伊索寓言狐貍和山羊
原文： A fox had fallen into a well, and had been casting about for a long time how he should get out again, when at length a goat came to the place, and wanting to drink, asked Reynard whether the water was good, and of there was plenty of it .The fox, dissembling the real danger of his case, replied :"come down, my friend, the water is so good that I can not drink enough of it, and so aboundant that it can not be exhausted ."Upon this the goat without any more ado leaped in, when the fox, taking advantage of his friend's horns, as nimbly leaped out, and coolly remarked to the poor deluded goat :"if you had half as much brains as you have beard, you would have looked before you leaped."
譯文： 壹只狐貍掉在壹口井裏，轉了很久怎樣再跳上去，最後壹只山羊來到這裏，他正想喝水，便問狐貍這水好不好，還多不多，狐貍掩飾起他的真實危險處境，回答說："下來吧，我的朋友，這水好得使我喝不夠，而且多的用不完。"於是山羊立刻跳了井裏，狐貍踩著他朋友的角，敏捷地跳了上去，並且冷淡地對受了騙的可憐的山羊說："如果妳的腦子有妳胡子壹半多，妳就會先思而後行了。" 詞匯： casting about 來回走，想方設法 at length 最後 Reynard 狐貍的通稱 without any more ado 不費吹灰之力 taking advantage of 利用 look before you leap 三思而後行
英語故事12 ：《桃太郎》
《桃太郎》是日本童話故事中最受兒童喜愛的壹篇古老童話。雖然經歷了很多世紀後，故事的講述形式和內容略有變動，但是大多數版本都緊緊地圍繞著同樣的主題：壹對無兒無女的老夫婦意外地在壹顆桃子裏發現了壹個小男孩。這個孩子長大後，立誌去征服邪惡的食人怪。他帶著壹袋老婆婆做的小米餅上路了，途中遇到了壹條狗，壹只猴子和壹只野雞。後來，在這幾個忠實夥伴的幫助下，桃太郎把食人怪打得落花流水，光榮地凱旋故裏。
故事的語言簡短，結構明快，生動塑造了日本的壹個傳奇形象--桃太郎。值得壹提的是，童話在頌揚桃太郎這樣壹個勇敢，機智，善良，強壯人物的同時，也反映了他幼年時的懶惰，從而使這個形象變得豐滿起來。和世界上其他童話相似，該故事中也用豐富的想象，為桃太郎安排了很多得力的助手，從而使故事在壹系列巧合中體現“善良最終戰勝邪惡”的主題。
Once upon a time an old man and woman lived in the mountains. Everyday the old man went to the mountain and collected firewood, while the old woman went to the river and did the laundry. One day, she was doing the washing when a big peach came floating down the river towards her. As it was a big and juicy-looking fruit, she thought that her husband would be glad to eat it so she took it home. When the old man came back for lunch and saw the nice peach, he was really happy. The old woman cut the big peach open with a knife. What a surprise! A lovely little boy was in the peach.
The old man and woman had no children so they were really grateful the gods had sent them a boy in this peach. Since he was born in a peach, they decided to call him Momotaro which means "peach-boy". The old woman cooked a meal for the little boy who ate as much as he could; the more he ate, the more he grew. Soon he became a tall and strong boy.
No matter how tall or strong he was, Momotaro was a lazy boy. Day after day, all he did was sleep and eat. In the village the other boys went to the mountain and picked firewood while Momotaro was the only one doing nothing. This worried the old man and the old woman, so they asked the other boys to try to make Momotaro go and work with them.
The boys then invited him, "Momotaro, would you come with us? We're going to collect firewood."
But he answered, "I haven't a basket, so I can't go with you" and went back to sleep.
The following day, they invited him again, "Momotaro, would you come with us? We're going to collect firewood."
And he answered them, "I haven't any sandals, so I can't go with you" and went back to sleep. Upon hearing this, the old woman got angry with Momotaro for being so lazy, so the next day he went to collect firewood with the other boys.
While the boys were working and collecting firewood, Momotaro took a nap. When the work was finished, the boys decided to go back to the village. Just then, Momotaro awoke and said to them, "I'll collect firewood and come back with you."
They retorted, "If you start working now, we'll get back too late."
