??? The somehow sent the crow a little bit of cheese. The crow had perched upon a fir. She seemed to have steeled down to enjoy her provender1, But mused2 with mouth half-closed, the dainty bit still in it.

　　Unhappily the fox came running past that minute. A whiff of scent3 soon brings him to a pause, And the fox sights the cheese and licks his jaws4.

　　The rascal5 steals on tip-toe to the tree. He curls his tail, and, gazing earnestly. He speaks so soft, scarce whispering each word:

　　"How beautiful you are, sweet bird! What a neck, and oh! what eyes, Like a dream of Paradise! Then, what feathers! What a beak6! And, sure, an angel's voice if only you would speak! Sing, darling; don't be shy! Oh, sister, truth to tell, if you, with charms like these, can sing as well, Of birds you'd be the queen adorable! the silly creature's head turns giddy with his praise. Her breath, for very rapture7, swells8 her throat; the fox's soft persuasion9 she obeys. And high as crow can pitch she caws one piercing note."

　　Down falls the cheese! Both cheese and fox have gone their ways.

　　How often have they told us, please, and always to no use-that flattery's mean and base. The flatterer in our hearts will always find a place.

　　上帝不知何故賞給了烏鴉一小塊奶酪。于是,烏鴉高高地躲在樅樹的樹梢,似乎要安頓下來開始享用美味。但是嘴里含著那一小塊奶酪,心里還要思量一番。

　　可是倒霉得很,一只狐貍從旁邊經(jīng)過,奶酪的飄香讓狐貍止住了奔跑。狐貍看著奶酪,舔舔嘴。

　　這狡猾的東西踮起腳尖偷偷走近樅樹。它卷起尾巴,目不轉(zhuǎn)睛地瞅著,非常柔和的說話了,幾乎每個字都是竊竊私語:

　　“心肝寶貝,你長得多么美妙啊!瞧那脖子,瞧那眼睛,美的像個天堂的夢!多好的羽毛,多好的嘴巴,你一開口,一定會有天使的聲音,唱吧!親愛的,別害羞! 啊!小妹妹, 說實話,你這么美麗迷人,要是再唱得悅耳動聽,那你就是令人拜倒的鳥中皇后了!”那蠢鳥被贊美地暈頭轉(zhuǎn)向,高興地都要透不過氣來。它聽從了狐貍的柔聲勸誘,盡其所能提高了嗓門,發(fā)出了呱呱的叫聲。

　　奶酪墜地,狐貍銜起它就沒影了。

　　對于阿諛奉承的卑鄙和惡劣,我們接受過多少次告誡,然而一切都是徒勞,馬屁精總會在我們心里占據(jù)一席之地。