法语名字叫做Fables de La Fantaine的《拉封丹寓言》中，有一个叫做《多情的狮子》的故事。前几天在书店看到的时候只记了一部分，没想回来网络上一找，居然没有。无所，大意如下： 狮子走过牧羊人的家，爱上了牧羊人美丽可爱的女儿。他去向牧人求婚，牧人不敢不答应，但又着实不愿意。后来他对狮子说，我们非常高兴能够找到您这样的女婿，可是，能否让我们把你的指甲剪去，这样就避免了伤害我的女儿；能否把您的尖牙磨掉，这样亲吻她的时候不至于弄伤。欣喜的狮子一一照办了，此时牧人放出猎犬来，没有了锋利的爪牙的狮子只得落荒而逃。 故事最后说了两句话：
爱神哪爱神，谁被你逮住 就只能宣告理智的结束。
A fox fell into a well and was unable to get out again. By and by a thirsty goat came by, and seeing the fox in the well asked him if the water was good. "Good?" said the fox, "it's the best water I ever tasted in all my life. Come down and try it yourself." The goat thought of nothing but the prospect of quenching his thirst, and jumped in at once. When he had had enough to drink, he looked about, like the fox, for some way of getting out, but could find none. Presently the fox said, "I have an idea. You stand on your hind legs, and plant your forelegs firmly against the side of the well, and then I'll climb on to your back, and, from there, by stepping on your horns, I can get out. And when I'm out, I'll help you out too." The goat did as he was requested, and the fox climbed on to his back and so out of the well; and then he coolly walked away. The goat called loudly after him and reminded him of his promise to help him out: but the fox merely turned and said, "if you had as much sense in your head as you have hair in your beard you wouldn't have got into the well without making certain that you could get out again."Look before you leap.
A shepherd's boy was tending his flock near a village, and thought it would be great fun to hoax the villagers by pretending that a wolf was attacking the sheep: so he shouted out, "Wolf! wolf!" and when the people came running up he laughed at them for their pains. He did this more than once, and every time the villagers found they had been hoaxed, for there was no wolf at all. At last a wolf really did come, and the boy cried, "Wolf! wolf!" as loud as he could: but the people were so used to hearing him call that they took no notice of his cries for help. And so the wolf had it all his own way, and killed off sheep after sheep at his leisure.You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth.
A pedlar who owned an ass one day bought a quantity of salt, and loaded up his beast with as much as he could bear. On the way home the ass stumbled as he was crossing a stream and fell into the water. The salt got thoroughly wetted and much of it melted and drained away, so that, when he got on his legs again, the ass found his load had become much less heavy. His master, however, drove him back to town and bought more salt, which he added to what remained in the panniers, and started out again. No sooner had they reached a stream than the ass lay down in it, and rose, as before, with a much lighter load. But his master detected the trick, and turning back once more, bought a large sponges, and piled them on the back of the ass. When they came to the stream the ass again lay down: but this time, as the sponges soaked up large quantities of water, he found, when he got up on his legs, that he had a bigger burden to carry than ever.You may play a good card once too often.