Momotaro turned a deaf ear to them and went to a very big tree. Holding it by the middle, he uprooted it. Astonishing! All the boys could not believe their eyes! Thus the tall and strong Momotaro carried the big tree, while the other boys carried bundles of firewood back to the village. The old man and the old woman were amazed when they saw Momotaro carrying this very big tree as if it was a mere bundle of firewood.
The county lord happened to hear about this and wished to meet Momotaro. The next day Momotaro went to see the county lord. The lord said to him, "Ogres have been threatening and robbing my peasants for a long time. If you are as strong as I heard, you shall go and punish them." Momotaro then agreed to go to the Island of Ogres.
For his journey, the old man and woman baked some millet cookies and gave them to Momotaro. Away he went and on his way he met a dog.
"Momotaro, where are you going?" asked the dog.
"To the Island of Ogres, to punish them."
"And what are you bringing with you?"
"The best millet cookies of Japan."
"Can I have one and go with you?" offered the dog. Momotaro gave the dog a cookie and they went along together.
Soon they met a monkey.
"Momotaro, where are you going?" asked the monkey.
"To the Island of Ogres, to punish them."
"And what are you bringing with you?"
"The best millet cookies of Japan."
"Can I have one and go with you?" offered the monkey. Momotaro gave the monkey a cookie and the three of them went along together.
Then they met a pheasant.
"Momotaro, where are you going?" asked the pheasant.
"To the Island of Ogres, to punish them."
"And what are you bringing with you?"
"The best millet cookies of Japan."
"Can I have one and go with you?" offered the pheasant. So Momotaro gave the pheasant a cookie too.
Momotaro, the dog, the monkey and the pheasant went together to the Island of Ogres by boat. They were sailing but could not see the island, so the pheasant went up in the sky. He found the island and guided the boat. Soon they landed on the Island of Ogres. There on the island was a great big castle with a huge door. It was tightly closed, but the monkey jumped easily inside and opened the huge door.
Momotaro entered and said to the ogres, who were having a feast, "My name is Momotaro, and I came to punish you." The ogres laughed at him, but the dog ran in and bit them as Momotaro fought using his sword. Momotaro and his companions, having eaten the best millet cookies of Japan, knew no fear and were strong.
At last the ogres cried for mercy, "We shall never be bad again, please spare our lives."
The defeated ogres gave Momotaro their treasure. He took it and returned with his companions, who had eaten the best millet cookies of Japan and helped defeat the ogres. The old man and the old woman, who had been worrying about Momotaro, welcomed them back cheerfully.
After that Momotaro and the old man and woman lived happily together.
很久很久以前,壹個地方住著老爺爺和老奶奶.通常,爺爺上山砍柴,奶奶去河邊洗衣服.壹天,奶奶洗衣服時,壹個大桃子壹沈壹浮地順水漂來.看到了這個桃子,奶奶就把它帶回了家,想讓爺爺嘗個鮮.吃中午飯時,爺爺從山裏回來了,看到了這個桃子後歡喜得不得了.兩個人剛剛將桃子切開,不由得嚇了壹大跳,原來呀,壹個活蹦亂眺的小男孩從桃子裏面跳了出來.
爺爺和奶奶沒有孩子,於是歡天喜地地認為孩子是天賜的,就把他叫做"桃太郎", 奶奶做好了飯給他吃,盡管桃太郎有點兒害怕,但仍然吃得很香甜.於是,桃太郎漸漸地長大了.
桃太郎不停地吃,不停地長,變成了壹個大力士,同時也是壹個大懶漢.每天的任務只是吃了睡,睡了吃.村裏的.年輕人每日上山撿柴,可桃太郎卻什麽活也不幹.爺爺和奶奶挺擔心的,就拜托村裏年輕人說:"叫上桃太郎壹起去吧."當他們來找桃太郎壹起上山並說:"桃太郎,壹塊兒打柴去吧"時,他卻推說:"沒有背簍,去不成啊."說完後,繼續睡午覺.第二天,這些年輕人又來邀桃太郎,他推諉道:"沒鞋,去不了哇."又過了壹天,奶奶終於忍不住生氣了,沒有辦法,桃太郎不得不和村裏的年輕人們壹起上山了.
