The Fox And The Crow
狐狸与乌鸦
by Aesop
出自《伊索寓言》
One bright morning as the Fox was following his sharp nose through the wood in search of a bite to eat, he saw a Crow on the limb of a tree overhead.
一天早上，天气晴好。一只狐狸正穿行于树林中，一路嗅啊嗅地，想找点吃的，这时候，他注意了头顶树枝上的一只乌鸦。
This was by no means the first Crow the Fox had ever seen.
这当然不可能是这只狐狸生平第一次见到的乌鸦。
What caught his attention this time and made him stop for a second look, was that the lucky Crow held a bit of cheese in her beak.
而这一次，狐狸之所以有了兴趣并停下来仔细瞧瞧，是因为那只乌鸦的嘴里含着一块奶酪。
"No need to search any farther," thought sly Master Fox."Here is a dainty bite for my breakfast."
“不必再去远处觅食了，”狡猾的狐狸大师心想。“我美味的早餐就在这里。”
Up he trotted to the foot of the tree in which the Crow was sitting, and looking up admiringly, he cried, "Good-morning, beautiful creature!"
他一路小跑到乌鸦所在的那棵树下，抬起头十分敬仰地说道：“早上好吖，美丽的小家伙！”
The Crow, her head cocked on one side, watched the Fox suspiciously.
乌鸦抬起头偏向一旁，以怀疑的目光打量着狐狸。
But she kept her beak tightly closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting.
但是她紧紧咬着奶酪，并没有回应狐狸的问候。
"What a charming creature she is!" said the Fox.
“她可真是太令人着迷了！”狐狸说着。
"How her feathers shine! What a beautiful form and what splendid wings! Such a wonderful Bird should have a very lovely voice, since everything else about her is so perfect.
“她的羽毛多么闪耀！她的身材多么苗条！她的两翼多么妖娆！如此美妙的鸟儿想必也有着十分可人的嗓音，因为除此以外有关她的一切都这么的完美。
Could she sing just one song, I know I should hail her Queen of Birds."
要是她能够哼唱一曲，只一曲，我就将拜之为万鸟之王。”
Listening to these flattering words, the Crow forgot all her suspicion, and also her breakfast.
听着这一连串的好话，乌鸦完全放松了警惕，也忘了她口中的早餐。
She wanted very much to be called Queen of Birds.
她太想有人能够叫她一声万鸟之王了。
So she opened her beak wide to utter her loudest caw, and down fell the cheese straight into the Fox's open mouth.
于是，她把嘴张的老大，发出最大的叫声，而那块奶酪就径直掉进了湖里的口中。
"Thank you," said Master Fox sweetly, as he walked off. "Though it is cracked, you have a voice sure enough. But where are your wits?"
“谢谢你，”狐狸大师走的时候温柔地说。“虽然你的嗓音有些沙哑，但好歹你还是能发出声音。只不过，你的智商在哪里呢？”
The flatterer lives at the expense of those who will listen to him.
正所谓：马屁精讲的太好听，而听信者将为此买单。