英语故事

The Tortoise and the Hare
乌龟与兔子
The Hare was once boasting of his speed before other animals. "I have never been beaten," said he, "when I put forth my full speed. I challenge any one here to race with me."
The Tortoise said quietly, "I accept your challenge."
"That is a good joke," said the Hare; "I could dance round you all the way."
"Keep your boasting till you've won," answered the Tortoise. "Shall we race?"
So a course was fixed and a start was made. The Hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the Tortoise, lay down to have a nap. The Tortoise plodded on and plodded on, and when the Hare awoke from his nap, he saw the Tortoise just near the winning-post and could not run up in time to save the race.
Then the Tortoise said: "Slow but steady progress wins the race."
从前有一只兔子，他在其它动物面前吹嘘自己跑得是如何如何的快。

“当我全速奔跑的时候，我从来没有被打败过，”他说，“谁敢跟我比一比？”“我来跟你跑一场”，一只乌龟沉着地说。

“快笑死我了，”兔子说，“我一边跑一边围着你跳舞都能赢你”。

“你跑赢了再吹牛吧”，乌龟说，“我们可以开始比赛了吗？”
于是，他们确定了一条比赛路线和起点。

比赛开始，兔子是嗖的一声就跑得没影了，但他很快就停了下来。

为了让乌龟知道他并没把乌龟放在眼里，兔子决定睡上一觉再接着跑。

这时，乌龟正一点一点艰难地向前爬着。

当兔子一觉醒来，发现乌龟离终点已经很近了，要追已经赶不上了。

这时，乌龟说：“踏踏实实、一步步前进，你就会赢得比赛”。

狐狸和乌鸦
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，一只狐狸看到一只乌鸦嘴里叼着一块乳酪飞落在一个树枝上。

“那乳酪是给我的,因为我是一只狐狸,”狐狸说着,走到树脚下.
“你好,乌鸦夫人”, 狐狸喊道,”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, 我觉得你的声音肯定也是所有鸟之中最好听的, 你的样子是那样的出众, 让我听听您的歌声吧,那怕只唱一首, 我以后都会称你为鸟中的皇后”。

乌鸦骄傲地仰起了头，准备放声歌唱，但当它一张开嘴，那块乳酪就掉到了地上，马上就被狐狸叼走了。

“这样正好”，狐狸说，“这就是我想要的。

看在你送给我乳酪的份上，我会送给你一条建议：‘不要相信拍马屁的人”。

狼来了
A shepherd-boy, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the villagers three or four times by crying out, "Wolf! Wolf!" and when his neighbors came to help him, laughed at them for their pains.
The Wolf, however, did truly come at last. The Shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in an agony of terror: "Pray, do come and help me; the Wolf is killing the sheep"; but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any assistance. The Wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure lacerated or destroyed the whole flock.
There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth.
一个牧童，在一个村子的边上放羊，他三番四次地喊“狼来了”，村民听到后都跑出来帮他，但其实狼并没有来，牧童只是拿他们来开玩笑。

不过，狼，最后真的来了。

这时，牧童真的着急了，他非常害怕地叫喊：“求求你们了，过来帮帮我吧，狼正在吃羊了”，但没有人理他，更没有人来帮他。

结果，那只狼肆无忌惮对羊群大开杀戒，羊群一下子就全毁了。

这故事告诉我们：撒谎的人是没人相信的，即使当他说实话的时候。

The Ant and the Grasshopper
蚂蚁和蚱蜢
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.
When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need.
夏日的一天，一只蚱蜢正在一块庄稼地上蹦来跳去，无忧无虑地唱着歌。

