伊索寓言 26披著獅皮的驢子 The Donkey in the Lion’s Skin
A Donkey is walking through the forest one day. He is feeling sad because the other animals always tease him.
Donkey: I look too weak. A lion looks very strong. I wash I were a Lion. Then the other animals wouldn’t tease me anymore.
The Donkey keeps talking to himself while walking. Then he steps on something. He stops to look.
Donkey: Oh my goodness! It’s a Lion！Please don’t kill me, Mr. Lion. My meat is no good. I will be your slave. Please! Please! Please! Just this once, don’t kill me!
The Donkey closes his eyes in fright and is shaking all over. But there is no answer from the Lion. The Donkey becomes curious and carefully opens his eyes. The Lion is still there, but it does not move at all. The Donkey steps closer to the Lion.
Donkey: Hey, it’s just a Lion’s skin. Jeez! Thank goodness! But who left it here? Oh, that’s not important. Let me see.
The Donkey looks at the Lion’s skin carefully.
Donkey: It has a head, a body, legs, and a tail. It has everything. It even has paws and sharp teeth. It looks real. This is fantastic! I will try it on.
The Donkey puts on the Lion’s skin and goes to a nearby pond to look into the water.
Donkey: Wow! I look like a real Lion. What can I do with this?
Just then, a Rabbit comes to the pond to drink water. He sees the Donkey in the Lion’s skin.
Rabbit: Eeek!! It’s a Lion! Run! Run! Run for your life!
The Donkey sees the Rabbit run away. It looks very funny.
Donkey: The Rabbit thinks I am a Lion. Ha! Ha！ Ha! I’ve got a good idea and trick all of the other animals, too. This is going to be so much fun. I can’t wait!
The Donkey is very excited. He puts on the Lion’s skin and walks around the forest.
Donkey: There is a Goat. Let’s see if it works again. I will go over to the Goat. I will pat his shoulders.
The Donkey pats the Goat on the shoulder.
Goat: Yes, who is it? Ah… It’s a Lion! Run everyone！A Lion is in our forest! Run! Run!
Donkey: Ha! Ha! Ha! It worked again. Look at the Goat! Look at him run! He looks so silly.
The Donkey is very satisfied. He wants to have more fun.
Donkey: Who shall I scare this time? Ah ha! There goes a Pig. I will try it on him. Uh hum…
Pig: Oink, oink! It’s a Lion！Everyone, run for your life!
Donkey: Ah ha ha！This is fun. They are really scared of me.
The Donkey goes around the forest all day long scaring all the animals there. Then he sees a Fox taking a nap under a tree.
Donkey: There you are, Fox! You tricked me many times. I don’t like you. This time I will trick you.
The Donkey sneezes on purpose.
Donkey: Achoo!
Fox: Who is that? Be quiet! I am resting.
Donkey: Uh hum…
The Fox opens his eyes.
Fox: A Lion! Oh my goodness! Don’t kill me, Mr. Lion! I will do anything for you. Please, don’t kill me. Boo-hoo-hoo.
The Donkey opens the Lion’s mouth. The Fox sees the sharp teeth inside and runs away quickly.
Fox: Help! Help! Help!
Donkey: Look at the Fox run! Ha! Ha! Ha! I can’t stop laughing! He looks so silly!
The Donkey fooled a lot of animals just by wearing the Lion’s skin, but it is still not enough.
Donkey: This is getting boring. How can I make them more scared? Ah ha! I get it! I’ll roar like a Lion!
The Donkey tries to roar like a Lion, but it doesn’t sound right. But, the Donkey thinks it sounds like a Lion’s roar.
Donkey: Ha, ha! Here come those silly animals again. I will make a Lion’s roar. They will be really scared this time.
The Rabbit, Goat, Pig, and Fox appear. They are talking about the Lion.
Goat: I saw a Lion today. It was so big and scary.
Pig: Yes, I saw him too. It looked mean. I was so scared.
Fox: I was almost caught.
Rabbit: Hey, there comes the Lion again! Let’s run away! Run!
Just as the animals are about to run away, the Donkey roars.
Donkey: Hee-haw! Hee-haw! I am the king of all animals! I will eat all of you! Hee-haw! Hee-haw!
The Donkey keeps roaring, but it sounds like a Donkey’s cry.
Rabbit: Hey, wait! That roar sounds strange.
Goat: That doesn’t sound like a Lion’s roar.
Pig: Then whose is it?
Fox: I know! That’s the Donkey’s cry!
Just then a strong wind blows, and Lion’s skin blows off the Donkey.
Donkey: Oh no! What shall I do?
Rabbit: Look! It’s the Donkey!
Goat: Yes! It was the Donkey in the Lion’s skin!
Pig: He tricked us all! We were all fooled!
Fox: Wait there, you Donkey! We’re going to…
Donkey: Please, forgive me…
All of the animals run after the Donkey and give him a hard kick. The Donkey regrets wearing the Lion’s skin.
MORAL
Don’t make a fool of yourself by pretending to be someone else.