大家在山裏拾柴,桃太郎卻只是睡大覺.等到大家收拾好柴簍要回家時,桃太郎說:"我也想拾點兒柴,然後壹起回去吧."大家說:"天色都已經不早了,來不及了."就在這時, 桃太郎抓住了壹棵大樹,突然間將它拔了出來,把大家嚇了壹大跳.於是,他扛著大樹和大夥返回了村裏.見到了這種情況,爺爺和奶奶非常吃驚.這事傳到了大人的耳朵裏,大人萌生了特別想見桃太郎的念頭.見了面,大人說:"前壹陣兒總有壞魔鬼騷擾村民,偷盜各種物品器具.因為妳很有力氣,那麽請妳去征服魔鬼吧."因此,桃太郎伏鬼這件事就這麽定了.
爺爺和奶奶作好了黃米面團給桃太郎帶上.就這樣他出發了.途中他遇到了壹條狗, 狗問他,:
"桃太郎,妳這是去哪兒呀."
"魔鬼要去島上,我正要去除鬼."
"那妳腰間掛的是什麽呢?"
"最最好吃的黃米面團."
"給我壹個好嗎,我和妳壹起去",狗說.
於是桃太郎給了狗壹個黃米面團.
和狗壹起繼續行進時,又遇到了壹只猴子,猴子問:"桃太郎,妳這是去哪兒呀."
"魔鬼要去島上,我去除鬼."
"那妳腰間掛的是什麽呢?"
"最最好吃的黃米面團."
"給我壹個吧,我和妳們壹塊兒去",猴子說.
桃太郎又給了猴子壹個黃米面團.
於是,桃太郎帶著狗和猴子繼續趕路了.這回跳出來壹只野雞.同樣地,野雞問他:
"桃太郎,妳這是去哪兒呀."
"魔鬼要去島上,我去除鬼."
"妳腰間掛著的是什麽呀?"
"最最好吃的黃米面團."
"給我壹個吧,我和妳們壹塊兒去."
這樣,桃太郎又給了野雞壹個黃米面團. 桃太郎,狗,猴子,野雞好不容易才到了海邊,因為魔鬼們已經去了島上,他們就劃船向海島出發了.搖啊搖,搖啊搖,怎麽也看不到那個島嶼.野雞就飛到了空中,觀察到了島嶼的位置,指揮著大家向那個地方劃去,這樣,大家到達了島上.島上有壹座大城,城門緊閉, 猴子敏捷地爬到了門裏,將門栓摘掉,把門打開了.而魔鬼們仍壹無所知地又是喝酒又是唱歌.桃太郎大聲喝道:"我乃桃太郎是也,前來消除妳們.
"魔鬼們見他們勢單力薄,並不把他們放在眼裏.但是,吃了最最好吃的黃米面團後精力充沛的桃太郎和夥伴們並肩作戰, 瞬間就把魔鬼們打得落花流水.
魔鬼們賠罪說:"我們歸還搶盜來的寶物,決不再做壞事了,給我們留壹條活路吧." 懲治了魔鬼後,桃太郎和夥伴們帶著寶物回到了村裏.正擔驚受怕的爺爺和奶奶見狀非常高興.從那以後,桃太郎與爺爺和奶奶壹直過著幸福愉快的生活.
伊索寓言守財奴
原文： A Miser, to make sure of his property, sold all that he had had converted it into a great lump of gold, which he hid in a hole in the ground, and went continually to visit and inspect it. This roused the curiosity of one of his workmen, who, suspecting that there was a treasure, when his master's back was turned went to the spot and stole it away. When the Miser returned and found the place empty, he wept and tore his hair. But a neighbor who saw him in this extravagant grief, and learned the cause of it, said: "Fret thyself no longer, but take a stone and put it in the same place, and think that it is your lump of gold; for, as you never meant to use it, the one will do you as much gold as the other." The worth of money is not in its possession, but in its use.
