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The Cat And The Old Rat
猫和年迈的老鼠
by Aesop
出自《伊索寓言》
There was once a Cat who was so watchful, that a Mouse hardly dared show the tip of his whiskers for fear of being eaten alive.
很久以前，有着一只非常机警的猫，老鼠们连一根胡须尖都不敢露出来，生怕被它抓住生吞了。
That Cat seemed to be everywhere at once with his claws all ready for a pounce.
那只猫似乎无处不在，它的利爪随时准备着立马扑向它的猎物。
At last the Mice kept so closely to their dens, that the Cat saw he would have to use his wits well to catch one.
最后，老鼠们只好老老实实呆在它们的巢穴附近，而这只猫也很明白自己必须要利用好机智，才能够捕捉到一只老鼠了。
So one day he climbed up on a shelf and hung from it, head downward, as if he were dead, holding himself up by clinging to some ropes with one paw.
于是，有一天，这只猫就爬上了一个架子，头朝下地把自己挂起来，用一只爪子抓着绳子支撑着自己，就好像它已经死了一样。
When the Mice peeped out and saw him in that position, they thought he had been hung up there in punishment for some misdeed.
当老鼠们从洞穴向外窥视，看见了猫的姿态，便以为是主人因为它犯了错而把它挂在那里惩罚它。
Very timidlyat first they stuck out their heads and sniffed about carefully.
一开始，它们还小心翼翼地伸出头去，仔仔细细地嗅啊嗅。
But as nothing stirred, all trooped joyfully out to celebrate the death of the Cat.
但是，因为觉得没有什么值得担心的，老鼠们就全体涌出洞穴，欢天喜地地庆祝这只猫的死亡。
Just then the Cat let go his hold, and before the Mice recovered from their surprise, he had made an end of three or four.
突然，这只猫松开了爪子，就在老鼠们从惊诧中回过神来之前，已经被猫结果了三四只。
Now the Mice kept more strictly at home than ever.
至此，老鼠们比以前更加不敢出门了。
But the Cat, who was still hungry for Mice, knew more tricks than one.
但是这只猫，仍然很想吃老鼠，而且它的伎俩可不止一个。
Rolling himself in flour until he was covered completely, he lay down in the flour bin, with one eye open for the Mice.
它在面粉里滚啊滚，直到自己完全被面粉覆盖，然后就躺在面粉桶里，只睁开一只眼睛，以待老鼠们的到来。
Sure enough, the Mice soon began to come out.
确信足够安全了，老鼠们很快又出洞了。
To the Cat it was almost as if he already had a plump young Mouse under his claws, when an old Rat, who had had much experience with Cats and traps, and had even lost a part of his tail to pay for it, sat up at a safe distance from a hole in the wall where he lived.
对这只猫来说，就好像它已经用爪子抓住了一只胖乎乎的小老鼠，突然，一只上了年纪的老鼠，它对猫和陷阱有着相当丰富的经验，甚至是以丢掉了它的一部分尾巴为代价，远远地站在它所生活的墙下的洞门口上。
"Take care!" he cried.
“小心！”它喊叫道。
"That may be a heap ofmeal, but it looks to me very much like the Cat.
“那可能是一堆食物，但对我而言，看起来就像那只猫。
Whatever it is, it is wisest to keep at a safe distance."
不管那是什么，保持安全距离总是十分明智的。”
The wise do not let themselves be tricked a second time.
正所谓：聪明人不会让自己犯第二次错误。
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