双语·《伊索寓言》 奴隶和狮子

THE SLAVE AND THE LION

A Slave ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the desert. As he wandered about in search of food and shelter, he came to a cave, which he entered and found to be unoccupied. Really, however, it was a Lion's den, and almost immediately, to the horror of the wretched fugitive, the Lion himself appeared. The man gave himself up for lost: but, to his utter astonishment, the Lion, instead of springing upon him and devouring him, came and fawned upon him, at the same time whining and lifting up his paw. Observing it to be much swollen and inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the ball of the foot. He accordingly removed it and dressed the wound as well as he could: and in course of time it healed up completely. The Lion's gratitude was unbounded; he looked upon the man as his friend, and they shared the cave for some time together. A day came, however, when the Slave began to long for the society of his fellow-men, and he bade farewell to the Lion and returned to the town. Here he was presently recognised and carried off in chains to his former master, who resolved to make an example of him, and ordered that he should be thrown to the beasts at the next public spectacle in the theatre. On the fatal day the beasts were loosed into the arena, and among the rest a Lion of huge bulk and ferocious aspect; and then the wretched Slave was cast in among them. What was the amazement of the spectators, when the Lion after one glance bounded up to him and lay down at his feet with every expression of affection and delight! It was his old friend of the cave! The audience clamoured that the Slave's life should be spared: and the governor of the town, marvelling at such gratitude and fidelity in a beast, decreed that both should receive their liberty.

奴隶和狮子

有一个奴隶，因一直遭到主人的残酷虐待，从主人身边逃走了。为了躲避追捕，他逃到了大沙漠中。他四处寻找食物和隐蔽之所，后来发现了一个山洞，进去一看，里面并没有人。然而，实际上，这是一只狮子的洞穴。不一会儿，狮子便现身了，将这可怜的逃奴吓了一大跳。奴隶认为自己小命休矣，准备听天由命，但令他大吃一惊的是，狮子并没有跳过来扑向他把他吞掉，而是走过来开始讨好他，举着爪子呜呜哀叫。奴隶发现狮子的爪子红肿发炎，于是仔细地检查了一下，发现狮子脚掌当中扎了一根荆棘。他便帮狮子把这刺拔了出来，尽可能地包扎好了伤口。后来狮子的伤口彻底痊愈了，他对逃奴感激至深，将这个人视作自己的朋友，和他共用这个山洞。不过，有一天，逃奴又开始渴望起人类的朋友来，于是他作别狮子，回到了城里。一到城里，他就被认出来并被捆绑着送到他从前的主人面前。主人决定狠狠惩罚他以儆效尤，宣布在下一次斗兽场的开放日，将他丢去喂野兽。到了那天，野兽都被放进了斗兽场中，其中有一只狮子，身形硕大，外表吓人。可怜的逃奴被丢到了野兽群中。而令观众们大吃一惊的是，狮子抬头看了逃奴一眼，便一跃过去，卧在了逃奴脚下，全身上下都透着喜悦和快乐。他就是逃奴在山洞中的老朋友！观众们大声嚷嚷，认为奴隶的罪应该被赦免。城市的总督也因这只动物身上展现出来的感激和忠诚而大为惊叹，判决那只狮子和那个奴隶都应该重获自由。