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一天下午，皇帝去骑马狩猎。刚好路过一片树林时,他听到一条大蛇在大声地叫嚷着。 这条蛇是牧羊人抓住的,牧羊人还把它牢牢地绑在了树上。皇帝出于同情，把它松开，放在胸膛上暖和它冰冷的身体。这条蛇刚恢复过来，就咬了恩人一口，把一股毒液喷进了伤口。“你干什么？"皇帝问道，“你怎么恩将仇报？” 毒蛇回答说：“没有人能改变大自然赋予我的本性。你做了该做的事，我也只是按我的本能去做。我咬进了毒液,这是因为除了毒之外，我什么也没有。" 他们俩一边这样争论不休，一边请哲人给他们明断是非。这个评判员说这件事是蛇先引起的，先把它绑在树上吧，我来给你们裁决。”于是，就照他说的做了。"现在你被绑起来 了，”哲人对毒蛇说，“有本事就自己松开吧。” “我松不开，捆得那么紧，我动都动不了。"毒蛇说。 "秉公而断，你等死吧。"哲人回答说，‘‘你过去对人总是无情无义，将来也本性难改。我的王，现在你自由了。把胸膛里的毒液弄出来，赶路吧。不要再做这种傻事了。” 谢了哲人的帮助,听完了哲人的劝告之后，皇帝就走了。 An Ungrateful Serpent An emperor rode out in the afternoon to hunt. Happening to pass a certain wood, he heard a serpent, which some shepherds had caught and bound firmly to a tree, making a most horrible clamor. Moved by pity, he loosed it, and warmed its frozen body in his own bosom. No sooner, however, did the animal find itself recovered, than it began to bite its benefactor, and shot a flood of poison into the wound. " What have you done?” said the emperor. " Why have you rendered evil for good?" The serpent replied, "The propensities which nature has implanted no one can destroy. You have done what you could； and I have only acted according to my nature. I offered poison, because, except poison, I had nothing to offer. ” As they thus contended，they entreated a philosopher to judge between them，and to state which was in the wrong. The umpire said, " Let the serpent be bound to the tree, as he was in the first instance. I shall then determine the matter between you. ” This was done accordingly. "Now you are bound,” said the philosopher, addressing the serpent, "loose yourself if you can. ’’ “I cannot," said the serpent," I am bound so fast that I can scarcely move." "Then die by a just sentence, ” rejoined the philosopher, "You were always ungrateful to man, and you always will be. My lord, you are now free. Get out the venom from your bosom, and go your way. Do not repeat your folly. ” The emperor thanked the philosopher for his assistance and advice, and departed. |
