第3章
｛中文阅读｝
蝙蝠落到地上，被黄鼠狼捉住了，就在快要被杀死、吃掉之前，他乞求黄鼠狼放了他。黄鼠狼说不能放了他，因为他向来是所有鸟类的敌人。蝙蝠说：“噢，我根本不是鸟儿，只不过是一只老鼠。”黄鼠狼说：“原来你是老鼠呀，现在我才看清你。”
于是，黄鼠狼放走了蝙蝠。不久，蝙蝠又以同样方式被另一只黄鼠狼捉住了，像从前那样，他又求黄鼠狼放了自己。“不行，”黄鼠狼说，“我绝不放过任何一只老鼠。”“可我不是老鼠呀，”蝙蝠说，“我是一只鸟儿。”“哎呀，原来你是一只鸟儿呀，”黄鼠狼说着，也放走了蝙蝠。
见风使舵。
THE DOG AND THE SOW
狗和母猪
A Dog and a Sow were arguing and each claimed that its own young ones were finer than those of any other animal."Well，"said the Sow at last，"mine can see，at any rate，when they come into the world：but yours are born blind."
｛中文阅读｝
狗和母猪争辩，都说自己的孩子更加出色。“嗯，”母猪最后说，“至少我的孩子一生下来就能看见东西，你的孩子生下来却是个瞎子。”
THE FOX AND THE CROW
狐狸和乌鸦
A Crow was sitting on a branch of a tree with a piece of cheese in her beak when a Fox observed her and set his wits to work to discover some way of getting the cheese.Coming and standing under the tree he looked up and said，"What a noble bird I see above me！Her beauty is without equal，the hue of her plumage exquisite.If only her voice is as sweet as her looks are fair，she ought without doubt to be Queen of the Birds."The Crow was hugely flattered by this，and just to show the Fox that she could sing she gave a loud caw.Down came the cheese，of course，and the Fox，snatching it up，said，"You have a voice，madam，I see：what you want is wits."
｛中文阅读｝
乌鸦坐在树枝上，嘴里叼着一块奶酪。这时，狐狸在观察乌鸦，转动鬼脑筋想得到那块奶酪。于是，狐狸走过去，站在树下，仰起头说道：“我的头上有一只多么高贵的鸟儿呀！她的美貌天下无双，她的羽毛精致纤美。要是她的声音也像外貌和羽毛那样美好，毫无疑问，她真该成为鸟类的女王！”听到这番恭维，乌鸦简直受宠若惊，一心只想着向狐狸炫耀一下自己的歌喉，就“呱”地大叫了一声。理所当然，她嘴里的那块奶酪就掉了下去，狐狸立刻抓起奶酪，说：“乌鸦夫人，我知道你的歌喉很不错，可你需要的是智慧。”
THE HORSE AND THE GROOM
马和马夫
There was once a Groom who used to spend long hours clipping and combing the Horse of which he had charge，but who daily stole a portion of his allowance of oats，and sold it for his own profit.The Horse gradually got into worse and worse condition，and at last cried to the Groom，"If you really want me to look sleek and well，you must comb me less and feed me more."
｛中文阅读｝
从前，有一个马夫，常常花费几个钟头来为他负责照管的马修剪和梳理毛发，可是他却每天都会偷一部分喂马的燕麦，拿去卖了以谋私利。逐渐地，马的健康状况越来越糟糕，最后忍不住对马夫大叫：“你要是真想让我看上去光滑闪亮，就应该少给我梳毛，多喂我燕麦。”
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB
狼和小羊
A Wolf came upon a Lamb straying from the flock，and felt some compunction about taking the life of so helpless a creature without some plausible excuse；so he cast about for a grievance and said at last，"Last year，sirrah，you grossly insulted me.""That is impossible，sir，"bleated the Lamb，"for I wasn't born then.""Well，"retorted the Wolf，"you feed in my pastures.""That cannot be，"replied the Lamb，"for I have never yet tasted grass.""You drink from my spring，then，"continued the Wolf."Indeed，sir，"said the poor Lamb，"I have never yet drunk anything but my mother's milk.""Well，anyhow，"said the Wolf，"I'm not going without my dinner"：and he sprang upon the Lamb and devoured it without more ado.
｛中文阅读｝
狼偶然碰见一只离群的小羊，似乎觉着平白无故杀死这么弱小无助的生命有点良心不安，于是他竭力寻找自己受过的各种委屈，最后说：“小子，去年你可是侮辱过我。”“这不可能，先生。”小羊低声说，“那时，我还没出生呢。”狼反驳道：“嗯，你在我的牧场里吃草来着。”“这更不可能啦，”小羊回答说，“我到现在还没尝过草的滋味呢。”“那么，你喝过我的泉水。”狼继续编造借口。“说实在的，先生，”可怜的小羊说，“除了妈妈的奶水，我从没喝过其它东西呢。”“好吧，不管怎么说，”狼说，“我总不能不吃晚饭。”于是，他扑向小羊，干脆痛快地把他吞了下去。
THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE
孔雀与鹤
A Peacock taunted a Crane with the dullness of her plumage."Look at my brilliant colors，"said she，"and see how much finer they are than your poor feathers.""I am not denying，"replied the Crane，"that yours are far gayer than mine；but when it comes to flying I can soar into the clouds，whereas you are confined to the earth like any dunghill cock."
｛中文阅读｝
孔雀嘲讽鹤的羽毛色泽暗淡，她奚落道：“看看我的羽毛，多么鲜艳华丽呀，比你那灰暗难看的羽毛强出百倍。”“我不否认，”鹤说道，“你的羽毛比我的华丽，可是，要说到飞行能力，我翅膀上的羽毛能在空中翱翔，而你却只能像公鸡一样，在地上行走。”
THE CAT AND THE BIRDS
猫和鸟
A Cat heard that the Birds in an aviary were ailing.So he got himself up as a doctor，and，taking with him a set of the instruments proper to his profession，presented himself at the door，and inquired after the health of the Birds."We shall do very well，"they replied，without letting him in，"when we've seen the last of you."
A villain may disguise himself，but he will not deceive the wise.
｛中文阅读｝
有一只猫，闻言某处鸟舍里的鸟儿们全都生病了。于是，他便扮作医生，带着医生所使用的专业器具，装模作样地来到鸟房前，假装问候里面的鸟儿身体状况。“我们都很健康，”鸟儿们回答说，并没有让猫进去，“一看到你的大尾巴，我们就全好了。”
骗子会伪装自己，但决骗不过聪明人。
THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW
败家子与燕子
A Spendthrift，who had wasted his fortune，and had nothing left but the clothes in which he stood，saw a Swallow one fine day in early spring.Thinking that summer had come，and that he could now do without his coat，he went and sold it for what it would fetch.A change，however，took place in the weather，and there came a sharp frost which killed the unfortunate Swallow.When the Spendthrift saw its dead body he cried，"Miserable bird！Thanks to you I am perishing of cold myself."
One swallow does not make summer.
｛中文阅读｝
一个败家子因为挥霍无度而白白耗费了所有的财产。在一个早春的日子里，除了身上的衣服之外，已经别无所有的他，看到一只燕子。他心里想着，应该是夏天来临，可以不再需要身上的外套了。于是，他出去想卖掉外套，换点什么东西。不料，天气骤变，忽然降临的一场霜冻冻死了不幸的燕子。败家子看到燕子的尸体后，大喊道：“可怜的小鸟！都是因为你，我才会也跟着挨冻呀。”
一燕不成夏。