狼和人

 

　　Once upon a time the fox was talking to the wolf about the strength of man,how no animal could withstand him,and how all were obliged to employ cunning in order to protect themselves from him.

 

　　The wolf answered,"If I could see a man just once,I would attack him nonetheless."

 

　　"I can help you to do that,"said the fox."Come to me early tomorrow morning,and I will show you one."

 

　　The wolf arrived on time,and the fox took him out to the path which the huntsman used every day.First an old discharged soldier came by.

 

　　"Is that a man?"asked the wolf.

 

　　"No,"answered the fox."He has been one."

 

　　Afterwards came a little boy on his way to school.

 

　　"Is that a man?"

 

　　"No,he will yet become one."

 

　　Finally a huntsman came by with his double-barreled gun on his back,and a sword at his side.

 

　　The fox said to the wolf,"Look,there comes a man.He is the one you must attack,but I am going back to my den."

 

　　The wolf then charged at the man.

 

　　When the huntsman saw him he said,"Too bad that I have not loaded with a bullet."Then he aimed and fired a load of shot into his face.

 

　　The wolf pulled an awful face,but did not let himself be frightened,and attacked him again,on which the huntsman gave him the second barrel.The wolf swallowed his pain and charged at the huntsman again,who in turn drew out his naked sword,and ggave him a few blows with it left and right,so that,bleeding all over,he ran howling back to the fox.

 

　　"Well,"Brother Wolf,said the fox,"how did you get along with man?"

 

　　"Oh,"replied the wolf,"I never imagined the strength of man to be what it is.First,he took a stick from his shoulder,and blew into it,and then something flew into my face which tickled me terribly.Then he breathed once more into the stick,and it flew up my nose like lightning and hail.Then when I got next to him,he drew a naked rib out of his body,and he beat me so with it that he almost killed me."

 

　　"See what a braggart you are,"said the fox."You throw your hatchet so far that you cannot get it back again."

 

　　從前有只狐貍向狼談起人的力量，說沒有動物能抵擋得了，所以他認為所有動物都必須施展計謀才能保護自己。可狼回答說：“假如我有機會碰到一個人，我就撲上去讓他無法抵擋。”狐貍說：“我可以幫你碰到人啊。明早你早點來我家，我把他指給你看。”

 

　　第二天，狼很早就來了，狐貍帶它來到獵人每天的必經之路。

 

　　他們碰到的第一個人是個退役老兵，狼問：“那是個人嗎?”

 

　　“不是，”狐貍回答，“他以前是。”

 

　　接著他們遇到一個去上學的小男孩。“那是個人嗎?”狼又問。“不是。”

 

　　狐貍回答說，“他將來是。”最后一個獵人朝它們走來，他肩上扛著雙筒獵鎗，腰間還插著一把獵刀，狐貍對狼說：“那個就是人，你該朝他撲過去，我可是要回我洞里去了。”

 

　　於是狼朝獵人沖了過去。獵人一看說：“真可惜我沒裝上子彈，而是散彈。”他瞄準狼的臉開了一槍。狼疼得一陣痙攣，可還是沒被嚇倒，又朝獵人沖了過去。獵人又開了一槍。狼忍著巨痛撲向獵人，沒想到獵人抽出獵刀左右開弓地在狼身上劃了幾道口子。狼鮮血四濺，嚎叫著逃到狐貍那里去了。

 

　　“狼兄弟，”狐貍說，“和人相處怎么樣?”“哈!”狼回答說，“我從沒想到人的力量會這么大!他先是從肩上取下一根棍子，朝里面吹了一口氣，就有甚么東西飛到我臉上，癢得我要命;接著他又吹了一次，就有東西飛到我鼻子周圍，像下了一陣雹子。當我靠近他時，他從身上抽出一根白得發亮的肋骨狠狠地打我，幾乎把我打死在那里。”

 

　　狐貍說：“你這個吹牛大王，誰讓你把話說得太大了，自己連退路都沒有了呢。”