8. 老鼠篇#
8.1. 老鼠开会#
老鼠们因为经常被猫袭击，对此感到十分苦恼。于是，他们在一起开会，商量用什么办法对付猫的骚扰，以求平安。几个建议相继都被否决之后，一只很有威望且经验丰富的老鼠站起来，说：”我忽然想到一个办法，可以确保大家未来的安全，假如你们赞成的话，我们就这么办。这个办法是，我们应该在敌人的脖子上挂一个铃铛，猫走路时发出的叮当声，就会警告我们猫要来了。”他的提议受到了大家的赞同，都决定采用这个办法，就在这时，一只年长的老鼠伸出他的前爪，说：“我也赞同这是一个绝妙的好办法，但是，我想问一下，谁去给猫系铃铛呢？”
THE MICE IN COUNCIL
Once upon a time all the Mice met together in Council, and discussed the best means of securing themselves against the attacks of the cat. After several suggestions had been debated, a Mouse of some standing and experience got up and said, “I think I have hit upon a plan which will ensure our safety in the future, provided you approve and carry it out. It is that we should fasten a bell round the neck of our enemy the cat, which will by its tinkling warn us of her approach.” This proposal was warmly applauded, and it had been already decided to adopt it, when an old Mouse got upon his feet and said, “I agree with you all that the plan before us is an admirable one: but may I ask who is going to bell the cat?”
8.2. 狮子与报恩的老鼠#
狮子在自己的窝里睡着了，却被一只跑到他脸上的老鼠吵醒了。狮子非常生气，用爪子抓住老鼠，准备弄死他。战战兢兢的老鼠请求狮子饶了他的性命。”求你放了我吧，”老鼠哭喊道，”我肯定会报答你的恩情。”一个不足挂齿的小生命肯为自己做任何事，狮子被如此无意义的想法逗笑了，便随和地放他走了。不久，老鼠报恩的机会终于来了。有一天，狮子被猎人们布好的大网缠住了，愤怒地大吼起来，老鼠听到了狮子的哀嚎，迅速赶来。老鼠轻松地走过去开始噬咬绳索，很快就成功地放走了狮子。老鼠说：“看吧！当我许诺要报答你时，你还嘲笑我；现在你可看到了，即便一只小老鼠也能帮助一头大狮子。”
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
A Lion asleep in his lair was waked up by a Mouse running over his face. Losing his temper he seized it with his paw and was about to kill it. The Mouse, terrified, piteously entreated him to spare its life. “Please let me go,” it cried, “and one day I will repay you for your kindness.” The idea of so insignificant a creature ever being able to do anything for him amused the Lion so much that he laughed aloud, and good-humouredly let it go. But the Mouse’s chance came, after all. One day the Lion got entangled in a net which had been spread for game by some hunters, and the Mouse heard and recognized his roars of anger and ran to the spot. Without more ado it set to work to gnaw the ropes with its teeth, and succeeded before long in setting the Lion free. “There!” said the Mouse, “you laughed at me when I promised I would repay you: but now you see, even a Mouse can help a Lion.”
Moral
Appearances can be deceiving and no act of kindness is ever too small to make a difference.
👇 Listen to this fable
8.3. 老鼠和公牛#
一头公牛被老鼠咬了鼻子，到处追赶老鼠。但是，老鼠可比公牛跑得快多了，一下就溜进了墙边的洞里。气得公牛一次又一次地撞墙，最后累得筋疲力尽，一下就瘫在了地上。这时，小老鼠一听没了动静，又跑出来再咬公牛。公牛狂怒，又开始用脚踢墙，而此时小老鼠早已跑回到洞里去了。除了大吼和无用的生闷气之外，公牛一筹莫展。不久，他听到一个微弱的声音从墙壁里传出来：“你这个大家伙也不能总逞强吧，你看，有时我们这样的小不点也会占上风的。”
THE MOUSE AND THE BULL
A Bull gave chase to a Mouse which had bitten him in the nose: but the Mouse was too quick for him and slipped into a hole in a wall. The Bull charged furiously into the wall again and again until he was tired out, and sank down on the ground exhausted with his efforts. When all was quiet, the Mouse darted out and bit him again. Beside himself with rage he started to his feet, but by that time the Mouse was back in his hole again, and he could do nothing but bellow and fume in helpless anger. Presently he heard a shrill little voice say from inside the wall, “You big fellows don’t always have it your own way, you see: sometimes we little ones come off best.”
8.4. 狮子和老鼠#
一天，狮子睡着了，一只小老鼠在他身上跑上跑下，把他吵醒了。狮子非常生气，用爪子抓住老鼠，准备吃掉它。“求你放了我吧，”老鼠哭喊道，“我永远不会忘记您的恩情的，说不准哪天我能帮上你什么忙呢。”一个不足挂齿的小生命要为自己做事，狮子被如此荒谬的想法逗笑了，于是抬起爪子放了它。不久，老鼠报恩的机会终于来了。有一天，狮子被猎人们布好的陷阱困住了，猎人们想要把活狮子献给国王，先把狮子捆在树上，去找四轮马车运走。这时，小老鼠碰巧路过，看到了狮子的悲惨处境，就走到狮子面前，很快就咬断了绑住这百兽之王的绳子。小老鼠说：“看我说的对吧？”
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion’s nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her. Spare me!, begged the poor Mouse, Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you. The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go. Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter’s net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free. You laughed when I said I would repay you, said the Mouse. Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion.