A farmer had a horse that had been an excellent faithful servant to him: —
一个农夫有一匹曾经对他非常忠诚的马：但是它现在年纪太大了， —

but he was now grown too old to work; —
无法再工作； —

so the farmer would give him nothing more to eat, and said, ‘I want you no longer, so take yourself off out of my stable; —
于是农夫再也不给它吃东西，并说：“我不再需要你了，所以快走出我的马厩； —

I shall not take you back again until you are stronger than a lion. —
除非你变得比狮子更强壮，否则我不会收回你。”然后他打开门把它赶走。 —

’ Then he opened the door and turned him adrift.
可怜的马十分沮丧，它在树林间漫游，寻找一点点避风避雨的地方；

The poor horse was very melancholy, and wandered up and down in the wood, seeking some little shelter from the cold wind and rain. —
突然，一只狐狸遇见了它：“朋友，怎么了？”他说，“为什么你垂头丧气地孤零零地看着？ —

Presently a fox met him: ‘What’s the matter, my friend?’ said he, ‘why do you hang down your head and look so lonely and woe-begone? —
“啊！”马回答道，“正义和贪婪永远不会共处一室； —

’ ‘Ah!’ replied the horse, ‘justice and avarice never dwell in one house; —
我的主人忘记了这么多年我为他做的一切，现在因为我不能再工作了，他把我赶走了，并说除非我变得比狮子更强壮，否则他不会再收回我； —

my master has forgotten all that I have done for him so many years, and because I can no longer work he has turned me adrift, and says unless I become stronger than a lion he will not take me back again; —
”然后他打开门把它赶走。 —

what chance can I have of that? —
我有什么机会呢？ —

he knows I have none, or he would not talk so.’
他知道我一无所有，否则他就不会这样说话了。

However, the fox bid him be of good cheer, and said, ‘I will help you; lie down there, stretch yourself out quite stiff, and pretend to be dead. —
然而，狐狸让他振作起来，并说：“我会帮助你的；躺在那里，全身伸直，假装死去。” —

’ The horse did as he was told, and the fox went straight to the lion who lived in a cave close by, and said to him, ‘A little way off lies a dead horse; —
狐狸马上去找住在附近山洞里的狮子，对他说：“不远处有一匹死马；跟我一起去，你可以享用他的尸体美餐。” 狮子非常高兴，立刻出发了。 —

come with me and you may make an excellent meal of his carcase. —
当他们来到马旁时，狐狸说：“你在这里没有办法舒服地吃他；我告诉你个办法——我会把你牢牢地绑在他的尾上， —

’ The lion was greatly pleased, and set off immediately; —
然后你就可以把他拖回你的洞穴，在方便的时候慢慢吃。” —

and when they came to the horse, the fox said, ‘You will not be able to eat him comfortably here; —
这个建议让狮子很满意，所以他安静地躺下，让狐狸把他绑在马身上。 —

I’ll tell you what–I will tie you fast to his tail, and then you can draw him to your den, and eat him at your leisure.’
但是狐狸却把他的腿绑在一起，并且绑得非常紧实，尽管他使出所有力量，也无法使自己解脱。

This advice pleased the lion, so he laid himself down quietly for the fox to make him fast to the horse. —
那只狮子非常愉快，于是躺下让狐狸把他绑在马上。 —

But the fox managed to tie his legs together and bound all so hard and fast that with all his strength he could not set himself free. —
但是狐狸却把他的腿绑在一起，并且绑得非常紧实，尽管他使出所有力量，也无法使自己解脱。 —

When the work was done, the fox clapped the horse on the shoulder, and said, ‘Jip! Dobbin! Jip! —
当工作完成时，狐狸拍了拍马的肩膀，说：“吉普！杜宾！吉普！ —

’ Then up he sprang, and moved off, dragging the lion behind him. —
然后他一跃而起，拖着狮子离开了。 —

The beast began to roar and bellow, till all the birds of the wood flew away for fright; —
野兽开始咆哮和吼叫，使得树林里的所有鸟儿都惊飞了起来； —

but the horse let him sing on, and made his way quietly over the fields to his master’s house.
但是马让他继续唱着，安静地穿过田野到达了主人的房子。

‘Here he is, master,’ said he, ‘I have got the better of him’: —
“主人，他在这儿，”他说，“我战胜了他。 —

and when the farmer saw his old servant, his heart relented, and he said. —
”农夫看到他的老仆人，心软了，便说道。 —

‘Thou shalt stay in thy stable and be well taken care of. —
“你将留在你的马厩，好好照顾你。 —

’ And so the poor old horse had plenty to eat, and lived–till he died.
”于是这匹可怜老马有了充足的食物，就这样活下来，直到死去。