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狐狸为躲避猎人们追赶而逃窜，恰巧遇见了一个樵夫,便请求让他躲藏起来，樵夫叫狐狸去他的小屋里躲着。一会儿，许多猎人赶来，向樵夫打听狐狸的下落，他嘴里一边大声说不知道,又一边做手势，告诉他们狐狸躲藏的地方。猎人们相信了他的话，并没留意他的手势。狐狸见猎人们都走远了，便从小屋出来，什么都没说就走。樵夫责备狐狸:“你这忘恩负义的东西，我救了你一命，你却一点谢意都不表示。”狐狸回答说:“实际上，我是准备好好感谢你的，如果你的所作所为像你承诺得那样好，你的手势没有背叛你的语言的话。” The Fox and the Woodcutter A fox，running before the hounds，came across a woodcutter felling an oak and begged him to show him a safe hiding-place. The woodcutter advised him to take shelter in his own hut，so the fox crept in and hid himself in a comer. The huntsman soon came up with his hounds and inquired of the woodcutter if he had seen the fox. He declared that he had not seen him，and yet pointed，all the time he was speaking，to the hut where the fox lay hidden. The huntsman took no notice of the signs，but believing his word，hastened forward in the chase. As soon as they were well away，the fox departed without taking any notice of the woodcutter. He called to him and reproached him, saying, u You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet you leave me without a word of thanks. ’’The fox replied，“Indeed，I should have thanked you fervently if your deeds had been as good as your words，and if your hands had not been traitors to your speech. |
