The Wagtail and the Jackal

 At a time when the animals spoke¹, a Wagtail laid her eggs on the ground. The little ones grew up. A Jackal and a Fox came to them. The Jackal said to the Fox:

 

"Swear to me that the Wagtail owes me a pound of butter."

 

The Fox swore to it. The Bird began to weep. A Greyhound came to her and asked her what was the matter. She answered him:

 

"The Fox has calumniated² me."

 

"Well," said the Hound, "put me in this sack of skin."

 

She put him in the sack. "Tie up the top well," said the Hound. When the Jackal returned she said to him,

 

"Come and measure out the butter."

 

The Jackal advanced and unfastened the sack. He saw the Hound, who stretched out his paws and said to the Fox,

 

"I am ill; come and measure, Fox."

 

The Fox approached. The Hound seized him. The Jackal said:

 

"Remember your false testimony³."

 

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 calumniated   

v.诽谤，中伤( calumniate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Countless facts have proved that he was not calumniated. 无数事实已证明他并不是被人诽谤。 来自辞典例句
• And, consequently, Mark was the best hated and most Calumniated man of his time. 也正因为如此，马克思才在自己所处的时代最遭嫉恨。最受诽谤。 来自互联网

3 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。