The fox and the geese


狐狸和鹅群


The fox once came to a meadow in which was a flock of fine fat geese, on which he smiled and said, "I come in the nick of time, you are sitting together quite beautifully, so that I can eat you up one after the other." The geese cackled with terror, sprang up, and began to wail and beg piteously for their lives. But the fox would listen to nothing, and said, "There is no mercy to be had! You must die." At length one of them took heart and said, "If we poor geese are to yield up our vigorous young lives, show us the only possible favour and allow us one more prayer, that we may not die in our sins, and then we will place ourselves in a row, so that you can always pick yourself out the fattest." - "Yes," said the fox, "that is reasonable, and a pious request. Pray away, I will wait till you are done." Then the first began a good long prayer, for ever saying, "Ga! Ga!" and as she would make no end, the second did not wait until her turn came, but began also, "Ga! Ga!" The third and fourth followed her, and soon they were all cackling together.
狐狸来到一块草地,看见草地上有一群肥肥大大的鹅,笑道:"我来得正好,你们的队形很不错,我可以毫不费事地把你们一只一只地都吃掉。"鹅群吓坏了,它们哭叫着、蹦跳着、央求着饶命。 可是狐狸却装着不听见,威胁说:"无法开恩!你们必须死。"过了一会儿,一只鹅壮着胆子来问:"既然我们不得不放弃我们年轻的生命,那么能不能高抬贵手,让我们做最后一次祈祷,让我们别在自己的罪孽中死去,然后我们会排成一行,让您每次都能选出最肥美的。""好啊,"狐狸答,"这倒是合情合理、挺虔诚的请求。去祈祷吧,我等着,等你们祈祷完。"于是第一只开始了长长的祷告,它不停地叫着:"嘎!嘎!"好像是没完没了,第二只等不及了,也开始"嘎!嘎!"叫了起来。 接着是第三只、第四只,不一会儿它们一起叫了起来。

When they have done praying, the story shall be continued further, but at present they are still praying without stopping."
等它们祈祷完了,咱们再继续讲这个故事,可是事到如今,它们还在不歇气地祈祷着呢。