这时，一只蚂蚁从它身边爬过。

蚂蚁正十分费劲地拖着一个玉米棒子，它是要把玉米棒子拖回到蚂蚁巢里面去。

“过来跟我聊聊天吧，”蚱蚂说，“用不着那么辛苦地工作吧？”
“我正帮忙收集过冬用的粮食，”蚂蚁说，“我建议你也去收集点粮食。

”
“为了过冬用不着这么费劲吧？”蚱蚂说，“我们现在有大把的粮食”。

蚂蚁没有听它的，而是继续辛苦地拖着粮食往回赶。

冬天来了，蚱蚂没有粮食，都快要饿死了。

这时，蚱蚂看到蚂蚁们正分发他们在夏天时收集并储存起来的玉米和谷物。

蚱蚂明白了：什么事都要提早做好准备，将来才有好的结果。

The Golden Bird 03
黄金鸟03
Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back, and no tidings were heard of him, the second son set out, and the same thing happened to him. He met the fox, who gave him the good advice: but when he came to the two inns, his eldest brother was standing at the window where the merrymaking was, and called to him to come in; and he could not withstand the temptation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and his country in the same manner.
Time passed on again, and the youngest son too wished to set out into the wide world to seek for the golden bird; but his father would not listen to it for a long while, for he was very fond of his son, and was afraid that some ill luck might happen to him also, and prevent his coming back. However, at last it was agreed he should go, for he would not rest at home; and as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the fox, and did not attempt his life as his brothers had done; so the fox said, 'Sit upon my tail, and you will travel faster.' So he sat down, and the fox began to run, and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled in the wind.
日子一天天过去了，大儿子没有回来，音讯全无。

