The Lion, the Fox, and the Story-teller

 A Lion who was the king of a great forest once said to his subjects: "I want some one among you to tell me stories one after another without ceasing. If you fail to find somebody who can so amuse me, you will all be put to death."

 

In the East there is a proverb which says; "The king kills when he will," so the animals were in great alarm.

 

The Fox said: "Fear not; I shall save you all. Tell the king the Story-teller is ready to come to court when ordered." So the animals had orders to send the Story-teller at once to the presence. The Fox bowed respectfully, and stood before the king, who said: "So you are to tell us stories without ceasing?"

 

"Yes, your Majesty¹," said the Fox.

 

"Then begin," said the Lion.

 

"But before I do so," said the Fox, "I would like to know what your

Majesty means by a story."

 

"Why," said the Lion, "a narrative² containing some interesting event or fact."

 

"Just so," said the Fox, and began: "There was once a fisherman who went to sea with a huge net, and spread it far and wide. A great many fish got into it. Just as the fisherman was about to draw the net the coils snapped. A great opening was made. First one fish escaped." Then the Fox stopped.

 

"What then?" said the Lion.

 

"Then two escaped," said the Fox.

 

"What then?" asked the impatient Lion.

 

"Then three escaped," said the Fox. Thus, as often as the Lion repeated his query³, the Fox increased the number by one, and said as many escaped. The Lion was vexed⁴, and said: "Why you are telling me nothing new!"

 

"I wish that your majesty may not forget your royal word," said the Fox. "Each event occurred by itself, and each lot that escaped was different from the rest."

 

"But wherein is the wonder?" said the Lion.

 

"Why, your majesty, what can be more wonderful than for Fish to escape in lots, each exceeding the other by one?"

 

"I am bound by my word," said the Lion, "else I would see your carcass stretched on the ground."

 

The Fox replied in a whisper: "If tyrants⁵ that desire things impossible are not at least bound by their own word, their subjects can find nothing to bind⁶ them."

1 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

2 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

3 query   

n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• They raised a query on his sincerity.他们对他是否真诚提出质疑。

4 vexed   

adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
• He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 tyrants   

专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a succession of tyrants. 这个国家接连遭受暴君的统治。
• The people suffered under foreign tyrants. 人民在异族暴君的统治下受苦受难。

6 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。