英语谚语故事 - 范文无忧网

[英语读书名言名句]Read hundreds of times, its righteousness from now. - reflection Reading to ponder. - cheng hao finds Not to read, there is no real education, but also impossib...+阅读

(1).The Ren and the Swan乌鸦和天鹅

A RAVEN saw a Swan and desired to secure for himself the same beautiful plumage. Supposing that the Swans splendid white color arose from his washing in the water in which he swam, the Ren left the altars in the neighborhood where he picked up his living, and took up residence in the lakes and pools. But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their color, while through want of food he perished.

Change of habit cannot alter Nature.

乌鸦非常羡慕天鹅洁白的羽毛。他猜想天鹅一定是经常洗澡，羽毛才变得如此洁白无瑕。于是，他毅然离开了他赖以生存的祭坛，来到江湖边。他天天洗刷自己的羽毛，不但一点都没洗白，反而因缺少食物饥饿而死。

这故事是说，人的本性不会随着生活方式的改变而改变。

(2).The Goat and the Goatherd 山羊与牧羊人

A GOATHERD had sought to bring back a stray goat to his flock. He whistled and sounded his horn in vain; the straggler paid no attention to the summons. At last the Goatherd threw a stone, and breaking its horn, begged the Goat not to tell his master. The Goat replied, Why, you silly fellow, the horn will speak though I be silent.

Do not attempt to hide things which cannot be hid.

很多山羊被牧羊人赶到羊圈里。有一只山羊不知在吃什么好东西，单独落在后面。牧羊人拿起一块石头扔了过去，正巧打断了山羊的一只角。牧羊人吓得请求山羊不要告诉主人，山羊说：即使我不说，又怎能隐瞒下去呢?我的角已断了，这是十分明显的事实。

这故事说明，明显的罪状是无法隐瞒的。

(3) 郭氏之墟(the ruin of the capital of Guo Shi)

On a vacation trip, Duke Huan of the state of Qi came to the ruin of the capital of Guo Shi , which perished long ago. Seeing the desolate and bleak prospects of broken tiles, collapsed walls, and clusters of weeds, he could not help asking the local people about the reason of the ruin of Guo Shi. They replied,Guo Shi was fond of doing good deeds, and erse to evildoing, which led to the perdition. When the Duke could not understand the answer, people explained , Though he liked doing good, he had never been able to do so; though he hated evildoing, never could he help not participating. That caused the ruin of his capital. 齐桓公出游途中，来到已经灭亡许久的郭氏都城的废墟。看到瓦砾残垣、杂草丛生的萧条景象，忍不住问当地百姓郭氏灭亡的原因。百姓们回答说：郭氏由于喜爱善行善事。厌恶邪恶丑行而导致灭亡。齐桓公不能理解这种回答，百姓们便解释说：郭氏虽然喜爱善行善事，但从来都不能做到;尽管厌恶邪恶丑行，却总是忍不住参与其中。这就是他的都城变成废墟的原因。

(4)老鼠和公牛(a mouse and a bull)

A mouse once took a bite out of a bulls tail as he lay dozing. The bull jumped up in a rage and, with his head low to the ground, chased the mouse right across the yard. The mouse was too quick for him, however, and slipped easily into a hole in the wall. The bull charged the wall furiously again and again, but although he bruised his head and chipped his horns, the mouse stayed safely inside his hole. After a time the bull ge up and sank down to rest again. As soon as the bull was asleep, the little mouse crept to the mouth of the hole, pattered across the yard, bit the bull again -- this time on the nose -- and rushed back to safety. As the bull roared helplessly the mouse squeaked: Its not always the big people who e off best. Sometimes the small ones win, you know. 老鼠和公牛有一次，公牛躺着打盹，一只老鼠咬了他的尾巴。公牛怒气冲冲地跳起来，低着头追老鼠，一直追过院子。然而，老鼠跑得比他快多了，从容地钻到墙洞里去了。公牛一次又一次地猛撞墙壁，尽管头撞肿了，角撞裂了，老鼠却安然待在洞里。过了一会儿，公牛不撞了，倒下歇着。公牛刚睡着，小老鼠就爬到洞口，嗒嗒地跑过院子，又咬了公牛一口老鼠这回咬了鼻子老又跑回安全的地方去。当公牛毫无办法地吼叫时，老鼠吱吱叫道：大人物并不总占上风。有时小人物也会取胜。