牛和屠夫 The Oxen and the Butchers

 

    THE OXEN once upon a time sought to destroy the Butchers, who practiced a trade destructive to their race.  They assembled on a certain day to carry out their purpose, and sharpened their horns for the contest.  But one of them who was exceedingly old (for many a field had he plowed) thus spoke:  "These Butchers, it is true, slaughter us, but they do so with skillful hands, and with no unnecessary pain.  If we get rid of them, we shall fall into the hands of unskillful operators, and thus suffer a double death:  for you may be assured, that though all the Butchers should perish, yet will men never want beef."  

     Do not be in a hurry to change one evil for another. 

     有一天，许多牛想杀死宰牛的屠夫，因为屠夫从事屠杀他们的职业。他们聚集在一起，商讨办法，磨砺他们的角，准备战斗。有一头耕过许多田地的老牛说：“屠夫们确实宰杀我们，但他们是用精巧的手艺来杀我们，减少了我们的痛苦。如果没有这些手艺高明的屠夫，而让其他人来宰杀，我们便更加痛苦了。你们要知道，虽然屠夫可以杀死，但人们总是要吃牛肉的。”

     这是说如果灾难和死亡是不可避免时，就要勇敢地面对它，与其痛苦而死，不如痛快而死。