Eddie Gets a Job — Almost 埃迪碰釘子

Hotshot Eddie needed money to buy a new guitar. His old one was on its last legs, and if he wanted to become a famous rock star, he needed the right equipment.

Eddie went to his mother and put his cards on the table, asking her for the money to buy a new guitar. His mother refused point-blank. She told him that if he wanted to live a successful life, he should try harder.

Next, Eddie turned to his sister, Gillian. She was a smart cookie, and Eddie felt sure she would be able to suggest something. He was right. Gillian told him to get a part-time job at Billy’s Burgers. “Great idea” said Eddie. “How much do they pay?”

“Peanuts,” said Gillian. “It will take you years to save up enough money for a guitar, but at least you’ll have something to do. Now go away. I’m trying to read.”

自命不凡的埃迪需要錢買把新吉他。他的舊吉他快報廢了，而如果他想成為一名著名的搖滾明星，他需要合適的裝備。埃迪去找他媽媽說明事實，向她要錢買把新吉他。他母親直截了當?shù)鼐芙^了他。她告訴埃迪如果他想過功成名就的日子，他就該多加把勁。接著埃迪向他妹妹吉莉安求助。她是個聰明的家伙，埃迪相信她能提出好的建議。他猜對了。吉莉安叫他去比利漢堡店打工。 “好主意！” 埃迪說。“他們付多少錢？”“少得可憐。” 吉莉安說，“你得用好幾年才能存夠錢買把吉他，但至少你會有事情做。現(xiàn)在快走開。我要看書了。”

One-eyed Doe 獨眼鹿

A one-eyed doe was grazing near the river. She kept her one eye on the land to watch out for hunters. She kept the other side of her face towards the river because she never saw hunters coming from the river. However, she didn’t see the boat on the river with sailors in it. When they got close enough, one of them shot her with his rifle. She lay there dying, and with her last few breaths, said, “My God! I expected an attack from land, but it turns out I was safe from that. I took the river for granted, so I didn’t watch it. My enemy came from the one place I least expected!”

MORAL: Danger often comes from a source that is least expected.

—based on a story from “Aesop’s Fables”

一只獨眼母鹿正在河邊吃草。她用一只眼睛對著陸地，注意看有沒有獵人。她臉的另一側(cè)眼睛則對著河流，因為她從未見獵人從河里出現(xiàn)。可是她沒有看到河上載著水手的船。當水手們靠近她時，其中一人射殺了她。她躺在那兒奄奄一息。用僅存的幾口氣說道：“天哪！我以為攻擊會來自陸上，結(jié)果我卻毫發(fā)無損。我以為河流這邊一定安全，所以我沒有注意。我的敵人居然來自最出乎我意料的地方！”

寓意：最安全的地方往往是最危險的地方。

─根據(jù)《伊索寓言》故事改編

The Bald Guy 禿頭先生

Once there was an old guy, who was growing old and starting to lose his hair. By the time he had gone completely bald, he decided to cover his bald head with a wig.

One day, he went out hunting with some friends. A strong wind suddenly blew his wig off. When his friends saw what had happened, they started laughing so hard that they could not stop.

The bald guy started laughing, too, and just as loudly as the other men. He said to his friends, “How can I expect my fake hair to stay on my head when even my real hair won’t stay there?”

從前有個老先生，隨著年齡的增長開始掉頭發(fā)。當他的頭發(fā)全掉光后，他決定戴頂假發(fā)遮掩他的禿頭。一天，他和一些朋友一起去打獵。突然一陣強風吹走了他的假發(fā)。他的朋友看到這樣的情景，全都樂得大笑不止。禿頭的先生也開始大笑起來，而且和其他人一樣出聲大笑。他對朋友說：“連我的真發(fā)都不肯留在我的頭頂上，我又怎能奢望我的假發(fā)會留在那兒呢？”