The ass and a lap-dog 驴和哈巴狗

A man had an ass¹ and lovely lap-dog.

 

The ass was left in a stable, and had plenty of oats and day to eat, just as any other ass would. The lap-dog knew many tricks, and was a great favourite with his master.

 

The master seldom went out to dine or to super without bringing him something nice to eat when he jumped about him in a pleasant manner. The ass, on the contrary, had much work to do, in grinding the corn-mill and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens from the farm,. He often co plained about his own hard fate, and contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the lap-dog. At last one day he broke the chain and ran into his master's house, kicking up his heels without measuring and jumping as well as he could, he next tried to jump about his master as he had seen the lap-dog do, but he broke the table, and smashed all the dishes on it to pieces. He then tried to lick his master, and jumped upon his back. The servants hearing the strange noise, and imagining the danger of his master, quickly helped him out of the situation and drove out the ass to his stable, with kicks and beatings. The ass, as he returned to his stall beaten nearly to death, thus cried and said sadly, "I have brought it all on myself! Why could I not have been contented² to labour with my companions, and not wish to be idle all the day like that useless little alp-dog".

 

一个人有一头驴和一只可爱的哈巴狗。

 

驴关在栏里，享受着和其他驴同等的待遇—燕麦和干草。哈巴狗却会很多的鬼把戏，深得主人的宠爱。

 

主人出去吃晚饭或午饭，每次都要给小狗带回好吃的东西，这时他就会在主人身旁欢快地跳跃，以博取主人的欢心。驴却大相庭径，他有很多的事情要做；到磨坊去推磨，到树林去背回木材，或到农庄去驮运货物。他常常自怨自艾命运太苦，并把自己的境遇同哈巴狗的安逸和懒惰作了一番比较。终于有一天他挣断了缰绳，跑到主人屋乱跳乱踢一通，然后又在主人的身旁模仿这哈巴狗跳跃的摸样试跳起来，可他踢坏了桌子，将桌子上的碗碟摔得粉碎。接着他又去舔它的主人，爬到主人的背上去。仆人们听到了奇怪的声响，以为他们的主人有危险，急忙帮他脱身，他们用棍棒将驴赶回到栏里去。驴差不多被打了个半死。回到栏里，驴哭诉着说：“这都是我自作自受！我为什么不能和同伴们一起去干活，不去奢望成为整日懒惰无用的小哈巴狗呢？”

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