wolf, meeting with a lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea, which should justify to the lamb himself his right to eat him. he thus addressed him:"sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "indeed," bleated the lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "i was not then born." then said the wolf, "you feed in my pasture."

　　"no, good sir," replied the lamb, "i have not yet tasted grass." again said the wolf, "you drink of my well." "no," exclaimed the lamb, "i never yet drank water, for as yet my mother′s milk is both food and drink to me." on which the wolf seized him, and ate him up, saying, "well! i won′t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations."the tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.

　　一只狼瞧见一只迷路失群的小羊，决定暂缓下毒手，想先找一些理由，对小羊证明自己有吃它的权利。它就说：「小鬼!你去年曾经骂过我。」小羊可怜地说：「老实说，我去年还没有出生呢。」狼再说：「你在我的草地上吃过草。」

　　小羊回答说：「不，好先生，我还未曾尝过草的味道呢。」狼又说：「你喝过我井里的水。」小羊叫道：「不，我从没有喝过水，因为直到今天为止，我都是吃着母亲的奶汁。」狼一听这话，便抓住它，把它吃下去，便说：「好!即使你驳倒我每一句话，我终究要吃晚餐的!」暴君总有他暴行的借口。

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（实习编辑：高奕飞）