The Fox, the Wolf, and the Horse

   A Fox, though young, by no means raw,

    Had seen a Horse, the first he ever saw:

  "Ho! neighbour Wolf," said he to one quite green,

  "A creature in our meadow I have seen—

      Sleek¹, grand! I seem to see him yet—

      The finest beast I ever met."

      "Is he a stouter² one than we?"

      The Wolf demanded, eagerly;

      "Some picture of him let me see."

  "If I could paint," said Fox, "I should delight

  T' anticipate your pleasure at the sight;

  But come; who knows? perhaps it is a prey³

      By fortune offer'd in our way."

    They went. The Horse, turn'd loose to graze,

    Not liking⁴ much their looks and ways,

        Was just about to gallop⁵ off.

  "Sir," said the Fox, "your humble⁶ servants, we

  Make bold to ask you what your name may be."

    The Horse, an animal with brains enough,

  Replied, "Sirs, you yourselves may read my name;

  My shoer round my heel hath writ⁷ the same."

  The Fox excus'd himself for want of knowledge:

    "Me, sir, my parents did not educate,

    So poor, a hole was their entire estate.

  My friend, the Wolf, however, taught at college,

      Could read it, were it even Greek."

        The Wolf, to flattery weak,

      Approached to verify the boast;

      For which four teeth he lost.

  The high raised hoof⁸ came down with such a blow

  As laid him bleeding on the ground full low.

  "My brother," said the Fox, "this shows how just

    What once was taught me by a fox of wit—

    Which on thy jaws⁹ this animal hath writ—

  'All unknown things the wise mistrust.'"

1 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

2 stouter   

粗壮的( stout的比较级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的

参考例句：

• Freddie was much stouter, more benevolent-looking, cheerful, and far more dandified. 弗烈特显得更魁伟，更善良、更快活，尤其更像花花公子。 来自教父部分
• Why hadn't she thought of putting on stouter shoes last night? 她昨天晚上怎么没想起换上一双硬些的鞋呢？

3 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

4 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

5 gallop   

v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展

参考例句：

• They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
• The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

6 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

7 writ   

n.命令状，书面命令

参考例句：

• This is a copy of a writ I received this morning.这是今早我收到的书面命令副本。
• You shouldn't treat the newspapers as if they were Holy Writ. 你不应该把报上说的话奉若神明。

8 hoof   

n.(马，牛等的)蹄

参考例句：

• Suddenly he heard the quick,short click of a horse's hoof behind him.突然间，他听见背后响起一阵急骤的马蹄的得得声。
• I was kicked by a hoof.我被一只蹄子踢到了。

9 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。