Two Aesop's Fables 伊索寓言

【The Crab and Its Mother】

A CRAB said to her son, "Why do you walk so one-sided, my child? It is far more becoming to go straight forward." The young Crab replied: "Quite true, dear Mother; and if you will show me the straight way, I will promise to walk in it." The Mother tried in vain, and submitted without remonstrance to the reproof of her child.

母蟹對小蟹說：『你不要橫爬，為甚麼不直著走？』他答道：『媽媽，請您親自教我怎樣直走，我將照著你的樣子走。』

Example is more powerful than precept.


【The Two Dogs】

A MAN had two dogs: a Hound, trained to assist him in his sports, and a Housedog, taught to watch the house. When he returned home after a good day's sport, he always gave the Housedog a large share of his spoil. The Hound, feeling much aggrieved at this, reproached his companion, saying, "It is very hard to have all this labor, while you, who do not assist in the chase, luxuriate on the fruits of my exertions." The Housedog replied, "Do not blame me, my friend, but find fault with the master, who has not taught me to labor, but to depend for subsistence on the labor of others."

有個人養了兩隻狗，他馴養一隻狗狩獵，另一隻看家守門。每次獵人帶著獵狗出去打獵，獲得甚麼獵物，總是分給守門狗一些。獵狗對此很不高興，便指責門口狗，說自己每次出去打獵都是四處奔跑，十分辛苦，而他甚麼都沒有做，卻坐享其成。守門狗對獵狗說：『你別怪責我，應該去責怪主人，是他教我不去打獵，坐在家中享受別人勞動的成果。』

Children are not to be blamed for the faults of their parents.