The Farmer and the Stork

    A FARMER placed nets on his newly-sown plowlands and caught a number of Cranes, which came to pick up his seed.  With them he trapped a Stork that had fractured his leg in the net and was earnestly beseeching the Farmer to spare his life.  "Pray save me, Master," he said, "and let me go free this once.  My broken limb should excite your pity.  Besides, I am no Crane, I am a Stork, a bird of excellent character; and see how I love and slave for my father and mother.  Look too, at my feathers-- they are not the least like those of a Crane."   The Farmer  laughed aloud and said, "It may be all as you say, I only know  this:  I have taken you with these robbers, the Cranes, and you  must die in their company."  

 

       
 

      农夫在刚刚播种的田里布下许多网，许多来吃种子的鹤都被捉住了，并捉到一只鹳，鹳的腿被网折断了，它哀求农夫说：“饶了我吧，可怜可怜我吧。我又不是鹤，而是一只鹳，我是性情优美的鸟。你瞧，我多么孝顺父母，为他们辛勤劳作，再仔细看看我的羽毛，与鹤也完全不同。”农夫大笑说：“你说的话也许不错；但我只知道，你和这些偷吃种子的鹤一起被捉到，那末你就得和他们一起死。”