The Ass Carrying the Image

驼神像的驴

by Aesop

选自《伊索寓言》

(Photo by Anna Kaminova on Unsplash)

A certain man put an Image on the back of his Ass to take it to one of the temples of the town.

有个人让他的驴拖着一副神像，要把神像送去镇子一座寺庙里。

As they went along the road all the people they met uncovered and bowed their heads out of reverence for the Image;

当他们走在路上的时候，人们纷纷脱帽、鞠躬，以示对神的尊敬；

but the Ass thought they were doing it out of respect for himself, and began to give himself airs accordingly.

但是这驴子却以为人们这样做，是在向它表示敬意，于是驴子就开始变得神气起来。

At last he became so conceited that he imagined he could do as he liked, and, by way of protest against the load he was carrying, he came to a full stop and flatly declined to proceed any further.

不久，驴子就变得十分高傲，甚至以为自己可以为所欲为了，同时，为了抗议自己那么受人尊敬还身负重担，它完全停了下来，并且坚持拒绝再往前走了。

His driver, finding him so obstinate, hit him hard and long with his stick, saying the while, "Oh, you dunderheaded idiot, do you suppose it's come to this, that men pay worship to an Ass?"

驴的主人，发现这驴是如此的顽固，就狠狠地用棍子揍它，同时说到，“嘿！你这猪脑子的蠢货，你以为人们这样做，是对驴无限尊崇吗？”

Rude shocks await those who take to themselves the credit that is due to others.

正所谓：人无自知之明，必有灾祸相随。

词汇注解：

1、reverence n. /revrns/ 尊敬；崇敬

2、conceited adj. /knsitd/ 自负的；骄傲自大的

3、flatly adv. /fltli/ 断然；斩钉截铁地

4、obstinate adj. /bstnt/ 执拗的；固执的；顽固的

5、dunderheaded adj. /'dnd,hedid/ 蠢的；笨的