The Two Pots

兩個罐子

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

Two Pots, one of brass and the other of clay, stood together on the hearthstone. One day the Brass Pot proposed to the Earthen Pot that they go out into the world together. But the Earthen Pot excused himself, saying that it would be wiser for him to stay in the corner by the fire.

壁爐上有兩個罐子，一個是銅的，一個是泥的。一天，銅罐向瓦罐提議，一起出去看看外面的世界。但是瓦罐推辭說，他還是呆在火爐邊的角落裡比較明智。

"It would take so little to break me," he said. "You know how fragile I am. The least shock is sure to shatter me!"

他說:“你知道我有多脆弱的，我很容易就被打碎了。最輕微的震動也一定會把我震碎!”

"Don't let that keep you at home," urged the Brass Pot. "I shall take very good care of you. If we should happen to meet anything hard I will step between and save you."

“不要因此而呆在家裡，”銅罐催促著。“我會好好照顧你的。如果我們遇到什麼堅硬的東西，我就會站在中間保護你。”

So the Earthen Pot at last consented, and the two set out side by side, jolting along on three stubby legs first to this side, then to that, and bumping into each other at every step.

於是瓦罐終於答應了。他們兩個並排走著，用三條粗壯的腿一顛一顛地走著，一會兒走到這邊，一會兒又走到那邊，每走一步它們都碰到一起。

The Earthen Pot could not survive that sort of companionship very long. They had not gone ten paces before the Earthen Pot cracked, and at the next jolt he flew into a thousand pieces.

瓦罐在這種陪伴下，可活不長久。他們走了不到十步，瓦罐就裂開了，再一震，他就摔成了碎片。

Equals make the best friends.

寓意：同等的人才能成為好友。