那些给我智慧和勇气的寓言故事40：丘比特和绵羊

A Sheep was once forced to submit to much harm from the other animals. He therefore appeared before Jupiter, and begged him to lessen his misery.

绵羊曾经一度被迫忍受别的动物对它造成的诸多伤害。终于，它来见丘比特，恳求他为自己减轻痛苦。

Jupiter appeared willing, and said to the Sheep, " I see plainly, my pious creature, that I have created you too defenseless . Now choose how I had best remedy this fault. Shall I arm your jaws with terrible fangs and your feet with claws?"

丘比特看上去乐意帮忙，他对绵羊说：“我和清楚，我虔诚的小东西，我创造的你太没有防御能力了。现在你可以选择让我怎样来弥补自己的过失。我让你的上下颚长上尖牙，脚上长出利爪，好吗?”

"O, no! " exclaimed the Sheep, " I will have nothing in common with the beasts of prey."

“噢，不!”绵羊惊叫道，“我不愿意和掠食的野兽有任何相同之处。”

"Or," said Jupiter, " Shall I make your bite poisonous?"

“要不然，”丘比特说，“让你被咬的动物中毒?”

"Alas!" replied the Sheep, " the poisonous snakes are so sadly detested."

“哎呀!”绵羊回答说，“毒蛇可是让人深恶痛绝的。”

" Well, what shall I do ?Shall I plant horns on your forehead, and give strength to your neck?"

“那么，怎么办呢?我让你的头上长出角来，让你的脖颈变得有劲儿，行吗?”

"Nor that, gracious father; I should then butt like the goat."

“那也不行，我的天父，那样我就会像山羊一样用头去抵撞别人的。”

"At the same time you would be able to injure others, if I gave you the means of defending yourself."

“一旦我给了你自卫的武器，你就具有了伤害别人的能力。”

"Should I, indeed? " sighed the Sheep. "Oh! Then leave me, merciful father, as I am. For the power of injuring would, I am fearful, awake the desire of doing so; and it is better to suffer harm, than to inflict it."

“真的会那样吗?”绵羊叹息道，“唉!那么仁慈的天父，你就让我保持原样吧。因为，我担心有了伤害别人的能力，就会引发起那样去做的念头。自己忍受伤害总比给别人造成伤害要好呀。”

Jupiter blessed the pious Sheep, who ceased from that moment his complaints.

丘比特为这只虔诚的绵羊祝福，绵羊此后再也不抱怨了。