同样的事情发生在他身上。

他遇到了那只狐狸，狐狸给了他很好的建议，但当他到达那两个旅馆时，他看到他的哥哥站在一家旅馆里的窗户边上，些时旅馆里面的人们正狂欢作乐。

他哥哥向弟弟打招呼，让他进去，他没能抵抗住诱惑，走了进去，然后，也把黄金鸟和自己的祖国忘记了。

又过了一些日子，园丁的小儿子坐不住了，希望到外面的世界寻找那只黄金鸟，但他的父亲有好一阵子都不同意，因为他非常喜爱他的儿子，害怕他也会象他两个哥哥一样一去不回。

不过，园丁的小儿子天天跟园丁闹着要去找黄金鸟，园丁最后没法，只能让他去了。

当园丁的小儿子来到树林时，他遇到了狐狸，听到狐狸给他好建议。

不过，他并没有象他的两个哥哥一样，想杀死狐狸，而是对狐狸表示了由衷的感谢。

因此，狐狸说，“坐到我的尾巴上吧，这样你就可以走得快一些。

”于是，园丁的小儿子坐到了狐狸的尾巴上。

狐狸飞快地跑了起来，树赶和石头从身边呼啸而过。

格林童话:the GOLDEN BIRD
来源：考试吧2009-1-3 9:25:26【考试吧：中国教育培训第一门户】英语学习
百度推广the GOLDEN BIRD
A certain king had a beautiful garden，and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted，and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. Th e king became very angry at this，and ordered the gardener to keep watch all ni ght under the tree. The gardener set his eldest son to watch; but about twelve o'cl ock he fell asleep，and in the morning another of the apples was missing. Then t he second son was ordered to watch; and at midnight he too fell asleep，and in t he morning another apple was gone. Then the third son offered to keep watch; but the gardener at first would not let him，for fear some harm should come to him：however，at last he consented，and the young man laid himself under the tree t o watch. As the clock struck twelve he heard a rustling noise in the air，and a bi rd came flying that was of pure gold; and as it was snapping at one of the apples with its beak，the gardener's son jumped up and shot an arrow at it. But the arr ow did the bird no harm; only it dropped a golden feather from its tail，and then f lew away. The golden feather was brought to the king in the morning，and all the council was called together. Everyone aGREed that it was worth more than all the wealth of the kingdom：but the king said，'One feather is of no use to me，I m ust have the whole bird.'
then the gardener's eldest son set out and thought to find the golden bird very easily; and when he had gone but a little way，he came to a wood，and by th
e side o
f the wood he saw a fox sitting; so he took his bow and made ready to s hoot at it. Then the fox said，'Do not shoot me，for I will give you good counsel;
I know what your business is，and that you want to find the golden bird. You wil l reach a village in the evening; and when you get there，you will see two inns o pposite to each other，one of which is very pleasant and beautiful to look at：go not in there，but rest for the night in the other，though it may appear to you to be very poor and mean.' But the son thought to himself，'What can such a beast as this know about the matter?' So he shot his arrow at the fox; but he missed it，and it set up its tail above its back and ran into the wood. Then he went his wa y，and in the evening came to the village where the two inns were; and in one of these were people singing，and dancing，and feasting; but the other looked ver y dirty，and poor. 'I should be very silly，' said he，'if I went to that shabby hou se，and left this charming place'; so he went into the smart house，and ate and drank at his ease，and forgot the bird，and his country too.
Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back，and no tidings w ere heard of him，the second son set out，and the same thing happened to him. He met the fox，who gave him the good advice：but when he came to the two inns，his eldest brother was standing at the window where the merrymaking was，and called to him to come in; and he could not withstand the temptation，but we nt in，and forgot the golden bird and his country in the same manner.
Time passed on again，and the youngest son too wished to set out into the wide world to seek for the golden bird; but his father would not listen to it for a lo ng while，for he was very fond of his son，and was afraid that some ill luck mig ht happen to him also，and prevent his coming back. However，at last it was aG
REed he should go，for he would not rest at home; and as he came to the wood，he met the fox，and heard the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the f ox，and did not attempt his life as his brothers had done; so the fox said，'Sit u pon my tail，and you will travel faster.' So he sat down，and the fox began to r un，and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled in the wind.
When they came to the village，the son followed the fox's counsel，and without look ing about him went to the shabby inn and rested there all night at his ease. In the morni ng came the fox again and met him as he was beginning his journey，and said，'Go st raight forward，till you come to a castle，before which lie a whole troop of soldiers fa
st asleep and snoring：take no notice of them，but go into the castle and pass on and on till you come to a room，where the golden bird sits in a wooden cage; close by it st ands a beautiful golden cage; but do not try to take the bird out of the shabby cage and put it into the handsome one，otherwise you will repent it.' Then the fox stretched out h is tail again，and the young man sat himself down，and away they went over stock an
d ston
e till their hair whistled in the wind.
Before the castle gate all was as the fox had said：so the son went in and found th
e chamber where the golden bird hung in a wooden cage，and below stood the golden c age，and the three golden apples that had been lost were lying close by it. Then thought he to himself，'It will be a very droll thing to bring away such a fine bird in this shab by cage'; so he opened the door and took hold o
f it and put it into the golden cage. But the bird set up such a loud scream that all the soldiers awoke，and they took him pris oner and carried him before the king. The next mornin
g the court sat to judge him; and when all was heard，it sentenced him to die，unless he should bring the king the golde
n horse which could run as swiftly as the wind; and if he did this，he was to have the golden bird given him for his own.
So he set out once more on his journey，sighing，and in GREat despair，when o n a sudden his friend the fox met him，and said，'You see now what has happened on account of your not listening to my counsel. I will still，however，tell you how to find the golden horse，if you will do as I bid you. You must go straight on till you come t o the castle where the horse stands in his stall：by his side will lie the groom fast aslee p and snoring：take away the horse quietly，but be sure to put the old leathern saddle upon him，and not the golden one that is close by it.' Then the son sat down on the fo x's tail，and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.
