儿童寓言故事节选1-英语

The Young Crab and His Mother
“Why in the world do you walk sideways（向侧面地、横着）like that?” said a Mother Crab to her son. “You should always walk straight forward with your toes turned out.”
“Show me how to walk, mother dear,” answered the little Crab obediently(服从地), “I want to learn.”
So the old Crab tried and tried to walk straight forward. But she could walk sideways only, like her son. And when she wanted to turn her toes out, she tripped and fell on her nose.
Don’t tell others how to act unless you can set a good example.
除非你自己为他人树立一个好榜样，否则不要对别人的行为指指点点。

The Frogs and the Ox
An Ox came down to a reedy(芦苇丛生的) pool to drink. As he splashed(溅、涉) heavily into the water, he crushed a young Frog into the mud. The old Frog soon missed the little one and asked his brothers and sisters what had become of(降临、遭遇) him.
“A great big monster,”said one of them, “stepped on little brother with one of his huge feet!”
“Big, was he! ” said the old frog, puffing herself up(使肿胀). “Was he as big as this?”“Oh, much bigger.” They cried.
The frog puffed up still more. “He could not have been bigger than this,” said she. But the little frogs all declared that the monster was much, much bigger and the old frog kept puffing herself out more and more until, all at once, she burst(爆裂).
Don’t attempt the impossible. 不要尝试不可能做到的事情。

The Bundle(捆) of Sticks
A Certain Father had a family of Sons, who were forever quarreling among themselves. No words he could say did the least good, so he cast about(搜索) in his mind for some very striking example that should make them see that discord(意见不合) would lead them to misfortune.
One day when the quarreling had been much more violent than usual and each of the Sons was moping(郁闷) in a surly(粗暴的) manner, he asked one of them to bring him a bundle of sticks. Then handing the bundle to each of his sons in turn, he told them to try to break it. But although each one tried his best, none was able to do so.
The father then untied the bundle and gave the sticks to his sons to break one by one. This they did very easily.
“My sons,” said the father, “do you not see how certain it is that if you agree with each other and help each other, it will be impossible for your enemies to injure you? But if you are divided among yourselves, you will be no stronger than a single stick in that bundle.”
In unity is strength. 团结就是力量。

兄弟同心，其利断金。

The Wolf and the Crane
A wolf had been feasting(宴请) too greedily(贪心地), and a bone had stuck(卡住) crosswise(交叉地) in his throat. He could get in neither up nor down, and of course he could not eat a thing. Naturally that was an awful(可怕的) state of affairs for a greedy wolf.
So away he hurried to the crane(鹤). He was sure that she, with her long neck and bill(尖嘴、鸟嘴), would easily be able to reach the bone and pull it out.
“I will reward you very handsomely,” said the wolf, “if you pull that boen out for me.”
The crane, as you can imagien, was very uneasy about putting her head in a wolf’s throat. But she was grasping(贪婪的) in nature, so she did what the wolf asked her to do.
When the wolf felt that the bone was gone, he started to walk away.
“But what about my reward!” called the crane anxiously(焦急地). “What!” snarled(咆哮) the wolf, whirling around(旋转). “Haven’t you got it? Isn’t it enough that I let you take your head out of my mouth without snapping it off (咬断)?”
Expect no reward for serving the wicked. 别妄想坏蛋会因为你的帮助而向你付出回报。

The Gnat(叮人小虫) and the Bull
A gnat flew over the meadow with much buzzing for so small a creature and settled on the tip of one of the horns of a Bull. After he had rested a short time, he made ready to fly away. But before he left he begged the bull’s pardon for having used his horn for a resting place.
“You must be very glad to have me go now,” he said.
“It’s all the same to me,” replied the bull. “I did not even know you were there.”
We are ofter of greater importance in our own eyes than in the eyes of our neighbor.
我们总是把自己看得很重要，而别人却并不总是这么看。

The Plane Tree 法国梧桐
Two Travelers, walking in the noonday中午sun, sought the shade of a wide spreading tree to rest. As they lay looking up among the pleasant leaves, they saw that is was a Plane Tree.
“How useless is the Plane!”said one of them. “It bears no fruit whatever, and only serves to litter（使凌乱、乱丢垃圾）the ground with leaves.”
“Ungrateful creatures!” said a voice from the plane tree. “You lie here in my cooling shade, and yet you say I am useless! Thus ungrateflly, O Jupiter(万能的神), do men receive their blessings!”
Our best blessings are often the least appreciated. 给予他人的最好祝福常常最不受重视。

