
The Widow And The Sheep
寡妇和羊
有一个穷苦的寡妇,只养着一只羊。 到了剪羊毛的时候,她想取它的毛,又不愿花钱雇用人。她就自己动手来剪,但是使用剪刀的手法很不灵活,竟连毛带肉都剪下来了。
The Sheep, writhing with pain, said, "Why do you hurt me so, Mistress? What weight can my blood add to the wool? If you want my flesh, there is the butcher, who will kill me in a trice; but if you want my fleece and wool, there is the shearer, who will shear and not hurt me."
那只羊痛得挣扎着说:”奶奶,你为什么这样地伤害我呢? 我的血能使羊毛的重量增加多少呀? 如果你要我的肉,有屠户,他能将我在顷刻间就杀死的;如果你要我的毛,有剪毛匠,他会剪下我的毛,而不致于让我痛苦。“
The least outlay is not always the greatest gain.
最少的费用,并不常得到最大的利益。