THE MAN AND THE SATYR THE MAN AND THE SATYR

 Mother Goat was going to market one morning to get provisions for her household, which consisted of but one little Kid and herself.

 

"Take good care of the house, my son," she said to the Kid, as she carefully latched¹ the door. "Do not let anyone in, unless he gives you this password: 'Down with the Wolf and all his race!'"

 

Strangely enough, a Wolf was lurking² near and heard what the Goat had said. So, as soon as Mother Goat was out of sight, up he trotted³ to the door and knocked.

 

"Down with the Wolf and all his race," said the Wolf softly.

 

It was the right password, but when the Kid peeped through a crack in the door and saw the shadowy figure outside, he did not feel at all easy.

 

"Show me a white paw," he said, "or I won't let you in."

 

A white paw, of course, is a feature few Wolves can show, and so Master Wolf had to go away as hungry as he had come.

 

"You can never be too sure," said the Kid, when he saw the Wolf making off to the woods.

 

Two sureties are better than one.

 

1 latched   

v.理解( latch的过去式和过去分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上）

参考例句：

• The government have latched onto environmental issues to win votes. 政府已开始大谈环境问题以争取选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He latched onto us and we couldn't get rid of him. 他缠着我们，甩也甩不掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 lurking   

潜在

参考例句：

• Why are you lurking around outside my house? 你在我房子外面鬼鬼祟祟的，想干什么？
• There is a suspicious man lurking in the shadows. 有一可疑的人躲在阴暗中。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 trotted   

小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
• Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。