雙語·《伊索寓言》 農(nóng)夫和蘋果樹

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)夫和蘋果樹

有一個農(nóng)夫的果園里有一棵蘋果樹，不結(jié)果子，只能讓麻雀和螞蚱躲躲陰涼，讓他們坐在他的樹枝上唱歌。因為果樹不長果子，農(nóng)夫很失望，便決定將他砍倒，于是便去取了斧子。麻雀們和螞蚱們看到了，便懇求他不要砍樹：“如果你把樹砍了，我們就要去別的地方尋找陰涼了，到時候你在果園中勞作的時候就再也聽不到我們歌唱了?！钡寝r(nóng)夫沒有聽他們的建議，開始了砍樹的工作?？沉藥紫轮?，他發(fā)現(xiàn)樹其實已經(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：“看樣子這棵老樹還是值得留著的?！?/p>

訓(xùn)誡：有用才是財富。