A MILLER and his son were driving their Ass to a neighboring fair to sell him. —
有个名叫阿米勒（A Miller）的人和他的儿子骑着他们的驴子去附近的集市卖掉它。 —

They had not gone far when they met with a troop of women collected round a well, talking and laughing. —
他们没走多远，就遇到了一群围着井口聊天笑闹的妇女。 —

“Look there,” cried one of them, “did you ever see such fellows, to be trudging along the road on foot when they might ride? —
“你看那边，”其中一个人喊道，“你见过这样的人吗？明明可以骑着驴子走路，他们却在路上跋涉。” —

’ The old man hearing this, quickly made his son mount the Ass, and continued to walk along merrily by his side. —
老人一听这话，迅速让他的儿子骑上驴子，自己愉快地走在一旁。 —

Presently they came up to a group of old men in earnest debate. —
不久，他们遇到了一群老人正在激烈辩论。 —

“There,” said one of them, “it proves what I was a-saying. —
“你看，正如我所说的，就证明了这一点。”其中一个人说道。 —

What respect is shown to old age in these days? —
“现在这个年代对老年人根本没什么尊重了吗？” —

Do you see that idle lad riding while his old father has to walk? —
“你看那个懒散的小子骑着驴子，而他的老父亲却得走路。” —

Get down, you young scapegrace, and let the old man rest his weary limbs. —
“给老头子下来，你这个顽童，让老人歇歇疲惫的双腿。” —

” Upon this the old man made his son dismount, and got up himself. —
在这样的劝说下，老人让儿子下来，自己上了驴子。 —

In this manner they had not proceeded far when they met a company of women and children: —
这样他们没有走多远，就遇到了一群妇女和孩子。 —

“Why, you lazy old fellow,” cried several tongues at once, “how can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can hardly keep pace by the side of you? —
“嘿，你这个懒兮兮的老家伙，”几个人同时喊道，“你怎么骑在兽背上，而那个可怜的小男孩却跟不上你的速度呢？ —

’ The good-natured Miller immediately took up his son behind him. —
善良的磨坊主立即让儿子骑在他的身后。 —

They had now almost reached the town. —
他们现在几乎到达了城镇。 —

“Pray, honest friend,” said a citizen, “is that Ass your own? —
“请问，朋友，那只驴是你自己的吗？ —

’ “Yes,” replied the old man. —
”“是的，”老人回答道。 —

“O, one would not have thought so,” said the other, “by the way you load him. —
“哦，真没想到，”另一个人说，“你的负载方式不像是你自己的。 —

Why, you two fellows are better able to carry the poor beast than he you. —
嘿，你们两个家伙比他更能背这只可怜的驴。 —

” “Anything to please you,” said the old man; —
”“我愿意尽力，”老人说。 —

“we can but try.” So, alighting with his son, they tied the legs of the Ass together and with the help of a pole endeavored to carry him on their shoulders over a bridge near the entrance to the town. —
于是，老人和儿子下来，他们把驴的腿绑在一起，借助一根杆子试图将驴背在肩上过一座靠近城镇入口的桥。 —

This entertaining sight brought the people in crowds to laugh at it, till the Ass, not liking the noise nor the strange handling that he was subject to, broke the cords that bound him and, tumbling off the pole, fell into the river. —
这场娱乐性的景象引来了人们的笑声，直到那只驴子不喜欢这噪音，也不喜欢被人们随意摆弄的感觉，他扯断了绑着他的绳子，从竿子上摔下来，掉进了河里。 —

Upon this, the old man, vexed and ashamed, made the best of his way home again, convinced that by endeavoring to please everybody he had pleased nobody, and lost his Ass in the bargain.
老人感到烦恼和羞愧，他尽快回家，明白自己想要取悦所有人的努力只会令所有人不满，而且还白白失去了他的驴子。