A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws.

一只獅子頭枕著爪子在森林中睡覺。

A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose.

一只膽小的老鼠無意間遇上了獅子，嚇得她趕緊跑開，但撞上了獅子的鼻子。

Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.

獅子醒了過來，生氣地把爪子撲向小老鼠，想打死她。

"Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse.

可憐的老鼠祈求道：“求求你，放過我吧！”

"Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you."

“讓我走吧，總有一天我會(huì)報(bào)答你的?！?br>

The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him.

雖然獅子覺得老鼠可能會(huì)幫上他的說法很可笑，

But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go.

但他還是慷慨地放走了老鼠

Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter's net.

過了幾天，獅子在捕獵時(shí)，陷入了獵人設(shè)計(jì)的獵網(wǎng)中。

Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring.

脫不了身的獅子憤怒地咆哮著，聲音傳遍了森林。

The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net.

老鼠聽出了這個(gè)聲音，很快就發(fā)現(xiàn)了落入網(wǎng)中的獅子。

Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.

老鼠跑向困住獅子的繩子的一端，咬斷了它，獅子馬上就得救了。

"You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse.

老鼠說道：“當(dāng)初我說要回報(bào)你的時(shí)候你還笑了，”

"Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion."

“現(xiàn)在你看，即使一只老鼠也能幫助一只獅子。”

Moral

A kindness is never wasted.

寓意：

善有善報(bào)。