The Members of the Body once rebelled against the Belly. “You,” they said to the Belly, “live in luxury and sloth, and never do a stroke of work; while we not only have to do all the hard work there is to be done, but are actually your slaves and have to minister to all your wants. Now, we will do so no longer, and you can shift for yourself for the future.” They were as good as their word, and left the Belly to starve. The result was just what might have been expected: the whole Body soon began to fail, and the Members and all shared in the general collapse. And then they saw too late how foolish they had been.
有一回，四肢集体对抗肚子，他们对肚子说：“你生活奢侈，却懈怠懒散，什么活都不做，而我们却不仅要做所有困难的工作，而且实际上还是你的奴隶，得满足你的所需。我们现在不愿意再这么做了，你自己好好打算一下未来吧。”他们言出必行，便让肚子饿着。结果很明显：整个身体越来越虚弱，四肢以及其他器官都崩溃了。等他们发现自己的愚蠢的时候为时已晚。