All went right，and the groom lay snoring with his hand upon the golden saddle. B ut when the son looked at the horse，he thought it a GREat pity to put the leathern sad dle upon it. 'I will give him the good one，' said he; 'I am sure he deserves it.' As he to ok up the golden saddle the groom awoke and cried out so loud，that all the guards ran in and took him prisoner，and in the morning he was again brought before the court to be judged，and was sentenced to die. But it was agreed，that，if he could bring thithe r the beautiful princess，he should live，and have the bird and the horse given him for his own.
then he went his way very sorrowful; but the old fox came and said，'Why did not you listen to me? If you had，you would have carried away both the bird and the horse; yet will I once more give you counsel. Go straight on，and in the evening you will arr ive at a castle. At twelve o'clock at night the princess goes to the bathing-house：go up to her and give her a kiss，and she will let you lead her away; but take care you do no
t suffer her to go and take leave of her father and mother.' Then the fox stretched out hi s tail，and so away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled again.
As they came to the castle，all was as the fox had said，and at twelve o'clock the you ng man met the princes going to the bath and gave her the kiss，and she aGREed to ru n away with him，but begged with many tears that he would let her take leave of her f ather. At first he refused，but she wept still more and more，and fell at his feet，till at last he consented; but the moment she came to her father's house the guards awoke an d he was taken prisoner again.
then he was brought before the king，and the king said，'You shall never have my daughter unless in eight days you dig away the hill that stops the view from my windo w.' Now this hill was so big that the whole world could not take it away：and when he had worked for seven days，and had done very little，the fox came and said. 'Lie down and go to sleep; I will work for you.' And in the morning he awoke and the hill was g one; so he went merrily to the king，and told him that now that it was removed he mus t give him the princess.
then the king was obliged to keep his word，and away went the young man and the princess; and the fox came and said to him，'We will have all three，the princess，t he horse，and the bird.' 'Ah!' said the young man，'that would be a GREat thing，but how can you contrive it?'
'If you will only listen，' said the fox，'it can be done. When you come to the king，and he asks for the beautiful princess，you must say，"Here she is!" Then he will be very joyful; and you will mount the golden horse that they are to give you，and put out your hand to take leave of them; but shake hands with the princess last. Then lift her qui
ckly on to the horse behind you; clap your spurs to his side，and gallop away as fast as you can.'
All went right：then the fox said，'When you come to the castle where the bird is，I will stay with the princess at the door，and you will ride in and speak to the king; a nd when he sees that it is the right horse，he will bring out the bird; but you must sit still，and say that you want to look at it，to see whether it is the true golden bird; an d when you get it into your hand，ride away.'
This，too，happened as the fox said; they carried off the bird，the princess mount ed again，and they rode on to a GREat wood. Then the fox came，and said，'Pray ki ll me，and cut off my head and my feet.' But the young man refused to do it：so the fox said，'I will at any rate give you good counsel：beware of two things; ransom no one from the gallows，and sit down by the side of no river.' Then away he went. 'Well，' thought the young man，'it is no hard matter to keep that advice.'
He rode on with the princess，till at last he came to the village where he had left his two brothers. And there he heard a GREat noise and uproar; and when he asked what was the matter，the people said，'Two men are going to be hanged.' As he came near er，he saw that the two men were his brothers，who had turned robbers; so he said，' Cannot they in any way be saved?' But the people said 'No，' unless he would bestow all his money upon the rascals and buy their liberty. Then he did not stay to think about th e matter，but paid what was asked，and his brothers were given up，and went on wit h him towards their home.
And as they came to the wood where the fox first met them，it was so cool and pl easant that the two brothers said，'Let us sit down by the side of the river，and rest a
while，to eat and drink.' So he said，'Yes，' and forgot the fox's counsel，and sat do wn on the side of the river; and while he suspected nothing，they came behind，and th rew him down the bank，and took the princess，the horse，and the bird，and went h ome to the king their master，and said. 'All this have we won by our labour.' Then ther e was GREat rejoicing made; but the horse would not eat，the bird would not sing，an d the princess wept.
the youngest son fell to the bottom of the river's bed：luckily it was nearly dry，b ut his bones were almost broken，and the bank was so steep that he could find no way to get out. Then the old fox came once more，and scolded him for not following his ad vice; otherwise no evil would have befallen him：'Yet，' said he，'I cannot leave you h ere，so lay hold of my tail and hold fast.' Then he pulled him out of the river，and sa id to him，as he got upon the bank，'Your brothers have set watch to kill you，if the y find you in the kingdom.' So he dressed himself as a poor man，and came secretly to the king's court，and was scarcely within the doors when the horse began to eat，and t he bird to sing，and princess left off weeping. Then he went to the king，and told him all his brothers' roguery; and they were seized and punished，and he had the princess gi ven to him again; and after the king's death he was heir to his kingdom.
A long while after，he went to walk one day in the wood，and the old fox met h im，and besought him with tears in his eyes to kill him，and cut off his head and feet. And at last he did so，and in a moment the fox was changed into a man，and turned out to be the brother of the princess，who had been lost a GREat many many years.。