譯文： 壹個守財奴，為了確保他的財產，賣掉所有家當換成了壹大塊金子，埋在壹個地洞裏，並且不時地去查看，這引起了手下壹個雇工的好奇。雇工猜測那裏肯定有寶貝，趁主人離開之際，他來到埋藏地點，把金子偷走了。當守財奴回來發現金子不翼而飛，便痛哭流涕，亂撮頭發。壹個鄰人見狀問明原由後說“妳也別太痛苦了，拿壹塊石頭再埋在原地，就當是那塊金子好了，因為既然妳永遠不想用它，那麽兩者不是壹回事嗎”。 金錢的價值不在於擁有，而在於使用。
詞匯： extravagant 過分的 thyself = yourself
伊索寓言狐貍和葡萄
原文： A Fox, just at the time of the vintage, stole into a vine-yard where the ripe sunny Grapes were trellised up on high in most tempting show. He made many a spring and a jump after the luscious prize, but, failing in all his attempts, he muttered as he retreated："Well what does it matter! The Grapes are sour!"
譯文： 正當葡萄熟了的時候，壹只狐貍偷偷地溜進了葡萄園。葡萄架上高高地掛著亮晶晶的、熟透了的葡萄，顯得十分誘人。他跳了好幾跳，蹦了好幾蹦，想吃到這甘美的葡萄，但是他的企圖全落空了，走開的時候，他自言自語說："得了！這有什麽！這葡萄是酸的。"
詞匯： trellised up 用棚架支撐著 in most tempting show 最誘人的樣子
伊索寓言虛榮的八哥
原文： A jackdaw, as vain and conceited as jackdaw could be, picked up the feathers which some peacocks had shed, stuck them amongst his own, and despising his old companions, introduced himself with the greatest assurance into a flock of those beautiful birds .They, instantly detecting the intruder, stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and falling upon him with their beaks sent him about his business .The unlucky jackdaw, sorely punished and deeply sorrowing, betook himself to his former companions, and would have flocked with them again as if nothing had happened .But they, recollecting what airs he had given himself, drummed him out of their society, while one of those whom he had so lately despised, read him this lecture ："Had you been contented with what nature made you, you would have escaped the chastisement of you r betters and also the contempt of you r equals。”
譯文： 壹只自負到極點的八哥鳥，撿起了壹些孔雀脫落下來的羽毛，插在自己的羽毛中，於是就看不起自己的老夥伴了，滿懷信心地走到了那些美麗的鳥群中。他們立刻發覺了這個闖進來的家夥，拔掉了他身上撿來的羽毛，並且用嘴啄他，把他趕了出去，不幸的八哥受到了嚴重的懲罰，感到非常難過，於是又去投奔自己的老夥伴，滿想若無其事地又和他們混在壹起，但是他們想起了過去他那副驕傲自大的神氣就把他從隊伍中轟了出來，不久以前曾受過他輕視的壹個夥伴教訓他說："如果妳過去滿足於妳自己的天生模樣，妳就不會受到比妳美的人的懲罰，也不會受到跟妳相同的人的鄙視了。" 詞匯： vain 虛榮的，徒勞的 jackdaw 八哥，寒鴉 peacock 孔雀 with the greatest assurance 滿懷信心地 falling upon 攻擊 sent him about his business 把他趕出去 drummed...out 逐出 read him this lecture 教訓他 chastisement 懲罰
伊索寓言口渴的烏鴉
原文： A crow, ready to die with thirst, flew with joy to a pitcher which he saw at a distance. But when he came up to it, he found the water so low that with all his stooping and straining he was unable to reach it. Thereupon he tried to bread the pitcher, then to overturn it, seeing some small pebbles at hand, he dropped a great many of them, one by one, into the pitcher, and so raised the water to the brim, and quenched his thirst. Skill and patience will succeed where force fails necessity is the mother of invention.
譯文： 壹只快渴死的烏鴉，遠遠地看見壹只水壺，就高興地飛了過去，但是當他飛到的時候發現壺裏的水淺得怎麽用力彎腰伸頸也夠不著，於是他試著把水壺打破，又試著把他推倒。但是力量不足，都做不到，最後看見近邊有許多小石子，他壹個個地把很多石子丟進了水壺，這樣使水上升到壺口，就解了渴。在體力做不到的時候，技巧和耐心會幫助人成功，需要是發明之母。 詞匯： with all his stooping and straining 用盡壹切力量彎腰伸頸