The Vain Jackdaw

THE  VAIN JACKDAW       爱虚荣的寒鸦

Jupiter, King of the Gods, announced that he intended toappoint a King over the birds, and he named a day on which they were to appearbefore his throne when he would select the most beautiful of them all to betheir ruler.  Wishing to look their beston the occasion, they retired to the banks on a stream, where they busiedthemselves in washing and preening their feathers.  The Jackdaw was there along with the rest andrealized that, with his ugly plumage, he would have no chance of being chosenas he was: so he waited till they were all gone, and then picked up the mostgaudy of the feathers they had dropped and fastened them about his own body,with the result that he looked gayer than any of them.  When the appointed day came, the birdsassembled before Jupiter’s throne; and after passing them in review, he wasabout to make the Jackdaw King, when all the rest set upon the King-elect,stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and exposed him for the Jackdaw that hewas.

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Jupiter, King of the Gods, announced that he intended toappoint a King over the birds,  宙斯神，众神之王，宣布他将任命一个统管所有鸟的鸟之王。

Jupiter:  罗马神话中的宙斯神                  Announce:  宣布，公布

Intend:  有。。。 意向                              Appoint:  任命，委派                            

and he named a day on which they were to appear before histhrone when he would select the most beautiful of them all to be theirruler. 

他指定了一个日子，所有的鸟在那一天都到他的王位前，他将挑选一个最漂亮的鸟作为鸟之王。

Appear:  出现                                                 Throne:  王位

Select:  挑选                                                   Ruler:  统治者

Wishing to look their best on the occasion, they retired tothe banks on a stream,  希望在那一天自己是最漂亮的，所有的鸟都来到小溪岸边，

Occasion:  机会，场合（这里指那天的选美机会）          Retire： 退隐

Bank： 岸边                           Stream： 小溪         

where they busied themselves in washing and preening theirfeathers. 

在小溪边，鸟忙着梳洗，打扮自己。Preen:  打扮自己，鸟用嘴整理羽毛。

The Jackdaw was there along with the rest and realized that,with his ugly plumage, he would have no chance of being chosen as he was:

一只寒鸦（八哥）也在其中，可它意识到：凭着自己现在的一身丑陋羽毛，被选上的机会是没有的。

Jackdaw： 寒鸦，八哥             realized： 意识到                  plumage： 羽毛

so he waited till they were all gone, and then picked up themost gaudy of the feathers they had dropped and fastened them about his ownbody, with the result that he looked gayer than any of them. 

这样，寒鸦等到所有的鸟都走后，捡起它们摘下，扔掉的最浓艳，俗丽的羽毛扎在自己的身上。最后，寒鸦看起来竟比其他鸟更华丽了！

Gaudy:  华而不实的，俗丽的    Fasten:  锁紧，绑扎            Gayer：华美的     When the appointed day came, the birds assembled beforeJupiter’s throne; and after passing them in review, he was about to make theJackdaw King, when all the rest set upon the King-elect, stripped him of hisborrowed plumes, and exposed him for the Jackdaw that he was.

选美的日子来到了。所有的鸟聚集在Jupiter 宙斯王的宝座前接受检阅。选美检阅结束后，当宙斯王就要把寒鸦命名为鸟中之王时，所有的鸟开始攻击寒鸦，剥掉了它身上借来的羽毛，使它暴露了自己寒鸦的原形。

Assemble:   集合               Review:  检阅                              Set upon:  攻击

Strip:  剥夺，剥掉衣服            Plume:  羽毛                           Expose:  暴露

Fine feathers do not make fine birds.

华丽的外表不等于优良的素质。