LESSON 21 The donkey

第二十一课 驴子的故事

Poor donkey!

可怜的小毛驴啊！

I'll give him a handful of grass;

只要给它一把草，

I'm sure he's an honest, though stupid, old ass.

老实、忠厚且上了年级的笨毛驴。

He trots to the market to carry the sack, And lets me ride all the way home on his back;

就会兴冲冲的跑去驮麻袋,并一路载着我回家。

And only just stops by the ditch for a minute, To seeif there's any fresh grass for him in it.

路上遇到沟槽时，它会稍作停顿看看里面是否有新鲜的草；

It's true, now and then, he has got a bad trick of standing stock-still, and just trying to kick;

当然了，有时它会故意停下不走，要不然就只踢一下腿。

But then, poor old fellow! you know he can't tell. That standing stock-still is not using me well;

我那可怜的毛驴不会说话，但它的所作所为我丝毫不为所动。

For it never comes into his head, I dare say, To do his work first, and then afterwards play. No, no, my good donkey, I'll give you some grass, For you know no better, because you're an ass;

驴子从来不会想着先把手头儿的活儿干完再玩的，所以我扔给它一把草，没什么比这更好的了，因为它只是个毛驴。

But what little donkeys some children must look, Who stand, very like you, stock-still at their book, And waste every moment of time as it passes— A great deal more stupid and silly than asses!

但是现实生活中有多少孩子一动不动地坐在书本前，等待时间一点一滴地流逝，这种行为比起驴子有过之而无不及。

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