THE SHEEP AND THE PIG

 Two men were traveling in company along the road when one of them picked up a well-filled purse.

 

"How lucky I am!" he said. "I have found a purse. Judging by its weight it must be full of gold."

 

"Do not say 'I have found a purse,'" said his companion. "Say rather 'we have found a purse' and 'how lucky we are.' Travelers ought to share alike¹ the fortunes or misfortunes² of the road."

 

"No, no," replied the other angrily. "I found it and I am going to keep it."

 

Just then they heard a shout of "Stop, thief!" and looking around, saw a mob³ of people armed with clubs coming down the road.

 

The man who had found the purse fell into a panic.

 

"We are lost if they find the purse on us," he cried.

 

"No, no," replied the other, "You would not say 'we' before, so now stick to your 'I'. Say 'I am lost.'"

 

We cannot expect any one to share our misfortunes unless we are willing to share our good fortune also.

1 alike   

adj.同样的，相像的；adv.一样地；同程度地　

参考例句：

• The twins are so alike that I can't tell which is which.这对双胞胎一模一样，我分辨不出谁是谁。
• All stories seemed dreadfully alike,no matter who told them.看来，不管谁讲，故事都是千篇一律的。

2 misfortunes   

n.不幸( misfortune的名词复数 )；厄运；不幸的事；灾难

参考例句：

• History is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes. 历史不过是由罪恶和灾难构成的静止舞台造型罢了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Do not jeer at the mistakes or misfortunes of others. 不要嘲笑别人的错误或不幸。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 mob   

n.暴民，民众，暴徒；v.大举包围，乱挤，围攻

参考例句：

• The king was burned in effigy by the angry mob.国王的模拟像被愤怒的民众烧掉以泄心中的愤恨。
• An angry mob is attacking the palace.愤怒的暴徒在攻击王宫。