A Horse, who had been used to carry his rider into battle, felt himself growing old and chose to work in a mill instead. He now no longer found himself stepping out proudly to the beating of the drums, but was compelled to slave away all day grinding the corn. Bewailing his hard lot, he said one day to the Miller, “Ah me! I was once a splendid war-horse, gaily caparisoned, and attended by a groom whose sole duty was to see to my wants. How different is my present condition! I wish I had never given up the battlefield for the mill.” The Miller replied with asperity, “It's no use your regretting the past. Fortune has many ups and downs: you must just take them as they come.”
有一匹战马，曾经驮着骑手上过战场，现在觉得自己老了，便去一个磨坊干活。他现在再也无法随着战鼓的鼓点迈出骄傲的步子，不得不整天像奴隶一样研磨粮食。他为自己的不幸而哀叹，有一天他对磨坊主说：“啊呀！我曾经是一匹出色的战马，披着华丽的马甲，由马夫照顾，他唯一的职责就是满足我的需要。再看我现在的状况，简直是天壤之别。我真希望自己从来都没有离开战场来到磨坊。”磨坊主粗暴地回答说：“你这么惋惜过去可没有什么用。命运有起有落，你必须欣然接受。”