An Ass having heard some Grasshoppers chirping, was highly enchanted; and, desiring to possess the same charms of melody, demanded what sort of food they lived on to give them such beautiful voices. They replied, “The dew.”
The Ass resolved that he would live only upon dew, and in a short time died of hunger.
驢子聽見蚱蜢唱歌，被美妙動聽的歌聲所打動，自己也想能發出同樣悅耳動聽的聲音，便羨慕地問他們吃些什麽，才能發出如此美妙的聲音來。蚱蜢答道：“吃露水。”
驢子便也只吃露水，沒多久就餓死了。
這個英語小故事告訴人們不要企望非份之物。
2、兒童英語小故事——The horse and groom
There was once a Groom who used to spend long hours clipping and combing the Horse of which he had charge, but who daily stole a portion of his allowance of oats, and sold
it for his own profit. The Horse gradually got into worse and worse condition, and at last cried to the Groom, “If you really want me to look sleek and well, you must comb me less
and feed me more.”
從前，有壹個馬夫，常常花費幾個鐘頭來為他負責照管的馬修剪和梳理頭發，可是他卻每天都會偷壹部分餵馬的燕麥，拿了賣了以某私利。逐漸地，馬的健康狀況越來越糟糕，最後忍不住對馬夫大叫：“妳要是真想讓我看上去光滑閃亮，就應該給我梳毛，多餵我燕麥。”
3、兒童英語小故事——The goose that lald the golden eggs
A Man and his Wife had the good fortune to possess a Goose which laid a Golden Egg every day. Lucky though they were, they soon began to think they
were not getting rich fast enough, and imagining the bird must be made of gold inside, they decided to kill it in order to secure the whole store of precious metal at once. But
when they cut it open they found it was just like any other goose. Thus, they neither got rich all at once, as they had hoped, nor enjoyed any longer the daily addition to theirwealth.
Much wants more and loses all.
有壹對夫婦非常幸運，他們有壹只每天下壹枚金蛋的母雞。盡管非常幸運，可他們很快就覺得財富增加得還不夠快，不僅如此，他們還以為這只鵝的內臟肯定也是金的。於是，他們決定殺掉它，這樣就能立刻得到全部珍寶了。然而，他們把鵝開膛破肚之後，卻發現和其他鵝沒有什麽兩樣。如此，他們既沒有像當初希望得那樣壹夜暴富，也不能再享有與日俱增的好運氣了。
4、兒童英語小故事——the charcoal-burnet and the fuller
There was once a Charcoal-burner who lived and worked by himself. A Fuller, however, happened to come and settle in the same neighbourhood; and the Charcoal-burner, having made his acquaintance
and finding he was an agreeable sort of fellow, asked him if he would come and share his house: “We shall get to know one another better that way,” he said, “and, beside, our household expenses will
be diminished.” The Fuller thanked him, but replied, “I couldn't think of it, sir: why, everything I take such pains to whiten would be blackened in no time by your charcoal.”
從前，有壹個自力更生的燒炭工人獨自在家做工作。碰巧，壹個漂洗工搬至隔壁，與他成了鄰居。結實漂洗工後，燒炭工人經過了解發現，這個鄰居是個壹很好的合作夥伴，就問漂洗工願不願意搬到他的鋪子裏壹起工作。“那樣我們會更加親密。”燒炭人說：“不僅如此，我們還可以節省生活開銷呢?”漂洗工謝絕了他，回答說：“我可不這樣看，先生，因為不管我的衣服漂洗的多麽白，都會立刻被妳的木炭染黑了。”
5、兒童英語小故事——獅子和老鼠
Lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face.
Rising up in anger, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: “If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness.” The Lion laughed and let him go.
It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground.
The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came up, and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and setting him free, exclaimed: “You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favour; but now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion.”
Little friends may prove great friends.
壹只老鼠從壹只獅子面前跑過去，將它從夢中吵醒。
獅子生氣地跳起來，捉住老鼠，要弄死它。老鼠哀求說：“只要妳肯饒恕我這條小生命，我將來壹定會報答妳的大恩。”獅子便笑著放了它。
後來獅子被幾個獵人捉住，用粗繩捆綁倒在地上。
老鼠聽出是獅子的吼聲，走來用牙齒咬斷繩索，釋放了它，並大聲說：“妳當時嘲笑我想幫妳的忙，而且也不指望我有什麽機會報答。但是妳現在知道了，就算是小老鼠，也能向獅子效勞的。”
強者不會永遠是強者，強者也會有需要弱者幫助的時候。