熊和旅人

37.THE BEAR AND THETRAVELLERS熊和旅人Two Travelers were on the road together, when a Bear suddenlyappeared on the scene. Before he observed them, one made for a tree at theside of the road, and climbed up into the branches and hid there. The otherwas not so nimble as his companion; and, as he could not escape, he threwhimself on the ground and pretended to be dead. The Bear came up andsniffed all round him, but he kept perfectly still and held his breath: for theysay that a bear will not touch a dead body. The Bear took him for a corpse,and went away. When the coast was clear, the Traveler in the tree camedown, and asked the other what it was the Bear had whispered to him whenhe put his mouth to his ear. The other replied, "He told me never again totravel with a friend who deserts you at the first sign of danger."Misfortune tests the sincerity of friendship.｛中文阅读｝两个朋友一同出游，途中突然遇到一只大熊。还没等熊看到他们，其中一个立即闪电般地抢先爬上树，躲了起来。而另 一个眼见逃生无望，便灵机一动躺倒在地上，假装死了。熊走到他跟前，用鼻子在他脸上嗅了嗅，转身就走了，但他依然屏住呼吸、安然不动，因为他们听说，熊从来不碰死人。熊还真把他当成了死人，径自走开了。躲在树上的人下来后，问躺在地上的朋友，熊在他耳边说了些什么。那人委婉地回答说：“熊告诉我，今后千万注意，别和那些不能共患难的朋友一起同行。”不幸可以考验友谊的真诚。