《狐狸和鹳》

《狐狸和鹳》

The Fox and the Stork

有一天，狐狸总笑话鹳奇怪的长相，想出了一个捉弄他来找乐子的主意。

The Fox one day thought of a plan to amuse himself at the expense of the Stork, at whose odd appearance he was always laughing.

“今天你一定要来我家吃晚饭，”他对鹳说，一边想着自己要耍的花招，一边偷偷发笑。鹳高兴地接受了邀请，按时到了，而且胃口很好。

“You must come and dine with me today,” he said to the Stork, smiling to himself at the trick he was going to play. The Stork gladly accepted the invitation and arrived in good time and with a very good appetite.

吃晚饭时，狐狸端上了汤。可是汤盛在一个很浅的盘子里，鹳只能碰到嘴尖的一点点，连一滴汤也喝不到。

For dinner the Fox served soup. But it was set out in a very shallow dish, and all the Stork could do was to wet the very tip of his bill. Not a drop of soup could he get.

但狐狸轻轻松松就舔光了。为了让鹳更加失望，狐狸还装出一副津津有味、非常享受的样子。

But the Fox lapped it up easily, and, to increase the disappointment of the Stork, made a great show of enjoyment.

饿着肚子的鹳对这个捉弄很不高兴，但他脾气平和冷静，觉得大发脾气没什么用。过了不久，他反而也回请狐狸来吃晚饭。

The hungry Stork was much displeased at the trick, but he was a calm, even-tempered fellow and saw no good in flying into a rage. Instead, not long afterward, he invited the Fox to dine with him in turn.

狐狸在约好的时间准时到了。鹳端上了鱼肉晚餐，闻起来非常香。可是食物装在一个细颈的高罐子里。

The Fox arrived promptly at the time that had been set, and the Stork served a fish dinner that had a very appetizing smell. But it was served in a tall jar with a very narrow neck.

鹳用长嘴很轻松就能吃到食物，但狐狸只能舔舔罐子外面，闻闻诱人的香味。当狐狸忍不住发脾气时，鹳平静地说：

The Stork could easily get at the food with his long bill, but all the Fox could do was to lick the outside of the jar, and sniff at the delicious odor. And when the Fox lost his temper, the Stork said calmly:

“要是你自己受不了同样的对待，就别去捉弄邻居。”

Do not play tricks on your neighbors unless you can stand the same treatment yourself.