The Fox And The Hedgehog

狐狸与刺猬

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

A Fox, swimming across a river, was barely able to reach the bank, where he lay bruised and exhausted from his struggle with the swift current.

一只游过河的狐狸，差点就没能成功上岸，因为湍急的河水消耗了他太多体力，还令它受了伤，此时他正精疲力竭地躺在岸上。

Soon a swarm of blood-sucking flies settled on him; but he lay quietly, still too weak to run away from them.

没过多久，一大群吸血苍蝇飞到了他身上；但，他只是静静地躺着，因为眼下还很虚弱，根本无力赶走它们。

A Hedgehog happened by. "Let me drive the flies away," he said kindly.

一只刺猬此时碰巧经过。“让我帮你赶走这些苍蝇。”他友善地说道。

"No, no!" exclaimed the Fox, "do not disturb them! They have taken all they can hold. If you drive them away, another greedy swarm will come and take the little blood I have left."

“不要，不要！”狐狸尖叫道，“不要打扰它们！它们已经吃饱了。如果你把它们赶走，就会有另一群贪婪的苍蝇来吸走我仅剩的一点儿血。”

Better to bear a lesser evil than to risk a greater in removing it.

正所谓：两害相权取其轻。