第17章 The Herdsman and the Lost Bull 牧人和小牛犊

A HERDSMAN tending his flock in a forest lost a Bull-calf from the fold. After a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, if he could only discover the thief who had stolen the Calf, he would offer a lamb in sacrifice to Hermes, Pan, and the Guardian Deities of the forest. Not long afterwards, as he ascended a small hillock, he saw at its foot a Lion feeding on the Calf. Terrified at the sight, he lifted his eyes and his hands to heaven, and said: "Just now I vowed to offer a lamb to the Guardian Deities of the forest if I could only find out who had robbed me; but now that I have discovered the thief, I would willingly add a full-grown Bull to the Calf I have lost, if I may only secure my own escape from him in safety."

牧人在树林中放牛，不小心丢失了一只小牛犊。他在树林里四处寻找，却毫无收获。于是，他就对赫耳墨斯、萨堤罗斯森林守护神发誓，只要可以找到偷小牛犊的贼，他愿意用一只山羊献祭。没过多久，他走上小山丘，忽然看到山下有只狮子正在美美地享用他的小牛犊。他顿时惊慌失措，高举双手，仰望着天空，大声祈求说：“我刚才发誓，如果我能捉到偷小牛犊的贼，我愿意把一只山羊献给守护神。现在，我发誓，只要能逃脱狮子的魔爪，我愿意献上一头大牛。”

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