英语故事:The Squirrel And The Lion 松鼠和狮子

 A squirrel, merrily leaping on the branches of an oak tree, accidentally missed its hold and fell upon a lion who lay at the trunk, basking¹ in the shade. His Majesty² awoke in anger, and, raising his shaggy mane, displayed his terrific teeth to the trembling squirrel, who, in the most abject³ manner, begged forgiveness for the intrusion. “I grant you your life,” said the lion, “but on condition that you tell me the reason why you little beings are always so lively and happy, while my time passes so irksomely.”

一只松鼠在橡树上欢快地跳来跳去，一不小心从树上跌落下来，恰巧落在一头正在树荫下酣睡的狮王身上。狮王醒来大为恼怒，竖起浓密的鬃毛，露出锋利的牙齿，把松鼠吓得不停地颤抖。松鼠胆战心惊地请求狮子饶恕他的冒犯。“我饶了你这条小命，”狮子说，“但有一个条件，你必须告诉我，为什么你们这些小家伙总是生活得很快乐，而我的生活却是如此令人厌倦。”

“Yes, sire,” replied the squirrel, “I will, in return for your mercy, comply with your request; but he who speaks the truth ought to stand higher than he who hears it; permit me, therefore, to ascend⁴ the tree.”

“好的，陛下，”松鼠回答道，“为了感谢您的宽恕，我会满足您的要求。但是，讲述真理的人应该比听真理的要站的高一点。因此，请您允许我站到树上去。”

The lion consented to this; and when the squirrel was out of his reach he thus addressed him, “You seek to know how I am always merry. Conscience gives me a joyous⁵ mind, and learns, sire, that the infallible recipe for happiness—a good conscience—you are in want of. You are day and night oppressed with the sting of iniquity⁶ for the crimes and wanton cruelties you have committed. How many animals have you devoured⁷, while I have been employed in carrying nuts to alleviate⁸ the distresses⁹ of my poor brethren! You hate, and I love! Believe me, there is great meaning and truth in these words, and often have I heard my father observe when young, ‘Son, let your happiness be founded in virtue¹⁰, and hilarity¹¹ will be the constant inmate¹² of your bosom¹³.’”

狮子答应了。于是松鼠就跳到了狮子够不到的地方，接着说：“您问我为什么总是这么快乐，是道德给了我愉快的心情。陛下您要懂得，拥有快乐的秘诀是要拥有善良的心灵——而您却没有。您整日闷闷不乐是因为您惨无人道，作恶多端。有多少小动物被你无情地吞吃掉啊，而我一直忙着运送坚果，来救济我那些可怜的同胞们！您心怀仇恨，而我却心怀友爱！请相信我，我的话里蕴涵着深刻的哲理。在我很小的时候，就常听父亲说：‘儿子，你要在美德中寻求快乐，只有这样，快乐才会永远陪伴着你。’

1 basking   

v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽

参考例句：

• We sat basking in the warm sunshine. 我们坐着享受温暖的阳光。
• A colony of seals lay basking in the sun. 一群海豹躺着晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

3 abject   

adj.极可怜的，卑屈的

参考例句：

• This policy has turned out to be an abject failure.这一政策最后以惨败而告终。
• He had been obliged to offer an abject apology to Mr.Alleyne for his impertinence.他不得不低声下气，为他的无礼举动向艾莱恩先生请罪。

4 ascend   

vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上

参考例句：

• We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher.我们看着飞机逐渐升高。
• We ascend in the order of time and of development.我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。

5 joyous   

adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的

参考例句：

• The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
• They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。

6 iniquity   

n.邪恶；不公正

参考例句：

• Research has revealed that he is a monster of iniquity.调查结果显示他是一个不法之徒。
• The iniquity of the transaction aroused general indignation.这笔交易的不公引起了普遍的愤怒。

7 devoured   

吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光

参考例句：

• She devoured everything she could lay her hands on: books, magazines and newspapers. 无论是书、杂志，还是报纸，只要能弄得到，她都看得津津有味。
• The lions devoured a zebra in a short time. 狮子一会儿就吃掉了一匹斑马。

8 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

9 distresses   

n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 )；痛苦；贫困；危险

参考例句：

• It was from these distresses that the peasant wars of the fourteenth century sprang. 正是由于这些灾难才爆发了十四世纪的农民战争。 来自辞典例句
• In all dangers and distresses, I will remember that. 在一切危险和苦难中，我要记住这一件事。 来自互联网

10 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

11 hilarity   

n.欢乐；热闹

参考例句：

• The announcement was greeted with much hilarity and mirth.这一项宣布引起了热烈的欢呼声。
• Wine gives not light hilarity,but noisy merriment.酒不给人以轻松的欢乐，而给人以嚣嚷的狂欢。

12 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

13 bosom   

n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的

参考例句：

• She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
• A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。