Two men were travelling together, one of whom never spoke the truth, whereas the other never told a lie: and they came in the course of their travels to the land of apes. The king of the apes, hearing of their arrival, ordered them to be brought before him; and by way of impressing them with his magnificence, he received them sitting on a throne, while the apes, his subjects, were ranged in long rows on either side of him. When the travellers came into his presence he asked them what they thought of him as a king. The lying traveller said, "Sire, everyone must see that you are a most noble and mighty monarch." "And what do you think of my subjects?" continued the king. "They," said the traveller, "are in every way worthy of their royal master." The ape was so delighted with his answer that he gave him a very handsome present. The other traveller thought that if his companion was rewarded so splendidly for telling a lie, he himself would certainly receive a still greater reward for telling the truth; so, when the ape turned to him and said, "And what, sir, is your opinion?" he replied, "I think you are a very fine ape, and all your subjects are fine apes too." The king of the apes was so enraged at his reply that he ordered him to be taken away and clawed to death.伊索寓言之四四：猩猩和旅行者 两个人一起旅行，其中一个人从不说实话，另一个人从不说谎。在路途中他们到了一个猩猩岛上。猩猩中的国王听说他们来了，便下令把他们带到面前来；为了向他们展示他的富有，他坐在宝座上，而他的臣民，那些猩猩在他的左右站成长队。当两个旅行者到了他面前的时候，他问他们觉得他这个国王怎样。说谎的旅行者说：“笔下，谁都可以看出来您是多么尊贵威严的一位国王！”“那么你觉得我的臣民们如何？”国王继续问道。“他们处处都与他们高贵的国王如此协调。”旅行者回答。猩猩国王对这旅行者的回答非常满意，于是送给他一份很好的礼物。另一个旅行者心想，几句谎言便能换来那样好的回报，如果他说实话，那定然能得到更多。于是，当那国王问他“那么，先生，你觉得呢？”的时候，他回答道：“我想你是个很棒的猩猩，你的臣民也都很棒！”猩猩国王勃然大怒，立即下令把他拖出去抓死了。
A farmer's boy went looking for snails, and, when he had picked up both his hands full, he set about making a fire at which to roast them; for he meant to eat them. When it got well alight and the snails began to feel the heat, they gradually withdrew more and more into their shells with the hissing noise they always make when they do so. When the boy heard it, he said, "You abandoned creatures, how can you find heart to whistle when your houses are burning?"伊索寓言之四三：男孩和蜗牛 农夫的儿子去找蜗牛，所以当他抓满了两只手的时候，便开始生火，准备烤了它们吃。当火已经烧起来了的时候，蜗牛开始感觉到温度，它们一点点地缩进壳里，发出它们行进时会产生的咝咝的声音。男孩听到这声音，说：“你们这些没用的家伙，房子都失火了，居然还有心情吹口哨？”
There was once a blind man who had so fine a sense of touch that, when any animal was put into his hands, he could tell what it was merely by the feel of it. One day the cub of a wolf was put into his hands, and he was asked what it was. He felt it for some time, and then said, "Indeed, I am not sure whether it is a wolf's cub or a fox's: but this I know - it would never do to trust it in a sheepfold."Evil tendencies are early shown.
An oak that grew on the bank of a river was uprooted by a severe gale of wind, and thrown across the stream. It fell among some reeds growing by the water, and said to them, "How is it that you, who are frail and slender, have managed to weather the storm, whereas I, with all my strength, have been torn up by the roots and hurled into the river?" "You were stubborn," came the reply, "and fought against the storm, which proved stronger than you: but we bow and yield to every breeze, and thus the gale passed harmlessly over our heads."伊索寓言之四一：橡树和芦苇 一棵生长在河边的橡树被暴风连根拔起，倒到了河对岸。它落在水边的苇丛中，对它们说：“为什么，你们这样柔弱纤细，却平安度过风暴，而我如此结实却被连根拔起又扔到了河里呢？”“你太顽固了，”芦苇们回答，“于是在暴风中与风抵抗，最终证实了暴风是更强的那个；而我们，微风一起便弯腰摇摆，于是大风从我们头顶吹过，我们好发无损。” /*强自取蛀，柔自取束。——《荀子·劝学》。福兮？祸兮？但人心耳。 */
A queen bee from Hymettus flew up to Olympus with some fresh honey from the hive as a present to Jupiter, who was so pleased with the gift that he promised to give her anything she liked to ask for. She said she would be very grateful if he would give stings to the bees, to kill people who robbed them of their honey. Jupiter was greatly displeased with this request, for he loved mankind: but he had given his word, so he said that stings they should have. The stings he gave them, however, were of such a kind that whenever a bee stings a man the sting is left in the wound and the bee dies.Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to roost.
