双语有声阅读：病狮

The Sick Lion

 

病狮

 

A lion,no longer able,from the weakness of old age,

 

一头年老体弱的狮子，没有力气去

 

to hunt for his prey¹ laid himself up in his den²,

 

自行觅食，只好躺在洞穴里;

 

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and breathing with great difficulty,

 

他呼吸困难，

 

and speaking with a low voice,said that he was very ill.

 

说话有气无力，一脸病入膏肓的样子。

 

The report soon spread among the beasts,

 

这个消息很快在兽群之间传开了，

 

and there was great lamentation³ for the sick lion.

 

大家都为病狮哀伤不已。

 

One after another came to see him;

 

他们一个接一个地来探望他；

 

but,catching him thus alone,and in his own den,

 

哪知道这头狮子就这样待在自己的洞里，

 

the lion made an easy prey of them, and grew fat upon his diet.

 

轻而易举地把探望者一个个捉住吃掉，把自己养得胖胖的。

 

The fox,suspecting the truth of the matter,

 

狐狸对这件是有点怀疑

 

came at length to make his visit of inquiry⁴,

 

最后也来看个究竟。

 

and standing⁵ at some distance,asked his Majesty⁶ how he did?

 

他站得远远的恭问万兽之王安好。

 

"Ah,my dearest friend,"said the lion,

 

狮子道:"啊，我最亲爱的朋友，

 

"Is it you?Why do you stand so far from me?

 

是你呀！为什么站得那么远？

 

Come,sweet friend, and pour a word of consolation⁷ in the poor lion's ear,

 

来，好朋友，在我这可怜的狮子耳边说句安慰的话吧，

 

who has but a short time to live."

 

我快不行啦。"

 

"Bless you!"said the fox."But excuse me if I cannot stay;

 

"愿上帝保佑你！"狐狸说:"但请原谅，我不能久留。

 

for to tell you the truth,

 

老实说，

 

I feel quite uneasy at the mark of he foot-steps that I see here,

 

我感到十分不安。我看到这里许多脚印

 

all printing towards your den,and none returning outwards⁸."

 

都是只向府上走进来，没有一个是走出来的哩！"

1 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

2 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

3 lamentation   

n.悲叹，哀悼

参考例句：

• This ingredient does not invite or generally produce lugubrious lamentation. 这一要素并不引起，或者说通常不产生故作悲伤的叹息。 来自哲学部分
• Much lamentation followed the death of the old king. 老国王晏驾，人们悲恸不已。 来自辞典例句

4 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

7 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

8 outwards   

adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形

参考例句：

• Does this door open inwards or outwards?这门朝里开还是朝外开？
• In lapping up a fur,they always put the inner side outwards.卷毛皮时，他们总是让内层朝外。