The Wolf And The Ass

狼和驢

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

An Ass was feeding in a pasture near a wood when he saw a Wolf lurking in the shadows along the hedge. He easily guessed what the Wolf had in mind, and thought of a plan to save himself. So he pretended he was lame, and began to hobble painfully.

一頭驢正在林子附近的一片草場上覓食的時候，看見了一頭狼潛伏在陰暗的灌木叢中。輕而易舉他就猜到了那頭狼在打什麼主意，然後就想出了一個自保的辦法。他假裝自己跛腳了，並開始痛苦地蹣跚而行。

When the Wolf came up, he asked the Ass what had made him lame, and the Ass replied that he had stepped on a sharp thorn.

當狼出現的時候，他問驢是什麼讓他瘸的，驢回答說他踩到了一根鋒利的刺。

"Please pull it out," he pleaded, groaning as if in pain. "If you do not, it might stick in your throat when you eat me."

“請把它拔出來，”他哀求著，呻吟著，好像很疼。“如果你不幫忙，當你吃我的時候，它可能會卡在你的喉嚨裡。”

The Wolf saw the wisdom of the advice, for he wanted to enjoy his meal without any danger of choking. So the Ass lifted up his foot and the Wolf began to search very closely and carefully for the thorn.

狼看出了這個建議的明智之處，因為它想盡情地享用它的美餐，而不會有被噎住的危險。於是驢抬起腳來，狼開始仔細仔細地尋找刺。

Just then the Ass kicked out with all his might, tumbling the Wolf a dozen paces away. And while the Wolf was getting very slowly and painfully to his feet, the Ass galloped away in safety.

就在這時，驢用盡力氣踢了一腳，把狼踢到十幾步遠的地方。當狼慢慢地、痛苦地站起來的時候，驢子安全地跑開了。

"Serves me right," growled the Wolf as he crept into the bushes. "I'm a butcher by trade, not a doctor."

“我罪有應得。”狼咆哮著鑽進了灌木叢。“我是屠夫，不是醫生。”

Stick to your trade.

寓意：做好自己的事。