Aesop’s Fables(daily)

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hi everyone, it's nice to meet you here! I am learning English recently. Speaking fluently and writing decently is my goals. I decide to finish one article of Aesop’s Fables   daily and meanwhile I'd like to share the lessons with those who are also greedy for good English. that's it , here we go.




\"The Cock and the Pearl

A cock was once strutting up and down the farmyard
among the hens when suddenly he espied something
shinning amid the straw. ‘Ho! ho!’ quoth he, ‘that’s for
me,’ and soon rooted it out from beneath the straw. What
did it turn out to be but a Pearl that by some chance had
been lost in the yard? ‘You may be a treasure,’ quoth
Master Cock, ‘to men that prize you, but for me I would
rather have a single barley-corn than a peck of pearls.’
Precious things are for those that can prize them.\"

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The Wolf and the Lamb

Once upon a time a Wolf was lapping at a spring on a
hillside, when, looking up, what should he see but a Lamb
just beginning to drink a little lower down. ‘There’s my
supper,’ thought he, ‘if only I can find some excuse to
seize it.’ Then he called out to the Lamb, ‘How dare you
muddle the water from which I am drinking?’

‘Nay, master, nay,’ said Lambikin; ‘if the water be
muddy up there, I cannot be the cause of it, for it runs
down from you to me.’

‘Well, then,’ said the Wolf, ‘why did you call me bad
names this time last year?’

‘That cannot be,’ said the Lamb; ‘I am only six months
old.’

‘I don’t care,’ snarled the Wolf; ‘if it was not you it was
your father;’ and with that he rushed upon the poor little
Lamb and .WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA
WARRA .ate her all up. But before she died she gasped
out .’Any excuse will serve a tyrant.’

Lap vt. 泼溅, 拍打
Spring  n, 泉; 源泉
Call out  v.出动, 唤起, 大声叫唤
Muddle  v. 混, 混淆, 搅拌
call names v.骂人, 咒骂
Any excuse will serve a tyrant   欲加之罪，何患无辞

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The Dog and the Shadow

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.

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The Lion’s Share

The Lion went once a-hunting along with the Fox, the
Jackal, and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at
last they surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then
came the question how the spoil should be divided.
‘Quarter me this Stag,’ roared the Lion; so the other
animals skinned it and cut it into four parts. Then the Lion
took his stand in front of the carcass and pronounced
judgment: The first quarter is for me in my capacity as
King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share
comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth
quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you
will dare to lay a paw upon it.’

‘Humph,’ grumbled the Fox as he walked away with
his tail between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl
.’You may share the labours of the great, but you will not
share the spoil.’



注解：
lion's share
n.  最大的一份，最好的一份
Stag　
n.  牡鹿, 阉割过的雄鹿, 刚长大的雄家禽
Spoil
   n.  掠夺品, 赃物; 战利品

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The Wolf and the Crane

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.

注解：
Crane
n. 鹤;
gorge
v. To devour greedily 狼吞虎咽, 塞饱

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The Man and the Serpent

A Countryman’s son by accident trod upon a Serpent’s
tail, which turned and bit him so that he died. The father
in a rage got his axe, and pursuing the Serpent, cut off part
of its tail. So the Serpent in revenge began stinging several
of the Farmer’s cattle and caused him severe loss. Well, the
Farmer thought it best to make it up with the Serpent, and
brought food and honey to the mouth of its lair, and said
to it: ‘Let’s forget and forgive; perhaps you were right to
punish my son, and take vengeance on my cattle, but
surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that we
are both satisfied why should not we be friends again?’

‘No, no,’ said the Serpent; ‘take away your gifts; you
can never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of
my tail.’

Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.

注解：
Trod　　：tread的过去式及过去分词
v.  To press beneath the feet; trample. 踩, 踏, 践踏, 跳

in a rage
一怒之下

Revenge
n. & v.
To inflict punishment in return for (injury or insult). 报仇, 复仇

lair
n.
The den or dwelling of a wild animal.  窝

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The Town Mouse and the
Country Mouse


Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a
time went on a visit to his cousin in the country. He was
rough and ready,this cousin, but he loved his town friend
and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese
and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them
freely.

