伊索寓言英文小故事
寓言是民間口頭創作，至今儲存了許多當時流行的`優秀寓言。
蝙蝠和鼠狼
bat falling upon the ground was caught by a weasel, ofwhom he earnestly besought his life. the weasel refused,saying, that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. thebat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, andthus saved his life.
shortly afterwards the bat again fellon the ground, and was carght by another weasel, whom helikewise entreated not to eat him. the weasel said that hehad a special hostility to mice. the bat assured him thathe was not a mouse, but a bat; and thus a second timeescaped.it is wise to turn circumstances to good account.
一隻蝙蝠墜落到地面上來，被一隻鼠狼捉住了，蝙蝠哀求討饒。鼠狼不答應，說它自己最愛和鳥類為敵。蝙蝠便證明它自己不是鳥，只是一隻老鼠，因此鼠狼就放了它。
不久這隻蝙蝠又墜落到地上來，被另一隻鼠狼捉住，它同樣地哀求討饒。那鼠狼說它自己最恨老鼠，蝙蝠證明自己並不是老鼠，而是一隻蝙蝠;因此，它第二次又安然地逃離危險了。隨機應變乃聰明之舉。
驢和蚱蜢
Ass having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food they lived on, to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, "The dew." The Ass resolved that he would only live upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.
一隻驢聽到幾隻蚱蜢在叫，便覺得很有趣;於是也想得到同樣有趣的音調，便問蚱蜢吃什麼東西過活，以致於能有這樣優美的聲音。蚱蜢說：「露水。」驢子聽了，從此以後也單吃露水過活，不久便餓死了。
獅和鼠
lion was awakened from sleep by a mouse running over his face. rising up in anger, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the mouse piteously entreated, saying: "if you would only spare my life, i would be sure to repay your kindness." the lion laughed and let him go.
it happened shortly after this that the lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. the mouse, recognizing his roar, came up, and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and setting him free, exclaimed: "you ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favour; but now you know that it is possible for even a mouse to confer benefits on a lion."
一隻老鼠從一隻獅子面前跑過去，將它從夢中吵醒。獅子生氣地跳起來，捉住老鼠，要弄死它。老鼠哀求說：「只要你肯饒恕我這條小生命，我將來一定會報答你的大恩。」獅子便笑著放了它。
狼和鸛雀
Wolf, having a bone stuck in his throat, hired a Crane, for a large sum, to put her head into his throat, and draw out the bone. When the Crane had extracted the bone, and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you have surely already a sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out your head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf."
一隻狼喉嚨鯁了一根骨頭，便用很多錢去僱請一隻鸛雀，將頭伸進他的喉嚨中，把那塊骨頭取出來。當鸛雀拔出那塊骨頭，向他索取約定的報酬，狼卻呲牙咧齒地說：「怎麼?允許你的頭從一隻狼的嘴巴和牙床中安全地伸出來，已經是莫大的報酬了。」為惡人效勞，不要希望得到報酬;要是能避免傷害，已經是萬幸了。