The Hare and the Partridge

Never mock at other people's misfortune; for you cannot tell how soon you yourself may be unhappy. Aesop the sage has given us one or two examples of this truth, and I am going to tell you of a similar one now.

永远不要嘲笑别人的不幸；因为你不知道自己什么时候也会陷入不幸之中。智者伊索已经给我们讲过一两个这样的例子，现在我要给你们讲一个类似的故事。

A hare and a partridge were living as fellow-citizens very peacefully in a field, when a pack of hounds making an onset obliged the hare to seek refuge. He rushed into his form and succeeded in putting the hounds at fault. But here the scent from his over-heated body betrayed him. Towler, philosophising, concluded that this scent came from his hare, and with admirable zeal routed him out. Then old Trusty, who never is at fault, proclaimed that the hare was gone away. The poor unfortunate creature at last died in his form.

一只野兔和一只鹧鸪本是和睦相处的邻居，同住在一片田野里，一天，一群猎犬突然扑来，野兔不得不寻找藏身之处。它冲进自己的巢穴，成功地让猎犬们扑了个空。可是它那发热的身体散发出的气味却出卖了它。托勒犬凭直觉推断这气味来自那只野兔，便热心地把它赶了出来。老实可靠的特拉斯蒂犬从不出错，也宣称野兔已经逃走了。这只可怜倒霉的动物最终死在了自己的窝里。

The partridge, his companion, thought fit to soothe his last moments with some scoffing remarks upon his fate. "You boasted of being so swift," she said "What has come to your feet, then?"

它的同伴鹧鸪，觉得应该用几句嘲讽的话来“安慰”它临终的时刻。“你不是自夸跑得快吗？”它说，“你的脚这会儿是怎么了？”

But even as she was chuckling her own turn came. Secure in the belief that her wings would save her whatever happened, she did not reckon upon the cruel talons of the hawk.

可就在她窃笑之时，报应也落到了她自己头上。她自以为无论发生什么，翅膀总能救她一命，却没有料到那只老鹰的利爪正等着她。