A flea bit a man, and bit him again, and again, till he could stand it no longer, but made a thorough search for it, and at last succeeded in catching it. Holding it between his finger and thumb, he said - or rather shouted, so angry was he - "Who are you, pray, you wretched little creature, that you make so free with my person?" The flea, terrified, whimpered in a weak little voice, "Oh, sir! Pray let me go, don't kill me! I am such a little thing that I can't do you much harm." But the man laughed and said, "I am going to kill you now, at once: whatever is bad has got to be destroyed, no matter how slight the harm it does."伊索寓言之三九：跳蚤和人 一个跳蚤接二连三地咬一个人，后来这人无法忍受了，上上下下找了个遍，终于找出了跳蚤。他捏住跳蚤，说——更恰当些，是咆哮，因为他实在太愤怒了——：“你是谁，你这恶劣的小东西，这么肆无忌惮地在我身上捣乱？”而跳蚤，吓得战战兢兢地低声回答：“啊，先生！请您放我走，别杀了我！我这么小，不会给您带来什么伤害的。”但这人笑了笑说：“我这就杀了你，马上：不管你能造成的伤害是多么微小，只要是不好的，就该被消灭。”Do not waste your pity on a scamp.
A slave ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the desert. As he wandered about in search of food and shelter, he came to a cave, which he entered and found to be unoccupied. Really, however, it was a lion's den, and almost immediately, to the horror of the wretched fugitive, the lion himself appeared. The man gave himself up for lost: but, to his utter astonishment, the lion, instead of springing upon him and devouring him, came and fawned upon him, at the same time whining and lifting up his paw. Observing it to be much swollen and inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the ball of the foot. He accordingly removed it and dressed the wound as well as he could: and in course of time it healed up completely. The lion's gratitude was unbounded; he looked upon the man as his friend, and they shared the cave for some time together. A day came, however, when the slave began to long for the society of his fellow-men, and he bade farewell to the lion and returned to the town. Here he was presently recognized and carried off in chains to his former master, who resolved to make an example of him, and ordered that he should be thrown to the beasts at the next public spectacle in the theater. On the fatal day the beast were loosed into the arena, and among the rest a lion of huge bulk and ferocious aspect; and then the wretched slave was cast in among them. What was the amazement of the spectators, when the lion after one glance bounded up to him and lay down at his feet with every expression of affection and delight! It was his old friend of the cave! The audience clamored that the slave's life should be spared: and the governor of the town, marvelling at such gratitude and fidelity in a beast, decreed that both should receive their liberty.伊索寓言之三八：奴隶和狮子 一个奴隶从残酷虐待他的奴隶主那里逃走了，为了不被抓到，他到了沙漠里躲藏。在他四处寻找食物和住处的时候，他找到一个山洞，随即走了进去，发现是被废弃了的。但事实上，这是一个狮子的巢穴，因为随即，狮子出现在洞中，吓坏了这可怜的逃亡者。他放弃了抵抗在那里等死，然而让他惊讶万分的是，狮子没有扑上来吃掉他，而是走过来对他摇头摆尾，同时呜呜叫着抬起一只爪子来。他发现狮子差不多是吃饱了的而且很激动，于是便检查了它的爪子，发现脚掌上深深地扎了一根刺。于是他拔掉了刺，尽其所能地把手上的爪子包扎起来，过了些日子便痊愈了。狮子对他万分感激，它把这人视为朋友，他们一起住在这个洞里好一段时间。然而有一天，奴隶开始想念他的兄弟们，于是告别了狮子会到了城市。不久他就被人认了出来，用锁链拴着带到了奴隶主那里。奴隶主决定在下个角斗日让他在斗技场与野兽博命。决定生死的这天，野兽们被放入竞技场中，其中有一头庞大凶猛的狮子。随即，可怜的奴隶被扔到野兽当中。让角斗士们惊讶的是，狮子刚刚看了一眼，便跳到他跟前，趴在他的脚下，一切神色都透露着友好和惊喜！原来这是他在山洞里的老朋友！观众们大喊着这奴隶应该免于一死，而城邦的首领惊叹于这样一头猛兽的感恩与忠诚，随即宣布人和狮子都得到了自由。
Two travellers were on the road together, when a bear suddenly appeared on the scene. Before he observed them, one made for a tree at the side of the road, and climbed up into the branches and hid there. The other was not so nimble as his companion; and, as he could not escape, he threw himself on the ground and pretended to be dead. The bear came up and sniffed all round him, but he kept perfectly still and held his breath: for they say that a bear will not touch a dead body. The bear took him for a corpse, and went away. When the coast was clear, the traveller in the tree came down, and asked the other what it was the bear had whispered to him when he put his mouth to his ear. The other replied, "He told me never again to travel with a friend who deserts you at the first sign of danger."Misfortune tests the sincerity of friendship.
