A Nightingale was sitting on a bough of an oak and singing, as her custom was. A hungry Hawk presently spied her, and darting to the spot seized her in his talons. He was just about to tear her in pieces when she begged him to spare her life: “I'm not big enough,” she pleaded, “to make you a good meal: you ought to seek your prey among the bigger birds.” The Hawk eyed her with some contempt. “You must think me very simple,” said he, “if you suppose I am going to give up a certain prize on the chance of a better of which I see at present no signs.”
一只夜莺落在一棵橡树的大树枝上唱歌，她总是如此。没多久，一只饥饿的鹰看到了她，飞过去用鹰爪抓住了她。他要把她撕碎吃掉，夜莺祈求他饶自己一命，她说：“我还不够大，无法让你饱餐一顿，你应该去更大的鸟里面寻找猎物。”鹰轻蔑地看着她：“你肯定以为我头脑简单，才觉得我会为了看不到的更多好处就放弃眼前的一些利益。”