读一个盐商让他的驴驮着盐回家。路上驴不小心跌倒在河里，它发现身上的负担一下减轻了很多。盐商只好返回去买盐，结果回来时驴又在同样的地方跌倒。盐商识破了驴的花招，于是他再返回去买了许多海绵，回来时驴又在河里跌倒，但这次它的负担更重了。
There was once a merchant who kept a Donkey.They traveled all over the countryside, buying and selling different kinds of things. Sometimes the merchant would sell cloth and beads. At other times he would sell fruit and fresh green vegetables. In fact he would sell anything if he could make a bit of money out of it.
One day he heard that Salt was being sold cheaply at the seaside.
“I can get a fine price for that in the villages in the mountains,” he thought and he set off with his Donkey to buy some.
The Salt was certainly very cheap so that the merchant bought a good supply and loaded it on the Donkey’s back. All went well until they came to a narrow rocky pass in the mountains with a deep stream flowing through it. The merchant was leading the Donkey carefully along a slippery ledge when suddenly the Donkey lost his footing and slipped heavily into the stream.
试读结束[说明：试读内容隐藏了图片]