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II．THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL
II．沒有尾巴的狐貍
A fox being caught in a trap, was glad to save his neck by leaving his tail behind him;
狐貍掉入一個陷阱，因割舍下尾巴保住了脖子活命，而深感慶幸；
but, upon going abroad into the world, he began to be so ashamed of his defect,
可是，等到他一脫離險境到了外面的安全世界，他就開始因為自己缺一條尾巴而非常難為情，
that he almost wished he had died in the trap.
以至于他真希望那時還不如留著尾巴死在陷阱里。
However, resolving to make the best of a bad case, he called a meeting of the rest of the foxes,
然而，為了妥善處理這么一件糟糕的事，這只狐貍就召集其他狐貍們開會，
and proposed that they should all follow his example.
建議狐貍們應該都像他一樣在這種情況下舍掉尾巴。
"You have no notion," said he, "of the ease and comfort with which I now move about.
狐貍說道：“你們不知道，我現在沒有尾巴的拖累，走來走去是多么輕松自在。
I could never have believed it if I had not tried it myself.
如果我自己沒有親身嘗試過，我也不會相信的。
But really, when one comes to think of it, a tail is such an ugly, useless thing,
真的，你們好好想想吧，尾巴是這么的丑陋、無用，
that one wonders how foxes have put up with it so long.
真不知道我們狐貍怎么能這么多年忍受尾巴的拖累。
I propose, therefore, my worthy brethren, that you should profit by my example, and that all foxes from this day forward should cut off their tails."
所以，我建議，親愛的同胞們，你們應該向我學習，從今天起所有的狐貍都應該切掉尾巴，這樣做簡直好處太多了。”
Thereupon, one of the oldest stepped forward, and said,
話剛說完，一只最年長的狐貍站出來說道，
"I rather think, my friend, that you would not have advised us to part with our tails, if there had been any chance of recovering your own."
“我的朋友，如果你有機會能再生出尾巴來，我相信，你就不會建議我們切掉尾巴了?！?/p>
