有一次,猴子在动物大聚会时跳起舞来,赢得了大家的好感,故而被选为动物之王。然而,孤狸十分嫉妒猴子当选为王。有一天,当他发现一个捕兽夹子里有一块肉时,便把猴子带过去说:“我发现这里有些好吃的东西,陛下,但是我没敢动用,因为我认为应该留给国王享用。您能亲自去取吗?”猴子立刻跑过去拿,结果却被夹子夹住了。他斥责狐狸陷害他,而狐狸却笑着说:“猴子,你这种笨蛋竟然还想做万兽之王!”
新梦想提供的这篇猴子当国王的寓言告诉我们,在任何时候都不能骄傲,否则就会落到像猴子一样的下场。
THE MONKEY AS KING
At a gathering of all the animals the Monkey danced and delighted them SO much that they made him their King.The Fox,however.was very much disgusted at the promotion of the Monkey:SO having one day found a trap with apiece ofmeatinit,hetooktheMonkeythere and saidto him,“Here is a dainty morsel I have found,sire;I did not take it myself,because l thought it oughtto be reserved for you,our King.Will you be pleased to accept it?’’The Monkey made at once for the meat and got caught in the trap.Then he bitterly reproached the Fox for leading him into danger;but the Fox only laughed and said,“O Monkey,you call yourself King of the Beasts and haven’t more sense than tn he taken in like thatf”