A CARTER was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it is said, appeared and thus addressed him: "Put your shoulders to the wheels, my man. Goad on your bullocks, and never more pray to me for help, until you have done your best to help yourself, or depend upon it you will henceforth pray in vain."
Self-help is the best help. 壹名車夫趕著貨車沿著鄉間小路行進。途中車輪陷入了很深的車轍中，再也無法前進。 這時，愚蠢的車夫嚇得茫然失措，壹籌莫展，癡呆呆地站在那裏，凝視著貨車，不斷地高聲 喊叫，求大力神來助他壹把。大力神來到後，對他說：“朋友，用妳的肩膀扛起車輪，再抽 打拉車的馬。妳自己不自力更生，盡力解決，僅靠祈求我，怎麽行呢？”
這是說自力更生，自助自立是克服困難的最好辦法。
2. The Ants and the Grasshopper螞蟻與蚱蜢
THE ANTS were spending a fine winter's day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?' He replied, "I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing." They then said in derision: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter."
冬季，螞蟻正忙著把潮濕的谷子曬幹。饑餓的蚱蜢跑來，向他們乞討食物。螞蟻問他： “妳為什麽在夏天不去收集食物呢？” 蚱蜢回答說：“那時沒有時間，我忙於唱美妙動聽的 歌。”螞蟻嘲笑說：“妳夏季如要唱歌，那麽冬季就去跳舞吧。”這故事說明，要不失時機 地工作、勞動，才能豐衣足食；如果壹味玩樂，只能挨餓。
3.The Hare and the Tortoise烏龜與兔
A HARE one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue. Slow but steady wins the race.
烏龜與兔為他們倆誰跑得快而爭論不休。於是，他們定好了比賽的時間和地點。比賽壹開始，兔覺得自己是天生的飛毛腿，跑得快，對比賽掉以輕心，躺在路旁睡著了。烏龜深知自己走得慢，毫不氣餒，不停地朝前奔跑。結果，烏龜超過了睡熟了的兔子，奪得了勝利的 獎品。
這故事說明，奮發圖強的弱者也能戰勝驕傲自滿的強者。