A gnat alighted on one of the horns of a bull, and remained sitting there for a considerable time. When it had rested sufficiently and was about to fly away, it said to the bull, "Do you mind if I go now?" The bull merely raised his eyes and remarked, without interest, "It's all one to me; I didn't notice when you came, and I shan't know when you go away."We may often be of more consequence in our own eyes than in the eyes of our neighbours.
A dog and a cock became great friends, and agreed to travel together. At nightfall the cock flew up into the branches of a tree to roost, while the dog curled himself up inside the trunk, which was hollow. At break of day the cock woke up and crew, as usual. A fox heard, and, wishing to make a breakfast of him, came and stood under the tree and begged him to come down. "I should so like," said he, "to make the acquaintance of one who has such a beautiful voice." The cock replied, "Would you just wake my porter who sleeps at the foot of the tree? He'll open the door and let you in." The fox accordingly rapped on the trunk, when out rushed the dog and tore him in pieces.伊索寓言之三五：狗，公鸡和狐狸 一条狗和一只公鸡作了好朋友，一起出去旅行。夜里的时候，公鸡飞到树枝上睡觉，狗儿则钻到了树洞里打盹。天亮的时候公鸡醒来，像往常一样打鸣。一只狐狸听见了，盘算着把公鸡吃掉作早餐，便跑过来站到树下，邀请公鸡落下来。“我非常愿意，”他说，“结识一下拥有这样一副金嗓子的先生。”公鸡回答道：“你能帮我喊醒睡在树脚下的同伴么？他会打开门让你进去。”狐狸于是敲敲树干，接着狗儿窜出来，把狐狸撕成了碎片。
Once upon a time the Sun was about to take to himself a wife. The frogs in terror all raised their voices to the skies, and Jupiter, disturbed by the noise, asked them what they were croaking about. They replied, "The Sun is bad enough even while he is single, drying up our marshes with his heat as he does. But what will become of us if he marries and begets other Suns?"伊索寓言之三四：青蛙对太阳的抱怨 早先有一天，太阳想给自己讨个老婆。青蛙们吓坏了，一齐对着上天大叫。朱庇特听到吵闹声，问他们在抱怨什么。青蛙们回答说：“一个太阳已经足够坏了，他总是晒干我们的湿地。要是他结婚了再生了小太阳，我们还怎么活啊？”
There was once a man who had an ass and a lap-dog. The ass was housed in the stable with plenty of oats and hay to eat and was as well off as an ass could be. The little dog was made a great pet of by his master, who fondled him and often let him lie in his lap; and if he went out to dinner, he would bring back a tit-bit or two to give him when he ran to meet him on his return. The ass had, it is true, a good deal of work to do, carting or grinding the corn, or carrying the burdens of the farm: and ere long he became very jealous, contrasting his own life of labour with the ease and idleness of the lap-dog. At last one day he broke his halter, and frisking into the house just as his master sat down to dinner, he pranced and capered about, mimicking the frolics of the little favorite, upsetting the table and smashing the crockery with his clumsy efforts. Not content with that, he even tried to jump on his master's lap, as he had so often seen the dog allowed to do. At that the servants, seeing the danger their master was in, belabored the silly ass with sticks and cudgels, and drove him back to his stable half dead with his beating. "Alas!" he cried, "all this I have brought on my self. Why could I not be satisfied with my natural and honourable position, without wishing to imitate the ridiculous antics of that useless little lap-dog?"伊索寓言之三三：驴子和宠物狗 从前有个人，他有一头驴子和一只小宠物狗。驴子住在圈里，有足够的燕麦和草料吃，过着一只驴子能够有的最好的生活。而小狗被主人视为宠物，被主人爱抚并常常放在自己膝盖上；如果主人外出赴宴归来，小狗会跑着出来迎接主人，这时主人会拿出带给它的一些好吃的来。而驴子，实事求是的说，有很多活计要做，比如拉车啊，推磨啊，或者驮农场上的货物。天长日久地，当把自己终日辛劳的日子和小狗儿每天清闲的日子比较的时候，他就开始非常嫉妒了。终于有一天，他破栏而出，在主人正坐下来吃饭的时候一路撒欢儿地跑到屋子里，他上窜下跳，模仿着小狗儿的那些调皮样儿。他笨拙的动作撞倒了桌子，砸碎了陶器。而这还不够，他甚至尝试跳到主人的膝头，这个他已经见到小狗儿做过好多次了。这时，仆人们看到主人所处的险境，拿着棍棒对准驴子一阵猛打，被打得半死的驴子被一路被赶回了圈里。“啊！”驴子哀叹，“这都是我自作自受。为什么我当初不对自己应在的光荣的职位感到知足，反而去想着要模仿那个没用的小宠物狗的滑稽动作呢？”
