The Three Rogues

    Once there was a Brahmin who bought a goat in another village．When he carried it home on his shoulder，he was seen by three rogues¹，who said to one another，“If by some contrivance that goat can be taken from him，it will be a great pleasure to us．”
    With this view they severally sat down on the road under three trees，at some distance from each other，by which the Brahmin was to pass．One of the scoundrels called out，as he was going by：“O Brahmin！Why dost thou carry that dog on thy shoulder？”
    “It is not a dog，”answered the Brahmin，“it is a goat for a sacrifice．”
    Then at a certain distance away，the second knave² put the same question to him；when the Brahmin heard this，he threw the goat down to the ground，and having looked at it again and again，placed it a second time on his shoulder，and walked on with his mind waving like a swing．When the Brahmin heard the same question from the third villain，was convinced³ that the goat was really a dog．So he took it from his back，threw it down，and having washed himself，returned to his home．The three rogues took the goat to their own house，and feasted on it．Thence he who thinks a knave is as honest as himself，will be deceived⁴ by him，like this Brahmin who was cheated．Exercises：
    判断对（T）、错（F）：
    1．The three rogues wanted to take the goat from a Brahmin by some contrivance．2．The three rogues sat down on the road under a tree together by which the Brahmin was to pass．3．The three rogues all thought the Brahmin carried a dog on his shoulder really．4．The Brahmin believed the three rogues and threw the goat down from his shoulder．

1 rogues   

n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽

参考例句：

• 'I'll show these rogues that I'm an honest woman,'said my mother. “我要让那些恶棍知道，我是个诚实的女人。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• The rogues looked at each other, but swallowed the home-thrust in silence. 那些恶棍面面相觑，但只好默默咽下这正中要害的话。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

2 knave   

n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克

参考例句：

• Better be a fool than a knave.宁做傻瓜，不做无赖。
• Once a knave,ever a knave.一次成无赖，永远是无赖。

3 convinced   

adj.确信的；深信的；有坚定信仰的v.使确信(convince的过去分词)；说服

参考例句：

• I am convinced of her innocence. 我坚信她是清白无辜的。
• I'm convinced there's a jinx on this car. 我看这辆汽车是灾星。

4 deceived   

v.欺骗，蒙骗( deceive的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was absolutely furious at having been deceived. 她受了骗，怒不可遏。
• He deceived people for years until the police got onto him. 多年来他欺骗人们一直到警察识破他。 来自《简明英汉词典》