英语杂谈：53 Aesops-Fables-Story
The Ant and the Dove
An ant went to the bank of a river to quench 1 its thirst, and being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of drowning. A dove sitting on a tree overhanging the water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The ant climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, and laid his lime-twigs 2 for the dove, which sat in the branches. The ant, perceiving his design, stung him in the foot. In pain the birdcatcher threw down the twigs, and the noise made the dove take wing.
One good turn deserves another.
The Cat and the Mice
A certain house was overrun with mice. A cat, discovering this, made her way into it and began to catch and eat them one by one. Fearing for their lives, the mice kept themselves close in their holes. The cat was no longer able to get at them and perceived that she must tempt 3 them forth 4 by some device. For this purpose she jumped upon a peg 5, and suspending herself from it, pretended to be dead. One of the mice, peeping stealthily out, saw her and said, "Ah, my good madam, even though you should turn into a meal-bag, we will not come near you."
He who is once deceived is doubly cautious.
The Crab 6 and the Fox
A crab, forsaking 7 the seashore, chose a neighboring green meadow as its feeding ground. A fox came across him, and being very hungry ate him up. Just as he was on the point of being eaten, the crab said, "I well deserve my fate, for what business had I on the land, when by my nature and habits I am only adapted for the sea?'
Contentment with our lot is an element of happiness.
- The firemen were unable to quench the fire.消防人员无法扑灭这场大火。
- Having a bottle of soft drink is not enough to quench my thirst.喝一瓶汽水不够解渴。
- Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
- Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。
- Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
- The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了，可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。
- The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
- He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
- Hang your overcoat on the peg in the hall.把你的大衣挂在门厅的挂衣钩上。
- He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。
- I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。
- The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了，就象螃蟹的壳似的。