双语·《伊索寓言》 驴和货品

THE ASS AND HIS BURDENS

A Pedlar who owned an Ass one day bought a quantity of salt, and loaded up his beast with as much as he could bear. On the way home the Ass stumbled as he was crossing a stream and fell into the water. The salt got thoroughly wetted and much of it melted and drained away, so that, when he got on his legs again, the Ass found his load had become much less heavy. His master, however, drove him back to town and bought more salt, which he added to what remained in the panniers, and started out again. No sooner had they reached a stream than the Ass lay down in it, and rose, as before, with a much lighter load. But his master detected the trick, and turning back once more, bought a large number of sponges, and piled them on the back of the Ass. When they came to the stream the Ass again lay down: but this time, as the sponges soaked up large quantities of water, he found, when he got up on his legs, that he had a bigger burden to carry than ever.

You may play a good card once too often.

驴和货品

有一个小贩，他有一头驴。有一天他购进了一些盐，依据驴的负担能力，将最大量的盐放在了驴背上。回家路上，他们要涉过一条小溪，驴脚下不稳，摔进了水里。盐整个儿被水浸湿，大部分都溶化掉了，所以，驴重新站稳的时候，发现负担轻了好多。不过他的主人赶着他回了城里，又买了一些盐。小贩把盐放入箩筐，再度出发。他们一到小溪，驴就故意躺进溪水中，等起来时，和上次一样，负担又轻了许多。主人察觉到了他的把戏，于是赶着驴又回到了城里，这次买了好多海绵，放在了驴的背上。等他们第三次来到小溪，驴又故意躺下，而这次，海绵吸收了大量的水分，等驴站起来的时候，发现背上的负重增加了很多。

训诫：便宜不要多占。