Chapter 30 The Farmer and the Cranes(农夫和鹤).jpg

SOME CRANES made their feeding grounds on some plowlands newly sown with wheat. —-
一些鹤将它们的觅食地点选在一些新播种麦田上。 —-

For a long time the Farmer, brandishing an empty sling, chased them away by the terror he inspired; —-
农夫挥舞着一只空的投石索,长时间以来通过它所激发的恐惧将它们赶走; —-

but when the birds found that the sling was only swung in the air, they ceased to take any notice of it and would not move. —-
但是当鸟儿发现投石索只是在空中挥舞,它们开始不再理会并且不愿动。 —-

The Farmer, on seeing this, charged his sling with stones, and killed a great number. —-
农夫看到这一点后,用石块装满投石索,杀死了很多。 —-

The remaining birds at once forsook his fields, crying to each other, “It is time for us to be off to Liliput: —-
剩下的鸟儿立刻离开了他的田地,彼此呼喊着:“是时候离开这里去小人国了: —-

for this man is no longer content to scare us, but begins to show us in earnest what he can do.”
这个人不再仅仅吓唬我们,而是开始认真地展示他能做的事情。”

If words suffice not, blows must follow.
如果言语不够,必然要接着来打。