狐狸和乌鸦

狐狸和乌鸦

The Fox and the Crow

一个晴朗的早晨，狐狸正靠着灵敏的鼻子在树林里寻找吃的，忽然看到头顶的树枝上有一只乌鸦。这绝不是狐狸见过的第一只乌鸦。

One bright morning as the Fox was following his sharp nose through the wood in search of a bite to eat, he saw a Crow on the limb of a tree overhead. This was by no means the first Crow the Fox had ever seen.

这次吸引了他注意、让他停下来再看一眼的，是这只幸运的乌鸦嘴里衔着一块奶酪。

What caught his attention this time and made him stop for a second look, was that the lucky Crow held a bit of cheese in her beak.

狡猾的狐狸先生心想：“不用再到处找了。这就是我美味的早餐。”

“No need to search any farther,” thought sly Master Fox. “Here is a dainty bite for my breakfast.”

他小跑着来到乌鸦坐着的那棵树下，仰着头赞赏地喊道：“早上好，美丽的生灵！”

Up he trotted to the foot of the tree in which the Crow was sitting, and looking up admiringly, he cried, “Good-morning, beautiful creature!”

乌鸦把头歪向一边，怀疑地看着狐狸。但她紧紧闭着嘴衔着奶酪，没有理会他的问候。

The Crow, her head cocked on one side, watched the Fox suspiciously. But she kept her beak tightly closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting.

狐狸说：“她是多么迷人的生灵啊！看她的羽毛多么光亮！身材多么优美，翅膀多么漂亮！这么神奇的鸟儿，声音一定也非常好听，因为她身上的其他一切都是那么完美。

“What a charming creature she is!” said the Fox. “How her feathers shine! What a beautiful form and what splendid wings! Such a wonderful Bird should have a very lovely voice, since everything else about her is so perfect.

要是她能唱上一首歌，我知道我一定会尊称她为百鸟之后。”

Could she sing just one song, I know I should hail her Queen of Birds.”

听着这些奉承的话，乌鸦把所有的怀疑都忘了，也把自己的早餐忘得一干二净。她太想被尊称为百鸟之后了。

Listening to these flattering words, the Crow forgot all her suspicion, and also her breakfast. She wanted very much to be called Queen of Birds.

于是她把嘴张得大大的，发出了最大声的鸣叫，奶酪一下子落了下去，正好掉进了狐狸张开的嘴里。

So she opened her beak wide to utter her loudest caw, and down fell the cheese straight into the Fox’s open mouth.

狐狸先生一边走开一边甜甜地说：“谢谢你。虽然声音很沙哑，但你确实能叫出声来。可是你的聪明才智去哪儿了呢？”

“Thank you,” said Master Fox sweetly, as he walked off. “Though it is cracked, you have a voice sure enough. But where are your wits?”

阿谀奉承的人总是靠听信他们的人活着。

The flatterer lives at the expense of those who will listen to him.