The Cat, the Partridge1 and the Hare2 貓、鷓鴣和野兔

陳佳

A long time ago， there lived a partridge in a safe and warm hollow3 under a tree. Unfortunately， there was no proper source4 of food available near his home. So， he decided to go out in search of a good source of food. He soon found out a field where there was enough supply of food， so he did not come back to his home for few days and ate to his hearts content every day.

While the partridge was enjoying himself in the field， a hare happened to see the partridges old home. He liked it very much and started living in it. One fine day， the partridge decided to go back to his old home again. He had now grown very fat because of a healthy diet. When he saw the hare comfortably living in his home， he asked him to move out immediately.

They had a long argument， but could not arrive on any decision. So， they both decided to contact a supposedly learned cat to solve their problem. The cat lived nearby. When the partridge and the hare got close to him， he decided to take advantage of the situation. He said， “My dear friends， I am so sorry. I am old and hard of hearing. Both of you come close to me and tell me your problem. I will do my best to help you out.” As soon as the partridge and the hare came near the cat， he killed them both and had a big meal.

This story teaches us that whenever two people have a fight， the third， the mediator， often takes advantage of the situation.

很久以前，有一只鷓鴣住在安全溫暖的山谷里的一顆樹下。不幸的是，他家附近沒有合適的食物來源。所以，他決定出去尋找好的食物來源。他很快就找到了一塊田地，那里有充足的食物，所以他幾天沒回窩，每天都吃得飽飽的。

正當鷓鴣在田里玩得很開心的時候，一只兔子碰巧看到了鷓鴣的舊窩。他非常喜歡它并開始住在里面。一個晴朗的日子，鷓鴣決定再次回到他的舊窩。因為吃得健康，他現(xiàn)在長得很胖了。當他看到兔子舒舒服服地住在他的舊窩里時，他叫他馬上搬出去。

他們吵了很長時間，但未能作出任何決定。所以，他們倆決定聯(lián)系一只據(jù)說很有學(xué)問的貓來解決他們的問題。那只貓住在附近。當鷓鴣和野兔走近他時，他決定利用這個機會。他說：“親愛的朋友們，我很抱歉。我又老又聾，你們兩個走近點，告訴我你們的問題。我會盡力幫助你們?！柄p鴣和野兔一靠近那只貓，那只貓就把他們都殺掉了，享用了一頓大餐。

這個故事告訴我們，“鷸蚌相爭，漁翁得利”。

【Notes】

1. partridge? ?n. 鷓鴣 2. hare? ?n. 野兔

3. hollow? ?n. 洞;山谷 4. source? ?n. 來源