The King received news one day that a group outlaws were committing outrages on a distant border of the kingdom.

一天，国王得到消息，边境地区有一群不法之徒正在造反。

The news angered of the King. He quickly gathered his army and started off for the distant border, leaving his kingdom unguarded and without a ruler.

这个消息激怒了国王，他迅速召集军队，前往边。国家防卫兵力顿时全无，也没有了统治者。

On their long march, the King and his army made camp for the night wherever they could.

长途行军中，国王和他的军队晚上就地宿营。

One rainy day they stopped in a for6st, seeking shelter under the trees.

一个雨天，他们停在一片森林里，在树卞避雨宿营。

They unsaddled their horses and steam8d some peas, which they fed to their steeds in long narrow troughs.

他们卸下马鞍，蒸了些豌 豆，放在狭长的饲料糟里喂战马。

A monkey in a tree nearby saw the horses being fed, and he came racing down, fille9d both paws with peas, then scampered nimbly up to a branch and settled down to eat.

在附近树上坐着的一只猴子看到马在进食，就从树上跳下来， 用爪子抓起两大把豌豆，然后敏捷地爬上树，坐下吃了起来。

But as he opened one paw, a single pea fell to the ground.

可就 在它张开一只爪子时，一粒豌豆掉在了地上。

Without hesitation, my monkey jumped dor4tn from his perch to hunt for the lost pea, and in doing so he dropped all the other peas in his paws.

它毫不犹豫地跳下来， 去找那颗掉落的豆子，而同时，它爪子中所有的豌豆都掉在了地上。

The King observed this foolish monkey and was greatly amused. He timed to his counselor and asked: "Friend, what do you think of this monkey who would give up so much to retrieve so little?"

国王看着这只愚蠢的猴子，觉得十分有趣，便转头问军师： ¨朋友，你怎么看这只因小失大的猴子?¨

"That is the way of the foolish," replied the counselor, "they will give up much that is certain for a little that is uncertain."

这种做事方式很愚蠢，¨军师回答道“它们会为没有把握的 小利而放弃有把握的大利。¨

Then he added, "And we, great monarch, are we not like the monkey in the trees To garn so little we neglect so much exactly like the monkey with its pea.

接着，他又说道：“伟大的君主殿下，我们与树上的这只猴子又 有什么区别呢?为小利而舍大利——这与捡豌豆的猴子一样啊。¨

The King understood the rebuke and realized how very foolish he had been himself to leave his kingdom unguarded.

国王这才恍然大悟，他意识到让国家后防空虚是多么愚蠢啊。

He issued orders to his men, and he and his army returned at once to their country.

于是，他向军队下达命令，即刻斑师回朝。

单词注解

sparse [spɑ:s] ·稀疏的：稀少的

sleek [sli:k] 么健壮的;养的好的

meadow['med?u] 儿草地：牧场

snatch [snæt?] 抓取，夺得

border ['b?:d?] 边，边界

counselor ['kauns?l?] 顾问，参事

实用句型

A Monkey in a tree rxwby saw the horses being fed.and he came racing down.filled both paws with peas, then scampered nimbly up to a branch and settled down toeat.

在附近树上坐着的一只猴子看到马在进食，就从树上跳下来，用爪子抓起两大把豌豆，然后敏捷地爬上树，坐下吃了起来o

Without hesitation, the Monkey jumped down from his perch to hunt for the lost pea, and in doing S0 he dropped all the other peas in his paws.

它毫不犹豫地蔬下来，去找那颗掉落的豆子，而同时，它爪子中所有的豌豆都掉在了地上o

智慧点睛：

It is better to be free and poor than to have everything you want.

宇可清贫自乐，不可浊富多忧。

Look before you leap.

三思而后行。