安德鲁克鲁斯与狮子

从前在罗马有一个可怜的奴隶，名字叫安德鲁克鲁斯。他的主人非常残忍，对他很不好，最后安德鲁克鲁斯逃跑了。

In Rome there was once a poor slave whose name was Androclus. His master was a cruel man, and so unkind to him that at last Androclus ran away.

他在一片荒野的森林里躲了很多天；但是找不到吃的，他变得非常虚弱，生了病，以为自己快要死了。于是一天他爬进了一个山洞躺下来，很快就睡着了。

He hid himself in a wild wood for many days; but there was no food to be found, and he grew so weak and sick that he thought he should die. So one day he crept into a cave and lay down, and soon he was fast asleep.

过了一会儿，一声巨响吵醒了他。一只狮子走进了山洞，正在大声吼叫。安德鲁克鲁斯非常害怕，因为他确信这只野兽会杀了他。

After a while a great noise woke him up. A lion had come into the cave, and was roaring loudly. Androclus was very much afraid, for he felt sure that the beast would kill him.

可是很快，他看到狮子并没有生气，而是走路一瘸一拐的，好像脚很疼。

Soon, however, he saw that the lion was not angry, but that he limped as though his foot hurt him.

这时安德鲁克鲁斯大起胆子，抓起狮子瘸了的那只爪子，看看出了什么事。狮子站着一动不动，把头靠在这个人的肩膀上蹭了蹭。它好像在说：——

Then Androclus grew so bold that he took hold of the lion’s lame paw to see what was the matter. The lion stood quite still, and rubbed his head against the man’s shoulder. He seemed to say,—

“我知道你会帮我。”

“I know that you will help me.”

安德鲁克鲁斯把那只爪子从地上抬起来，看到是一根又长又尖的刺让狮子这么疼。他用手指捏住刺的末端；然后用力快快地一拔，刺就出来了。狮子心里充满了快乐。

Androclus lifted the paw from the ground, and saw that it was a long, sharp thorn which hurt the lion so much. He took the end of the thorn in his fingers; then he gave a strong, quick pull, and out it came. The lion was full of joy.

它像狗一样跳来跳去，舔着新朋友的手和脚。

He jumped about like a dog, and licked the hands and feet of his new friend.

从那以后，安德鲁克鲁斯一点也不害怕了；到了晚上，他和狮子挨着躺下睡觉。

Androclus was not at all afraid after this; and when night came, he and the lion lay down and slept side by side.

在很长一段时间里，狮子每天都给安德鲁克鲁斯带来食物；两个人成了非常好的朋友，安德鲁克鲁斯觉得他的新生活过得很幸福。

For a long time, the lion brought food to Androclus every day; and the two became such good friends, that Androclus found his new life a very happy one.

一天，一些路过森林的士兵在山洞里发现了安德鲁克鲁斯。他们认出了他是谁，就把他抓回了罗马。

One day some soldiers who were passing through the wood found Androclus in the cave. They knew who he was, and so took him back to Rome.

那时候有一条法律，每个从主人家逃跑的奴隶都必须去和一只饥饿的狮子搏斗。于是，一只凶猛的狮子被关了一段时间，没有给它食物，他们还定下了搏斗的时间。

It was the law at that time that every slave who ran away from his master should be made to fight a hungry lion. So a fierce lion was shut up for a while without food, and a time was set for the fight.

到了那天，成千上万的人挤来看这场比赛。他们那时去这种地方，就很像现在的人去看马戏表演或者棒球比赛一样。

When the day came, thousands of people crowded to see the sport. They went to such places at that time very much as people now-a-days go to see a circus show or a game of base-ball.

门开了，可怜的安德鲁克鲁斯被带了进来。他几乎快要吓死了，因为已经能听到狮子的吼叫声。他抬起头，看到周围成千上万张脸上没有一点同情。

The door opened, and poor Androclus was brought in. He was almost dead with fear, for the roars of the lion could already be heard. He looked up, and saw that there was no pity in the thousands of faces around him.