A Farmer had just sown a field of wheat, and was keeping a careful watch over it, for numbers of Rooks and starlings kept continually settling on it and eating up the grain. Along with him went his Boy, carrying a sling: and whenever the Farmer asked for the sling the starlings understood what he said and warned the Rooks and they were off in a moment. So the Farmer hit on a trick. “My lad,” said he, “we must get the better of these birds somehow. After this, when I want the sling, I won't say ‘sling,’ but just ‘humph!’ and you must then hand me the sling quickly.” Presently back came the whole flock. “Humph!” said the Farmer; but the starlings took no notice, and he had time to sling several stones among them, hitting one on the head, another in the legs, and another in the wing, before they got out of range. As they made all haste away they met some cranes, who asked them what the matter was. “Matter?” said one of the Rooks, “it's those rascals, men, that are the matter. Don't you go near them. They have a way of saying one thing and meaning another which has just been the death of several of our poor friends.”
有一个农夫刚刚耕种完一片麦子，便很用心地盯着那片地，因为有一群乌鸦和八哥总是落在田中吃种子。他带着儿子一起去，孩子的手里拿着一个弹弓。每一次农夫跟孩子要弹弓，八哥都能够听懂，便会警告乌鸦，然后他们就会立刻飞走。后来农夫发现了其中的秘密，便说：“孩子，我们得想办法制服这些鸟。从此以后，我要是想要弹弓，我不会说弹弓，而是说‘哼’，你就必须立刻把弹弓给我。”一会儿鸟群飞回来了，农夫便说：“哼！”鸟群没有注意，于是他抓住机会，射出了好几块石头，在鸟群飞走之前，打中了一只鸟的头，射中了另一只鸟的腿，还击中一只鸟的翅膀。鸟儿们匆忙逃窜，路上碰到了几只鹳，鹳问他们发生了什么事情。“什么事？”一只乌鸦说，“就是那些杂种，那些人，就是他们！不要靠近他们。他们说一种东西，却指的是另一种东西，他们刚害死了我们好几个可怜的朋友。”