     The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at
this country fare, and said: ‘I cannot understand, Cousin,
how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of
course you cannot expect anything better in the country;
come you with me and I will show you how to live.
When you have been in town a week you will wonder
how you could ever have stood a country life.’ No sooner
said than done: the two mice set off for the town and
arrived at the Town Mouse’s residence late at night. ‘You
will want some refreshment after our long journey,’ said
the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the
grand dining-room.
                   There they found the remains of a
fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies
and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard
growling and barking. ‘What is that?’ said the Country
Mouse. ‘It is only the dogs of the house,’ answered the
other. ‘Only!’ said the Country Mouse. ‘I do not like that
music at my dinner.’ Just at that moment the door flew
open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to
scamper down and run off. ‘Good-bye, Cousin,’ said the
Country Mouse, ‘What! going so soon?’ said the other.
‘Yes,’ he replied;

‘Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in
fear.’

注解：
rough and ready
简陋的, 马马虎虎的, 勉强过得去的

put up with
忍受, 容忍

set off
出发, 动身,

Mastiff
n.
[动]獒, 大驯犬(大型猛犬之一种)

Scamper
v.
奔跳
n.
奔跑

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The Fox and the Crow

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 to-day: how glossy your
feathers; how bright your eye. 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.’

Note:
Crow: n. 乌鸦
Surpass  vt.  超越, 胜过
Caw   n. 乌鸦的叫声  vi.发出鸦叫声
Flatterer  n.奉承者

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The Sick Lion

A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick
unto death at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath.
The animals, his subjects, came round him and drew
nearer as he grew more and more helpless. When they saw
him on the point of death they thought to themselves:
‘Now is the time to pay off old grudges.’ So the Boar
came up and drove at him with his tusks; then a Bull
gored him with his horns; still the Lion lay helpless before
them: so the Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up,
and turning his tail to the Lion kicked up his heels into his
face. ‘This is a double death,’ growled the Lion.

Only cowards insult dying majesty.

Note:
gasping for breath   呼吸十分困难, 上气不接下气
pay off  还清(债务等)付清, 报复, 赢利
grudge n.怨恨, 嫉妒; 恶意
gore v. To pierce or stab with a horn or tusk. 刺伤, 顶
kick up one's heels  高兴得跳起来

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The Ass and the Lapdog

A Farmer one day came to the stables to see to his
beasts of burden: among them was his favourite Ass, that
was always well fed and often carried his master. With the
Farmer came his Lapdog, who danced about and licked his
hand and frisked about as happy as could be. The Farmer
felt in his pocket, gave the Lapdog some dainty food, and
sat down while he gave his orders to his servants. The
Lapdog jumped into his master’s lap, and lay there
blinking while the Farmer stroked his ears. The Ass, seeing
this, broke loose from his halter and commenced prancing
about in imitation of the Lapdog. The Farmer could not
hold his sides with laughter, so the Ass went up to him,
and putting his feet upon the Farmer’s shoulder attempted
to climb into his lap. The Farmer’s servants rushed up
with sticks and pitchforks and soon taught the Ass that
clumsy jesting is no joke.


Note:
Lapdog n.供玩赏用的小狗
stable n. A building for the shelter and feeding of domestic animals  畜栏；厩；马房
beasts of burden 驮畜
frisk vi.欢跃, 跳跳蹦蹦
stroke vt.抚摸
halter  n.缰绳, （马）笼头
prance vi.腾跃, 欢跃, 昂首阔步
in imitation of 模仿
hold one's sides 捧腹大笑

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The Lion and the Mouse

Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began
running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the
Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his
big jaws to swallow him. ‘Pardon, O King,’ cried the little
Mouse: ‘forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who
knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of
these days?’ The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the
Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw
and let him go. Some time after the Lion was caught in a
trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the
King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a
waggon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse
happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which
the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the
ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. ‘Was I not right?’
said the little Mouse.

