An Old Woman became almost totally blind from a disease of the eyes，and，after consulting a Doctor，made an agreement with him in the presence of witnesses that she should pay him a high fee if he cured her，while if he failed he was to receive nothing.The Doctor accordingly prescribed a course of treatment，and every time he paid her a visit he took away with him some article out of the house，until at last，when he visited her for the last time，and the cure was complete，there was nothing left.When the Old Woman saw that the house was empty she refused to pay him his fee；and，after repeated refusals on her part，he sued her before the magistrates for payment of her debt.On being brought into court she was ready with her defense.“The claimant，”said she，“has stated the facts about our agreement correctly.I undertook to pay him a fee if he cured me，and he，on his part，promised to charge nothing if he failed.Now，he says I am cured；but I say that I am blinder than ever，and I can prove what I say.When my eyes were bad I could at any rate see well enough to be aware that my house contained a certain amount of furniture and other things；but now，when according to him I am cured，I am entirely unable to see anything there at all.”
｛中文阅读｝
有个老太婆，几乎因为眼疾而失明了，在咨询过医生之后，他们达成了协议——如果医生能治好她的病，她将支付高额费用；如果医生治不好她的病，她就分文不给。根据疗程计划，医生定期来她家里进行治疗，而且，每次来时总会顺手牵羊地偷走一些物品。终于，当他来做最后一次治疗时，老太婆家里的东西已经所剩无几了。虽然眼疾治好了，但是看到家里空荡荡的，老太婆便拒绝支付医疗费，几次三番地拒付之后，医生便起诉了老太婆，让法官帮他追讨欠款。被带到法官那里时，老太婆已经准备好为自己辩护了。她说：“原告的确如实地陈述了我们之间的协议，我曾经许诺过，如果他能治好我的病，就会支付给他治疗费，而且，他也曾应允过我，如果治不好我的病，就分文不取。现在，他说我已经痊愈了，可是我认为我的眼睛比以前更瞎了，就此而言，我完全能证明情况属实。以前，当我的视力下降之后，尚且能看见家里的一些家具和物品，可是现在，当医生说我已经痊愈时，我却看不见任何东西了。”
THE MOON AND HER MOTHER
月亮和妈妈
The Moon once begged her Mother to make her a gown.“How can I？”replied she；“there’s no ？tting your ？gure.At one time you’re a New Moon，and at another you’re a Full Moon；and between whiles you’re neither one nor the other.”
｛中文阅读｝
有一次，月亮祈求妈妈给她做一件长袍。“怎么做呀？”妈妈回答说，“根本没有适合你的尺寸呀。你有时是新月，有时又是满月，而且你时常变化着。”
MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN
墨丘利和樵夫
A Woodman was felling a tree on the bank of a river，when his axe，glancing off the trunk，？ew out of his hands and fell into the water.As he stood by the water’s edge lamenting his loss，Mercury appeared and asked him the reason for his grief；and on learning what had happened，out of pity for his distress he dived into the river and，bringing up a golden axe，asked him if that was the one he had lost.The Woodman replied that it was not，and Mercury then dived a second time，and，bringing up a silver axe，asked if that was his.“No，that is not mine either，”said the Woodman.Once more Mercury dived into the river，and brought up the missing axe.The Woodman was overjoyed at recovering his property，and thanked his benefactor warmly；and the latter was so pleased with his honesty that he made him a present of the other two axes.When the Woodman told the story to his companions，one of these was ？lled with envy of his good fortune and determined to try his luck for himself.So he went and began to fell a tree at the edge of the river，and presently contrived to let his axe drop into the water.Mercury appeared as before，and，on learning that his axe had fallen in，he dived and brought up a golden axe，as he had done on the previous occasion.Without waiting to be asked whether it was his or not the fellow cried，“That’s mine，that’s mine，”and stretched out his hand eagerly for the prize：but Mercury was so disgusted at his dishonesty that he not onlydeclined to give him the golden axe，but also refused to recover for himthe one he had let fall into the stream.
Honesty is the best policy.
｛中文阅读｝
有一个樵夫正在河边砍树，突然，就在他将斧子抽离树干的一刹那，斧子从他的手中滑落，掉进了水里。他站在水边悲叹那丢失了的斧子时，墨丘利出现了，问他为什么如此伤心。问清缘由之后，出于对樵夫的同情，墨丘利跳进河里，举起一把金灿灿的斧子问他，这是不是他丢失了的那一把。樵夫说这不是他丢的。于是，墨丘利又跳进河中，捞起一把银光闪闪的斧子，问他是不是这一把。“不是，这也不是我丢的。”樵夫回答道。墨丘利再一次跳进河里，捞起那把樵夫真正丢失了的斧子。看到失而复得的斧子，樵夫喜出望外，对墨丘利感激万分。然而，墨丘利也很赞赏樵夫的忠厚老实，就将另外两把斧子作为礼物送给了他。樵夫把自己的经历讲给同伴听，其中一个人十分羡慕他的好运气，决定也去碰一碰运气。于是，他也来到河畔砍树，并故意将自己的斧子丢入河中。墨丘利像以前一样出现了，知道樵夫的斧子落入水中之后，他像上次一样跳进河里捞起一把金斧子。还没等到墨丘利开口问他，这个人就大喊道：“是我的，这就是我的斧子。”并且迫切地伸手想去拿那把斧子，但墨丘利对他的不诚实很气愤，不仅拒绝把金斧子送给他，而且还拒绝帮他寻找掉入水中的那把斧子。
正直诚实才是上策。
THE ASS，THE FOX，AND THE LION
驴、狐狸和狮子
An Ass and a Fox went into partnership and sallied out to forage for food together.They hadn’t gone far before they saw a Lion coming their way，at which they were both dreadfully frightened.But the Fox thought he saw a way of saving his own skin，and went boldly up to the Lion and whispered in his ear，“I’ll manage that you shall get hold of the Ass without the trouble of stalking him，if you’ll promise to let me go free.”The Lion agreed to this，and the Fox then rejoined his companion and contrived before long to lead him by a hidden pit，which some hunter had dug as a trap for wild animals，and into which he fell.When the Lion saw that the Ass was safely caught and couldn’t get away，it was to the Fox that he ？rst turned his attention，and he soon ？nished him off，and then at his leisure proceeded to feast upon the Ass.
Betray a friend，and you’ll often find you have ruined yourself.
｛中文阅读｝
驴和狐狸商量好一起去觅食。还没走出多远，突然看见一只狮子走过来，他们俩都吓得不得了。然而，狐狸却想出一条妙计，可以保全自己的性命。他立即跑到狮子面前，附耳小声地说：“如果你答应放我走，我就能保证让你毫不费力地抓住那头驴。”狮子应允了他的提议，狐狸便引诱驴掉进了一个陷阱里，这是某些猎人为捕获野生动物而事先挖掘出的洞。狮子见驴已被俘获，再也逃不掉了，于是便转向刚才和他说话的那只狐狸，很快便抓住狐狸吃掉了，然后再慢慢地去享受陷阱里的驴。
背叛朋友，你也不会有好下场。
THE LION AND THE MOUSE
狮子与报恩的老鼠
