The old lion 老狮子（中英）

A Lion, enfeebled by age and no longer able to procure food for himself by force, determined to do so by cunning. Betaking himself to a cave, he lay down inside and feigned to be sick: and whenever any of the other animals entered to inquire after his health, he sprang upon them and devoured them. Many lost their lives in this way, till one day a Fox called at the cave, and, having a suspicion of the truth, addressed the Lion from outside instead of going in, and asked him how he did. He replied that he was in a very bad way: “But,” said he, “why do you stand outside? Pray come in.” “I should have done so,” answered the Fox, “if I hadn’t noticed that all the footprints point towards the cave and none the other way.”

有一头上了年纪的狮子，已经不能凭借蛮力去抢夺食物了，暗自思忖着只能用智取的办法才能获得必要食物。于是，他钻进一个山洞里，躺在地上假装生病，只要有其它小动物走过来窥探他的健康状况，他就会上前抓住他们，然后吃掉。就这样，许多动物都丧失了性命。直到有一天，怀疑事实真相的狐狸识破了狮子的诡计，他远远地站在洞外，询问狮子现在感觉如何。狮子回答说自己感觉很不好，他问狐狸：“不过，你为什么站在外面问，快进洞里来吧。”狐狸回答说：“我发现只有进去的脚印，却没有一个出来的脚印，若不是看到这些脚印，我也许已经进洞里去了。”