Little friends may prove great friends.

Note:
Tickle v. To tease or excite pleasurably; titillate: 胳肢, 逗笑, 使高兴, 使发痒
Plight n.困境; 境况, 境遇; 苦境; 悲惨遭遇

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The Swallow and the Other Birds

It happened that a Countryman was sowing some
hemp seeds in a field where a Swallow and some other
birds were hopping about picking up their food. ‘Beware
of that man,’ quoth the Swallow. ‘Why, what is he doing?’
said the others. ‘That is hemp seed he is sowing; be careful
to pick up every one of the seeds, or else you will repent
it.’ The birds paid no heed to the Swallow’s words, and by
and by the hemp grew up and was made into cord, and of
the cords nets were made, and many a bird that had
despised the Swallow’s advice was caught in nets made out
of that very hemp. ‘What did I tell you?’ said the Swallow.

Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your
ruin.


Note:
Sow  vt. To scatter (seed) over the ground for growing.播种, 散布, 使密布
Repent v.后悔, 悔改, 忏悔, 悔悟
pay no heed to 不加注意

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The Frogs Desiring a King

The Frogs were living as happy as could be in a marshy
swamp that just suited them; they went splashing about
caring for nobody and nobody troubling with them. But
some of them thought that this was not right, that they
should have a king and a proper constitution, so they
determined to send up a petition to Jove to give them
what they wanted. ‘Mighty Jove,’ they cried, ‘send unto
us a king that will rule over us and keep us in order.’ Jove
laughed at their croaking, and threw down into the
swamp a huge Log, which came downrplashto the swamp.
The Frogs were frightened out of their lives by the
commotion made in their midst, and all rushed to the
bank to look at the horrible monster; but after a time,
seeing that it did not move, one or two of the boldest of
them ventured out towards the Log, and even dared to
touch it; still it did not move. Then the greatest hero of
the Frogs jumped upon the Log and commenced dancing
up and down upon it, thereupon all the Frogs came and
did the same; and for some time the Frogs went about
their business every day without taking the slightest notice
of their new King Log lying in their midst. But this did
not suit them, so they sent another petition to Jove, and
said to him, ‘We want a real king; one that will really rule
over us.’ Now this made Jove angry, so he sent among
them a big Stork that soon set to work gobbling them all
up. Then the Frogs repented when too late.

Better no rule than cruel rule.


Note:
marshy adj.沼泽般的, 生于沼泽的, 湿软的
swamp  n.沼泽地
splash v.溅, 泼, 溅湿
constitution n.宪法, 构造,
Jove n.(=Jupiter)古罗马的主神
keep in order 使遵守秩序
croak  n.蛙或鸦的叫声
Log  n. 原木, 圆木
commotion  n.骚动, 暴乱
Stork  n.鹳
gobble  vt.狼吞虎咽

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The Mountains in Labour

One day the Countrymen noticed that the Mountains
were in labour; smoke came out of their summits, the
earth was quaking at their feet, trees were crashing, and
huge rocks were tumbling. They felt sure that something
horrible was going to happen. They all gathered together
in one place to see what terrible thing this could be. They
waited and they waited, but nothing came. At last there
was a still more violent earthquake, and a huge gap
appeared in the side of the Mountains. They all fell down
upon their knees and waited. At last, and at last, a teeny,
tiny mouse poked its little head and bristles out of the gap
and came running down towards them, and ever after they
used to say:

‘Much outcry, little outcome.’


