摘要：绵羊曾经一度被迫忍受别的动物对它造成的诸多伤害。终于，它来见丘比特，恳求他为自己减轻痛苦。

A Sheep was once forced to submit to much harm from the other animals. He thereforeappeared before Jupiter, and begged him to lessen his misery.

Jupiter appeared willing, and said to the Sheep, " I see plainly, my pious creature, that I havecreated you too defenseless . Now choose how I had best remedy this fault. Shall I arm yourjaws with terrible fangs and your feet with claws?"

绵羊曾经一度被迫忍受别的动物对它造成的诸多伤害。终于，它来见丘比特，恳求他为自己减轻痛苦。

丘比特看上去乐意帮忙，他对绵羊说：“我和清楚，我虔诚的小东西，我创造的你太没有防御能力了。现在你可以选择让我怎样来弥补自己的过失。我让你的上下颚长上尖牙，脚上长出利爪，好吗?”

"O, no! " exclaimed the Sheep, " I will have nothing in common with the beasts of prey."

“噢，不!”绵羊惊叫道，“我不愿意和掠食的野兽有任何相同之处。”

"Or," said Jupiter, " Shall I make your bite poisonous?"

丘比特和绵羊

“要不然，”丘比特说，“让你被咬的动物中毒?”

"Alas!" replied the Sheep, " the poisonous snakes are so sadly detested."

“哎呀!”绵羊回答说，“毒蛇可是让人深恶痛绝的。”

" Well, what shall I do ?Shall I plant horns on your forehead, and give strength to your neck?"

“那么，怎么办呢?我让你的头上长出角来，让你的脖颈变得有劲儿，行吗?”

"Nor that, gracious father; I should then butt like the goat."

“那也不行，我的天父，那样我就会像山羊一样用头去抵撞别人的。”

"At the same time you would be able to injure others, if I gave you the means of defendingyourself."

“一旦我给了你自卫的武器，你就具有了伤害别人的能力。”

"Should I, indeed? " sighed the Sheep. "Oh! Then leave me, merciful father, as I am. For thepower of injuring would, I am fearful, awake the desire of doing so; and it is better to sufferharm, than to inflict it."

“真的会那样吗?”绵羊叹息道，“唉!那么仁慈的天父，你就让我保持原样吧。因为，我担心有了伤害别人的能力，就会引发起那样去做的念头。自己忍受伤害总比给别人造成伤害要好呀。”

Jupiter blessed the pious Sheep, who ceased from that moment his complaints.

丘比特为这只虔诚的绵羊祝福，绵羊此后再也不抱怨了。

孤独的老人

He was a little, wrinkled, all skin and bones, old man and lived all alone. No one knew muchabout him. One day he got a bad cold and he called for a doctor.

他是一个小老头，皮肤皱缩，瘦得皮包骨头，自己一个人住。大家对他都不太了解，有一天，他得了重感冒，请了医生过来。

While the doctor was examining the old man, he asked, "Haven't you a trend who could comein to look after you?" "No, I have no friends--never had any." the old man replied.

给老人检查时，医生问：“你没有朋友来照看你吗?”“没有，我没有朋友——一直都没有。 ”老人回答。

"What you've lived in this village all your life and never had a friend! " ... "Well, I am notashamed to say that I am passed sixty-four years but I never met anyone I could call a friendfor long.

“什么!你在村子里住了一辈子，居然从未有过一个朋友!” “活了64年却没有遇到一个值得长久交往的朋友，我没有什么不好意思地。他们不是这差。 就是那差。 ”

If it isn't one thing wrong with them, it's another" "Come, come our village head mart, Mr. Li, willsurely come to your aid if he knows you are sick I am sure you too know him."

“好啦，好啦!假如我们地村长李先生知道你病了，一定会来帮你地。 你一定知道他吧。 ” “没错， 我认识他，”

Of course, I know him, " replied the old man, "but he is such a bore to hear him talk, you'dimagine the world had nothing in it but his wheat field and how wonderful and healthy his pigsare."

老人回答，“不过，他这个人很讨厌，跟他说话。你会觉得世界上除了他的麦田和他那壮实、健康的猪，就没有别的东西了。 ”

"Then what about Mr.Ma who lives down the road?" "A more selfish fellow l ever came across,though admit he has got a head on him. He has traveled and read many books and he's mightyinteresting to talk to.

“那么在这条街上住的马先生如何呢?”“虽然我承认他有点儿聪明，可他是我见过的最自私地家伙。 他四处旅行。 读过很多书，和他聊天会非常有意思。

He used to come in here a lot at one time. But he would come only when he felt like doing soand he would stay away for long periods of time.

有一段时间，他经常来我这里。不过。 他想来地时候才会来，并且会一连好长时间都不出现。

I don't call that neighborly. "The doctor laughed."You can't bring up anything against Mr. Zhou?Everyone loves him." "You're right," agreed the old man. "

我可不喜欢他这样的邻居。 ” 医生只好笑了笑：“你说什么也不能找出周先生地毛病吧?所有人都喜欢他。 ”“你说地没错，”老人表示认可，

Zhou would live on my doorstep if I let him He's a bit of a wit and rattling good company, buthis noisy tongue makes my poor head ache."

“假如我愿意。 周先生会与我住得很近。 他很聪明，是个很好的伴儿。 可他说起话来地声音吵得我头疼。 ”

"I'm afraid you see so much of your neighbor's failings that you're blind to their virtues. You'rea hard nut to crack, old many anyway, please call me if you need me.

“恐怕是你太注重邻居们地缺点而忽略了他们的优点。 老先生，给您服务可真难!无论如何，假如需要我地时候，你就叫我。

As a doctor I will attend to you regardless whether you like me or not" The doctor remarked ashe took up his bag and hat to leave. The door banged and not a word of "thank you" washeard.

身为一名医生。 无论你喜不喜欢我。 我都会照看你的!” 医生说着就拿起帽子离开了。 门“嘣”的一声就关上了，老人连一句“谢谢”都没说。