A THIEF hired a room in a tavern and stayed a while in the hope of stealing something which should enable him to pay his reckoning. —
一个小偷在一家酒馆里租了一间房，希望能够偷到一些东西来付账。 —

When he had waited some days in vain, he saw the Innkeeper dressed in a new and handsome coat and sitting before his door. —
他在那里等了几天都没有等到机会，却看到酒店老板穿着一件新的漂亮外套坐在门前。 —

The Thief sat down beside him and talked with him. —
小偷坐在他旁边和他聊了起来。 —

As the conversation began to flag, the Thief yawned terribly and at the same time howled like a wolf. —
当话题渐渐无聊时，小偷大张着嘴打了一个呵欠，同时像狼一样嚎叫。 —

The Innkeeper said, “Why do you howl so fearfully? —
酒店老板问道：“你为什么如此可怕地嚎叫呢？ —

’ “I will tell you,” said the Thief, “but first let me ask you to hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to pieces. —
“我会告诉你的，”小偷说，“但是先请你帮我看好我的衣服，否则我会把它们撕成碎片。 —

I know not, sir, when I got this habit of yawning, nor whether these attacks of howling were inflicted on me as a judgment for my crimes, or for any other cause; —
我不知道，先生，我是什么时候养成了打呵欠的习惯，也不知道这种嚎叫是因为我犯罪受到的惩罚，还是其他原因； —

but this I do know, that when I yawn for the third time, I actually turn into a wolf and attack men. —
但我知道的是，当我打出第三个呵欠时，我会真的变成一只狼去攻击人。 —

” With this speech he commenced a second fit of yawning and again howled like a wolf, as he had at first. —
”说完这番话，他又开始打了第二个呵欠，然后像之前一样嚎叫起来。 —

The Innkeeper. hearing his tale and believing what he said, became greatly alarmed and, rising from his seat, attempted to run away. —
旅店老板听了他的故事并相信他所说的，变得非常惊慌，从座位上站起来，试图逃开。 —

The Thief laid hold of his coat and entreated him to stop, saying, “Pray wait, sir, and hold my clothes, or I shall tear them to pieces in my fury, when I turn into a wolf. —
小偷抓住他的外套，请求他停下来，说：“求您等等，先生，请帮我拿着我的衣服，否则当我变成狼时，我会将它们撕成碎片。” —

” At the same moment he yawned the third time and set up a terrible howl. —
就在那一瞬间，他打了第三个哈欠并发出可怕的嚎叫声。 —

The Innkeeper, frightened lest he should be attacked, left his new coat in the Thief’s hand and ran as fast as he could into the inn for safety. —
旅店老板害怕被袭击，将他的新外套留在小偷的手中，尽可能快地跑进旅店寻求安全。 —

The Thief made off with the coat and did not return again to the inn.
小偷带着外套逃跑，再也没有回到旅店。

Every tale is not to be believed.
并非每个故事都可以被相信。