Note:
labour  n. 费力地前进, 分娩
teeny  adj.<口>极小的, 极微的
bristle vi.(毛发等)竖起, 发怒

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The Hares and the Frogs

The Hares were so persecuted by the other beasts, they
did not know where to go. As soon as they saw a single
animal approach them, off they used to run. One day they
saw a troop of wild Horses stampeding about, and in quite
a panic all the Hares scuttled off to a lake hard by,
determined to drown themselves rather than live in such a
continual state of fear. But just as they got near the bank
of the lake, a troop of Frogs, frightened in their turn by
the approach of the Hares scuttled off, and jumped into
the water. ‘Truly,’ said one of the Hares, ‘things are not so
bad as they seem:

‘There is always someone worse off than yourself.’

Note:
persecute v.迫害
stampede v.惊跑
scuttle vi.急促地跑, 急忙撤退

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The Wolf and the Kid

A Kid was perched up on the top of a house, and
looking down saw a Wolf passing under him. Immediately
he began to revile and attack his enemy. ‘Murderer and
thief,’ he cried, ‘what do you here near honest folks’
houses? How dare you make an appearance where your
vile deeds are known?’

‘Curse away, my young friend,’ said the Wolf.

‘It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.’


Note:
perch  v. To stand, sit, or rest on an elevated place or position. (使)栖息, 就位, 位于
revile  v.tr.To assail with abusive language 辱骂, 斥责

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The Woodman and the Serpent

One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from
his work when he saw something black lying on the snow.
When he came closer he saw it was a Serpent to all
appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his bosom
to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got
indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the
fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to
life again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it,
but thc Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and
was about to sting the child to death. So the Woodman
seized his axe, and with one stroke cut the Serpent in two.
‘Ah,’ said he,

‘No gratitude from the wicked.’


Note:
Woodman  n.樵夫, 居住于森林的人
Serpent  n.A reptile of the order Serpentes; a snake. 大毒蛇

wintry  adj. Belonging to or characteristic of winter; cold寒冷的, 冬天的
tramp  v. To walk with a firm, heavy step 重步行走, 踏, 践,
bosom  n.The chest of a human being: 胸部, 胸, 胸怀
hearth  n.壁炉地面, 炉边
fang    n.A long, pointed tooth, especially: (犬, 狼等的)尖牙, 犬牙, (毒蛇的)毒牙

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The Bald Man and the Fly

There was once a Bald Man who sat down after work
on a hot summer’s day. A Fly came up and kept buzzing
about his bald pate, and stinging him from time to time.
The Man aimed a blow at his little enemy, but acks palm
came on his head instead; again the Fly tormented him,
but this time the Man was wiser and said:

‘You will only injure yourself if you take notice of
despicable enemies.’


Note:
Bald  n. Lacking hair on the head. 光秃的
Fly   n. 苍蝇
pate   n.<口>脑袋, 头顶
torment   v. To annoy, pester, or harass. 使痛苦，折磨

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The Fox and the Stork

At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting
terms and seemed very good friends. So the Fox invited
the Stork to dinner, and for a joke put nothing before her
but some soup in a very shallow dish. This the Fox could
easily lap up, but the Stork could only wet the end of her
long bill in it, and left the meal as hungry as when she
began. ‘I am sorry,’ said the Fox, ‘the soup is not to your
liking.’

‘Pray do not apologise,’ said the Stork. ‘I hope you will
return this visit, and come and dine with me soon.’ So a
day was appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork;
but when they were seated at table all that was for their
dinner was contained in a very long-necked jar with a
narrow mouth, in which the Fox could not insert his
snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the outside
of the jar.

‘I will not apologise for the dinner,’ said the Stork:

‘One bad turn deserves another.’


Note:
Stork  n.鹳
bill   n.(水禽等细长而扁平的)嘴
snout  n.The projecting nose, jaws, or anterior facial part of an animal&#39;s head. 口鼻部; 猪鼻形的东西

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The Fox and the Mask

A Fox had by some means got into the store-room of a
theatre. Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him
and began to be very frightened; but looking more closely
he found it was only a Mask such as actors use to put over
their face. ‘Ah,’ said the Fox, ‘you look very fine; it is a
pity you have not got any brains.’

Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.

Note:
by some means  通过某种方法