26捕鸟人、山鹑和公鸡-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《伊索寓言(精选)Aesop'sFables(Selections)》

Aesops Fables (Selections) 二六捕鸟人、山鹑和公鸡 捕鸟人刚要坐下来吃晚饭，一个朋友忽然不期而至。捕鸟人因为当天一 无所获，捕网是空的，就决定杀一只花斑山鹑来款待客人。这山鹑本是他驯 养熟了，用来诱捕猎物的。山鹑苦苦恳求捕鸟人饶自己一命：“没有了我， 你下次张开网，靠什么来捕鸟呢？谁来唱歌伴你入睡？谁来为你把鸟儿引出 来？”捕鸟人听了，就放开了山鹑，去抓一只漂亮的刚长出冠子的年轻公鸡。 谁知那公鸡用最诚悬的语气说道：“如果你杀了我，谁来向你宣告黎明的到 来？谁唤醒你去干一天的工作？谁在早上告诉你该去查看捕鸟网了？”捕鸟 人答道：“你说得不错，你是一只报时的鸟。但我和我的朋友总得吃晚饭 啊” 迫不得已时，顾不上讲理 fiiHAFe 0 ·038· 伊索寓言（精选） XXVI The Birdcatcher,the Partridge,and the Cock A Birdcatcher was about to sit down to a dinner of herbs when a friend unexpectedly came in.The bird-trap was quite empty,as he had caught nothing,and he had to kill a pied Partridge,which he had tamed2 for a decoy3.The bird entreated earnestly for his life:"What would you do without me when next you spread your nets?Who would chirp you to sleep,or call for you the covey of answering birds?"The Birdcatcher spared his life,and determined to pick out a fine young Cock just attaining to his comb.But the Cock expostulated in piteous tones from his perch:"If you kill me,who will announce to you the appearance of the dawn?Who will wake you to your daily tasks or tell you when it is time to visit the bird-trap in the morning?" He replied,"What you say is true.You are a capital bird at telling the time of day.But my friend and I must have our dinners." Necessity knows no law. ①unexpectedly /Aniks'pektidli/amd.未料到地，意外地 2 tame /teim/.W养，使…驯服 ③decoy /di'ki/.引诱 ④entreat /in'tri:t/n.恳求，乞求 5 pick out挑出 expostulate /iks'postjuleit/.(对人或行为的抗议，告诚 ⑦piteous piti3s/a哀怨的，可怜的 ·039·