英国语文第四册 第24期:寓言(2)（在线收听）

II．THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL

II．没有尾巴的狐狸

A fox being caught in a trap, was glad to save his neck by leaving his tail behind him;

狐狸掉入一个陷阱，因割舍下尾巴保住了脖子活命，而深感庆幸；

but, upon going abroad into the world, he began to be so ashamed of his defect,

可是，等到他一脱离险境到了外面的安全世界，他就开始因为自己缺一条尾巴而非常难为情，

that he almost wished he had died in the trap.

以至于他真希望那时还不如留着尾巴死在陷阱里。

However, resolving to make the best of a bad case, he called a meeting of the rest of the foxes,

然而，为了妥善处理这么一件糟糕的事，这只狐狸就召集其他狐狸们开会，

and proposed that they should all follow his example.

建议狐狸们应该都像他一样在这种情况下舍掉尾巴。

"You have no notion," said he, "of the ease and comfort with which I now move about.

狐狸说道：“你们不知道，我现在没有尾巴的拖累，走来走去是多么轻松自在。

I could never have believed it if I had not tried it myself.

如果我自己没有亲身尝试过，我也不会相信的。

But really, when one comes to think of it, a tail is such an ugly, useless thing,

真的，你们好好想想吧，尾巴是这么的丑陋、无用，

that one wonders how foxes have put up with it so long.

真不知道我们狐狸怎么能这么多年忍受尾巴的拖累。

I propose, therefore, my worthy brethren, that you should profit by my example, and that all foxes from this day forward should cut off their tails."

所以，我建议，亲爱的同胞们，你们应该向我学习，从今天起所有的狐狸都应该切掉尾巴，这样做简直好处太多了。”

Thereupon, one of the oldest stepped forward, and said,

话刚说完，一只最年长的狐狸站出来说道，

"I rather think, my friend, that you would not have advised us to part with our tails, if there had been any chance of recovering your own."

“我的朋友，如果你有机会能再生出尾巴来，我相信，你就不会建议我们切掉尾巴了。”