双语·《伊索寓言》 蝙蝠和黄鼠狼

THE BAT AND THE WEASELS

A Bat fell to the ground and was caught by a Weasel, and was just going to be killed and eaten when it begged to be let go. The Weasel said he couldn't do that because he was an enemy of all birds on principle. “Oh, but,” said the Bat, “I'm not a bird at all, I'm a mouse.” “So you are,” said the Weasel, “now I come to look at you.” And he let it go. Some time after this the Bat was caught in just the same way by another Weasel, and, as before, begged for its life. “No,” said the Weasel, “I never let a mouse go by any chance.” “But I'm not a mouse,” said the Bat, “I'm a bird.” “Why, so you are,” said the Weasel; and he too let the Bat go.

Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself.

蝙蝠和黄鼠狼

有一只蝙蝠落到了地上，被一只黄鼠狼抓住了。蝙蝠马上就要被黄鼠狼杀死吃掉了，于是他向黄鼠狼求饶。黄鼠狼说他不能放了蝙蝠，因为他视所有的鸟类为仇敌。“啊呀，”蝙蝠说，“我根本不是鸟啊，我是老鼠。”“是这样啊，”黄鼠狼说，“那以后我会关照你的。”然后便将蝙蝠放走了。过了一段日子，蝙蝠又被另一只黄鼠狼抓住了，他又一次求饶。这只黄鼠狼说：“不行，我绝对不会放过任何老鼠的。”“但我不是老鼠啊，”蝙蝠说，“我是一只鸟。”“啊呀，还真是。”于是这只黄鼠狼也把蝙蝠放走了。

训诫：要会见机行事。