The Animals Sick of the Plague

One of those dread evils which spread terror far and wide, and which Heaven, in its anger, ordains for the punishment of wickedness upon earth—a plague in fact; and so dire a one as to make rich in one day that grim ferryman who takes a coin from all who cross the river Acheron to the land of the dead—such a plague was once waging war against the animals.

那是一场令人闻风丧胆的祸患，它所到之处，恐惧便随之蔓延；上天在盛怒之下，降下此劫来惩罚人间的罪恶——那其实就是一场瘟疫；而且凶险到了这般地步，竟让那位在冥河边向每一个渡河去往阴间的亡魂收取一枚钱币的阴森摆渡人，一天之内就发了大财——这样一场瘟疫，当时正向百兽宣战。

All were attacked, although all did not die. So hopeless was the case that not one of them attempted to sustain their sinking lives. Even the sight of food did not rouse them. Wolves and foxes no longer turned eager and calculating eyes upon their gentle and guileless prey. The turtle-doves went no more in cooing pairs, but were content to avoid each other. Love and the joy that comes of love were both at an end.

众兽无一幸免，只是并非个个都死去。情势凶险到这般地步，竟没有一个动物试图挣扎着维系自己奄奄一息的性命。就连看见食物，也提不起半分精神。狼与狐狸再也不用那贪婪又精于算计的眼神，盯着它们那些温顺无害的猎物。斑鸠们也不再成双成对地咕咕鸣叫，而是彼此避而远之，宁愿相安无事。爱情，以及爱情所带来的欢愉，都戛然而止。

At length the lion called a council of all the beasts and addressed them in these words: "My dear friends, it seems to me that it is for our sins that Heaven has permitted this misfortune to fall upon us. Would it not be well if the most blameworthy among us allowed himself to be offered as a sacrifice to appease the celestial wrath? By so doing he might secure our recovery. History tells us that this course is usually pursued in such cases as ours.

终于，狮子召集了百兽开会，对它们说道：“亲爱的朋友们，依我看，正是因为我们犯下的罪孽，上天才降下这场灾祸惩罚我们。要是我们当中罪孽最深重的那一个，愿意挺身而出献祭自己，以平息上天的怒火，岂不是更好？这样一来，或许还能换来我们大家的康复。历史告诉我们，遇到我们这样的处境，通常都是这么办的。”

Let us look into our consciences without self-deception or condoning. For my own part, I freely admit that in order to satisfy my gluttony I have devoured an appalling number of sheep; and yet what had they done to me to deserve such a fate? Nothing that could be called an offence. Sometimes, indeed, I have gone so far as to eat the shepherd too!

“让我们扪心自问，不自欺，也不自我开脱。就我自己而言，我坦然承认，为了满足我的贪欲，我已经吞下了数量惊人的绵羊；可它们究竟对我做了什么，才落得这般下场呢？什么也没有，实在算不上什么冒犯。说实话，有时候我甚至连牧羊人也一并吃掉了！”

On the whole, I think I had better render myself for this act of sacrifice; that is, if we agree that it is a thing necessary to the general good. And yet I think it would be only fair that every one should declare his sins as well as I; for I could wish that, in justice, it were the most culpable that should perish."

“总的说来，我想我最好还是主动献出自己，来完成这场祭祀之举；当然，前提是我们都认同，这是为了大家的福祉所必需的。不过我也觉得，公平起见，理应人人都像我一样坦白自己的罪过；因为按道理说，我倒希望是罪孽最深重的那一个受死才对。”

"Sire," said the fox, "you are really too yielding for a king, and your scruples show too much delicacy of feeling. Eating sheep indeed! What of that?—a foolish and rascally tribe! Is that a crime? No! a hundred times no! On the contrary your noble jaws did but do them great honour.

“陛下，”狐狸说道，“您对一位君王来说实在是太宽厚仁慈了，您这份顾虑未免也太过细腻了些。吃几只羊算得了什么！那不过是些愚蠢又无赖的畜生罢了！这能算是罪过吗？不，绝对不是！恰恰相反，您那高贵的牙口吃了它们，倒是给了它们莫大的荣耀。”

As for the shepherd, it may be fairly said that all the harm he got he merited, since he was one of those who fancy they have dominion over the animal kingdom." Thus spake the fox and every other flatterer in the assembly applauded him. Nor did any seek to inquire deeply into the least pardonable offences of the tiger, the bear, and the other mighty ones. All those of an aggressive nature, right down to the simple watch-dog, were something like saints in their own opinions.

“至于那个牧羊人，倒也可以说，他所遭的一切苦难都是自作自受，因为他也是那种自以为对百兽拥有支配之权的人。”狐狸就这样说着，在场的其他阿谀之辈也都随声附和，齐声称赞。也没有谁去深究老虎、熊，以及其他那些强大兽类那些最不可原谅的罪行。所有生性凶猛的动物，一直到最普通的看门狗，在它们自己看来都俨然是圣徒一般。

When the ass stood forth in his turn he struck a different note: nothing of fangs and talons and blood. "I remember," he said, "that once in passing a field belonging to a monastery I was urged by hunger, by opportunity, by the tenderness of the grass, and perhaps by the evil one egging me on, to enter and crop just a taste, about as much as the length of my tongue. I know that I did wrong, having really no right there."

轮到驴子站出来发言时，它说的却完全是另一番腔调：既没提爪牙，也没提血腥。“我记得，”它说道，“有一回我路过一座修道院的地里，饥饿难耐，机会又正好摆在眼前，加上那草长得又鲜嫩，或许也是有邪魔在背后怂恿，我便忍不住走进去尝了一口，也就相当于我舌头那么长的一截。我知道自己做错了，我在那儿本来是没有一点权利的。”

At these words all the assembly turned upon him. The wolf took upon himself to make a speech proving without doubt that the ass was an accursed wretch, a mangy brute, who certainly ought to be told off for sacrifice, since through his wickedness all their misfortunes had come about. His peccadillo was judged to be a hanging matter. "What! eat the grass belonging to another? How abominable a crime! Nothing but death could expiate such an outrage!" And forthwith they proved as much to the poor ass.

这话一出，在场众兽顿时都把矛头指向了它。狼率先站出来发表了一番言论，铁证如山地证明这头驴子是个该受诅咒的可恶东西，一头满身疥癣的畜生，理应被挑出来当作祭品，因为正是它的这桩恶行，才招来了大家的这场灾祸。它这点小小的过失，竟被判成了死罪。“什么！竟敢偷吃别人家的草？这是何等骇人听闻的罪行啊！唯有一死，才能赎清这般滔天大罪！”于是它们当场就这样给这可怜的驴子定了罪。

Accordingly as your power is great or small, the judgments of a court will whiten or blacken your reputation.

要看你手中的权势是大是小，法庭的判决便会为你洗白名声，或是把你的名声抹得漆黑一片。