The Wolf, the Goat, and the Kid

   As went a Goat of grass to take her fill,

  And browse¹ the herbage of a distant hill,

      She latch'd her door, and bid,

      With matron care, her Kid;

      "My daughter, as you live,

        This portal don't undo²

        To any creature who

      This watchword does not give:

    'Deuce take the Wolf and all his race'!"

    The Wolf was passing near the place

  By chance, and heard the words with pleasure,

      And laid them up as useful treasure;

    And hardly need we mention,

    Escaped the Goat's attention.

        No sooner did he see

        The matron off, than he,

    With hypocritic tone and face,

    Cried out before the place,

    "Deuce take the Wolf and all his race!"

      Not doubting thus to gain admission.

      The Kid, not void of all suspicion,

      Peer'd through a crack, and cried,

    "Show me white paw before

    You ask me to undo the door."

  The Wolf could not, if he had died,

    For wolves have no connection

    With paws of that complexion³.

  So, much surprised, our gourmandiser

  Retired⁴ to fast till he was wiser.

 

  How would the Kid have been undone⁵

    Had she but trusted to the word

    The Wolf by chance had overheard!

  Two sureties better are than one;

    And cautions worth its cost,

    Though sometimes seeming lost.

1 browse   

vi.随意翻阅，浏览；(牛、羊等)吃草

参考例句：

• I had a browse through the books on her shelf.我浏览了一下她书架上的书。
• It is a good idea to browse through it first.最好先通篇浏览一遍。

2 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

3 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 undone   

a.未做完的，未完成的

参考例句：

• He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。