雙語(yǔ)·《伊索寓言》 農(nóng)夫和蘋(píng)果樹(shù)

THE PEASANT AND THE APPLE-TREE

A Peasant had an Apple-tree growing in his garden, which bore no fruit, but merely served to provide a shelter from the heat for the sparrows and grasshoppers which sat and chirped in its branches. Disappointed at its barrenness he determined to cut it down, and went and fetched his axe for the purpose. But when the sparrows and the grasshoppers saw what he was about to do, they begged him to spare it, and said to him, “If you destroy the tree we shall have to seek shelter elsewhere, and you will no longer have our merry chirping to enliven your work in the garden.” He, however, refused to listen to them, and set to work with a will to cut through the trunk. A few strokes showed that it was hollow inside and contained a swarm of bees and a large store of honey. Delighted with his find he threw down his axe, saying, “The old tree is worth keeping after all.”

Utility is most men's test of worth.

農(nóng)夫和蘋(píng)果樹(shù)

有一個(gè)農(nóng)夫的果園里有一棵蘋(píng)果樹(shù)，不結(jié)果子，只能讓麻雀和螞蚱躲躲陰涼，讓他們坐在他的樹(shù)枝上唱歌。因?yàn)楣麡?shù)不長(zhǎng)果子，農(nóng)夫很失望，便決定將他砍倒，于是便去取了斧子。麻雀?jìng)兒臀涷苽兛吹搅耍銘┣笏灰硺?shù)：“如果你把樹(shù)砍了，我們就要去別的地方尋找陰涼了，到時(shí)候你在果園中勞作的時(shí)候就再也聽(tīng)不到我們歌唱了?！钡寝r(nóng)夫沒(méi)有聽(tīng)他們的建議，開(kāi)始了砍樹(shù)的工作?？沉藥紫轮?，他發(fā)現(xiàn)樹(shù)其實(shí)已經(jīng)空了，里面有一大窩蜜蜂和很多蜂蜜。他十分驚喜，將斧頭扔到一邊，說(shuō)：“看樣子這棵老樹(shù)還是值得留著的?！?/p>

訓(xùn)誡：有用才是財(cái)富。