The Farmer and the Stork鹳
A stork of a very simple and trusting nature had been asked by a gay快乐的party of Cranes to visit a field that had been newly planted. But the party ended dismally灾难地with all the birds entangled缠入in the meshes of the farmer’s net.
The stork begged the farmer to spare饶恕、赦免him.
“Please let me go,”he pleaded. “I belong to the stork family who you know are honest and birds of good character. Besides, I didn’t know the cranes were going to steal.”
“You may be a very good bird,” answered the farmer, “but I caught you with the thieving cranes and you will have to share the same punishment with them. ”
You are judged by the company you keep. 你交什么样的朋友，别人便会怎么看待你。

The Lion and the Ass驴
One day as the lion walked proudly down a forest aisle过道, and the animals respectfully made way for him, an ass brayed嘶叫a scornful轻蔑的remark as he passed.
The lion felt a flash of anger. But when he turned his head and saw who had spoken, he walked quietly on. He would not honor the fool with even so much as a stroke击of his claws.
Don’t resent愤怒the remarks of a fool. Ignore them.
不要因为愚蠢之人的评价而感到愤怒，最好的方式是对他们不理不睬。

经典语句：
Self help is the best help. Heaven helps those who help themselves. 天助自助者。

Don’t attempt too much at once. 不要贪心，一口气是吃不成大胖子的。

Do not let anything turn you from your purpose. 不要让任何事情转移自己的目标。

Foolish curiosity and vanity ofter lead to misfortune. 愚蠢的好奇心和虚荣心常常会带来灾难。

Those who try to decerive may expect to be paid in their own coin.
企图欺骗别人的人，可能会自食其果要。

It is one thing to say that something sould be done, but quite a different matter to do it.
说做某件事是一回事，而去做这件事是另外一回事。

(老鼠给猫挂铃铛)
Don’t let your vanity(自大) make you over-estimate your powers.
别被你的自负蒙蔽，过高地估计自己的力量。

It’s easy to be brave when there is no danger. 知道没有危险时，要假装勇敢很容易。

Poverty with security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty.
宁可贫穷地过关安稳的生活，也胜过恐慌不安、提心吊胆地过富足的日子。

There are many who pretend to despise（轻视）and belittle(贬低) that which is beyond their reach.
对于自己得不到的东西，很多人会假装对它们不屑一顾。

They complain most who suffer least. 承担责任越少的，发出的抱怨越多。

A kindness is never wasted. 善意的举动日后定会得到善报。

We cannot expect any one to share our misfortunes unless we are willing to share our good fortune also. 如果我们不愿意和他人有福同享的话，那么也别企盼他们会分担我们的不幸。

Flattery is not a proof of true admiration.甜言蜜语并不等于真心赞美。

Don’t let flattery throw you off your guard against an enemy.
别让甜言蜜语使你丧失对敌人的警惕。

Flattery will get you nowhere. 阿谀奉承不会使你如愿以偿。

Don’t let your fancy make you forget realities. 不要让幻想蒙蔽、忘记现实。

Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail.
温柔和亲切的说服胜过武力和胁迫。

Might makes right. 力量决定胜利。

Don’t give up friends for foes. 别离弃朋友而便宜了敌人。

The wicked deserve no aid. 坏人是不值得帮助的。

A small gain is worth more than a large promise. 微小的收获胜于夸大的承诺。

Pride goes before a fall. 骄傲会带来失败。

Learn from the misfortunes of others. 要学会从他人的不幸中吸取经验。

Mother love is blind. 母爱是盲目的。

Friends in fine weather only, are not worth much.
只能同甘不能共苦的朋友是不值得交往的。

Two sureties are better than one. 两道保险比只有一道好。

The man who talks for both sides is not to be trusted by either.
反复无常、两边都讨好的人是不值得信任的。

A kindness is never wasted.
In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.
舍本逐末会失去最根本的东西。