雙語·《伊索寓言》 奴隸和獅子

THE SLAVE AND THE LION

A Slave ran away from his master, by whom he had been most cruelly treated, and, in order to avoid capture, betook himself into the desert. As he wandered about in search of food and shelter, he came to a cave, which he entered and found to be unoccupied. Really, however, it was a Lion's den, and almost immediately, to the horror of the wretched fugitive, the Lion himself appeared. The man gave himself up for lost: but, to his utter astonishment, the Lion, instead of springing upon him and devouring him, came and fawned upon him, at the same time whining and lifting up his paw. Observing it to be much swollen and inflamed, he examined it and found a large thorn embedded in the ball of the foot. He accordingly removed it and dressed the wound as well as he could: and in course of time it healed up completely. The Lion's gratitude was unbounded; he looked upon the man as his friend, and they shared the cave for some time together. A day came, however, when the Slave began to long for the society of his fellow-men, and he bade farewell to the Lion and returned to the town. Here he was presently recognised and carried off in chains to his former master, who resolved to make an example of him, and ordered that he should be thrown to the beasts at the next public spectacle in the theatre. On the fatal day the beasts were loosed into the arena, and among the rest a Lion of huge bulk and ferocious aspect; and then the wretched Slave was cast in among them. What was the amazement of the spectators, when the Lion after one glance bounded up to him and lay down at his feet with every expression of affection and delight! It was his old friend of the cave! The audience clamoured that the Slave's life should be spared: and the governor of the town, marvelling at such gratitude and fidelity in a beast, decreed that both should receive their liberty.

奴隸和獅子

有一個奴隸，因一直遭到主人的殘酷虐待，從主人身邊逃走了。為了躲避追捕，他逃到了大沙漠中。他四處尋找食物和隱蔽之所，后來發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個山洞，進(jìn)去一看，里面并沒有人。然而，實(shí)際上，這是一只獅子的洞穴。不一會兒，獅子便現(xiàn)身了，將這可憐的逃奴嚇了一大跳。奴隸認(rèn)為自己小命休矣，準(zhǔn)備聽天由命，但令他大吃一驚的是，獅子并沒有跳過來撲向他把他吞掉，而是走過來開始討好他，舉著爪子嗚嗚哀叫。奴隸發(fā)現(xiàn)獅子的爪子紅腫發(fā)炎，于是仔細(xì)地檢查了一下，發(fā)現(xiàn)獅子腳掌當(dāng)中扎了一根荊棘。他便幫獅子把這刺拔了出來，盡可能地包扎好了傷口。后來獅子的傷口徹底痊愈了，他對逃奴感激至深，將這個人視作自己的朋友，和他共用這個山洞。不過，有一天，逃奴又開始渴望起人類的朋友來，于是他作別獅子，回到了城里。一到城里，他就被認(rèn)出來并被捆綁著送到他從前的主人面前。主人決定狠狠懲罰他以儆效尤，宣布在下一次斗獸場的開放日，將他丟去喂野獸。到了那天，野獸都被放進(jìn)了斗獸場中，其中有一只獅子，身形碩大，外表嚇人?？蓱z的逃奴被丟到了野獸群中。而令觀眾們大吃一驚的是，獅子抬頭看了逃奴一眼，便一躍過去，臥在了逃奴腳下，全身上下都透著喜悅和快樂。他就是逃奴在山洞中的老朋友！觀眾們大聲嚷嚷，認(rèn)為奴隸的罪應(yīng)該被赦免。城市的總督也因這只動物身上展現(xiàn)出來的感激和忠誠而大為驚嘆，判決那只獅子和那個奴隸都應(yīng)該重獲自由。