A fir tree was boasting to a bramble, and said, somewhat contemptuously, "You poor creature, you are of no use whatever. Now, look at me: I am useful for all sorts of things, particularly when men build houses; they can't do without me then." But the bramble replied, "Ah, that's all very well: but you wait till they come with axes and saws to cut you down, and then you'll wish you were a bramble and not a fir."Better poverty without a care than wealth with its many obligations.
A fox and a monkey were on the road together, and fell into a dispute as to which of the two was the better born. They kept it up for some time, till they came to a place where the road passed through a cemetery full of monuments, when the monkey stopped and looked about him and gave a great sigh. "Why do you sigh?" said the fox. The monkey pointed to the tombs and replied, "All the monuments that you see here were put up in honor of my forefathers, who in their day were eminent men." The fox was speechless for a moment, but quickly recovering he said, "Oh! Don't stop at any lie, sir; you're quite safe: I'm sure none of your ancestors will rise up and expose you!"Boasters brag most when they cannot be detected.
The dolphins quarreled with the whales, and before very long they began fighting with one another. The battle was very fierce, and had lasted some time without any sign of coming to an end, when a sprat thought perhaps he could stop it; so he stepped in and tried to persuade them to give up fighting and make friends. But one of the dolphins said to him contemptuously, "We would rather go on fighting till we're all killed than be reconciled by a sprat like you!"伊索寓言之三十：海豚，鲸和小鲱鱼 海豚们和鲸们吵架，不久就开始打了起来。他们打得不可开交，持续了很长时间也没有要结束的迹象。这时，一条小鲱鱼想或许它能够止住这场战争；于是它游了过去，试图劝说双方放弃武力彼此友善。但一条海豚轻蔑地对它说：“我们就算是这样继续打到死，也不会接受你这样一个小不点儿的调停！” /*sprat，西鲱，欧洲产的一种可食用小鱼。习语有a sprat to catch a mackerel，意思是用小鱼钓大鱼，吃小亏占大便宜。 而这个故事亦可从好几个角度来理解含义。*/
A farmer's daughter had been out to milk the cows, and was returning to the dairy carrying her pail of milk upon her head. As she walked along, she fell a-musing after this fashion: "The milk in this pail will provide me with cream, which I will make into butter and take to market to sell. With the money I will buy a number of eggs, and these, when hatched, will produce chickens, and by and by I shall have quite a large poultry-yard. Then I shall sell some of my fowls, and with the money which they will bring in I will buy myself a new gown, which I shall wear when I go to the fair; and all the young fellows will admire it, and come and make love to me, but I shall toss my head and have nothing to say to them." Forgetting all about the pail, and suiting the action to the word, she tossed her head. Down went the pail, all the milk was spilled, and all her fine castles in the air vanished in a moment!Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
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