THE THIEVES AND THE COCK

Some Thieves broke into a house, and found nothing worth taking except a Cock, which they seized and carried off with them. When they were preparing their supper, one of them caught up the Cock, and was about to wring his neck, when he cried out for mercy and said, “Pray do not kill me: you will find me a most useful bird, for I rouse honest men to their work in the morning by my crowing.” But the Thief replied with some heat, “Yes, I know you do, making it still harder for us to get a livelihood. Into the pot you go!”

贼和公鸡

有一伙贼闯入一个房子，却发现只有一只公鸡值得偷，于是便偷走了。做晚饭的时候，一个贼抓住公鸡，想要扭断他的脖子，公鸡大喊着求饶：“求求你们不要杀我，你们会发现我是最有用的鸡的，每天早晨，我都用自己的鸣叫唤醒诚实的人去工作。”而贼兴奋地回答说：“是啊，我了解你做的事情，你让我们这样的人谋生更难了。你还是下锅里去吧！”