1．驴和它的主人.doc

1．驴和它的主人 The Ass and His Masters 有头驴给草药贩子干活，觉得很苦，就请求朱庇特给它换主人。朱庇特把它换给制瓦工，驴觉得更苦了。最后朱庇特就让驴到皮匠那里，驴想到皮匠会剥了它的皮，更后悔了。 n Ass, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him too little food and too much work made a petition to Jupiter to be released from his present service and provided with another master. Jupiter, after warning him that he would repent his request, caused him to be sold to a tile-maker. Shortly afterwards, finding that he had heavier loads to carry and harder work in the brick-field, he petitioned for another change of master. Jupiter, telling him that it would be the last time that he could grant his request, ordained that he be sold to a tanner. The Ass found that he had fallen into worse hands, and noting his master’s occupation, said, groaning: “It would have been better for me to have been either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the other of my former masters, than to have been bought by my present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to him.” He that finds discontentment in one place is not likely to find happiness in another. 2．驴 和 青 蛙 The Ass and the Frogs 驴驮着木料，不小心摔倒在池塘里，就大声叫起来。青蛙听见了，对驴说，在池塘里摔了一跤，没什么大不了的。 n Ass, carrying a load of wood, passed through a pond. As he was crossing through the water he lost his footing, stumbled and fell, and not being able to rise on account of his load, groaned heavily. Some Frogs frequenting the pool heard his lamentation, and said, “What would you do if you had to live here always as we do, when you make such a fuss about a mere fall into the water?” Men often bear little grievances with less courage than they do large misfortunes. 3．驴和它的影子 The Ass and His Shadow 一个人雇了一头驴出远门。天气酷热，这个人和驴的主人都想在驴的影子下休息，可驴的影子太小，结果两人争吵起来。驴就趁机跑掉了。 Traveler hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The day being intensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the Traveler stopped to rest, and sought shelter from the heat under the Shadow of the Ass.