The Cat And The Old Rat
貓和年邁的老鼠
by Aesop
出自《伊索寓言》
There was once a Cat who was so watchful, that a Mouse hardly dared show the tip of his whiskers for fear of being eaten alive.
很久以前，有著一隻非常機警的貓，老鼠們連一根鬍鬚尖都不敢露出來，生怕被它抓住生吞了。
That Cat seemed to be everywhere at once with his claws all ready for a pounce.
那隻貓似乎無處不在，它的利爪隨時準備著立馬撲向它的獵物。
At last the Mice kept so closely to their dens, that the Cat saw he would have to use his wits well to catch one.
最後，老鼠們只好老老實實呆在它們的巢穴附近，而這隻貓也很明白自己必須要利用好機智，才能夠捕捉到一隻老鼠了。
So one day he climbed up on a shelf and hung from it, head downward, as if he were dead, holding himself up by clinging to some ropes with one paw.
於是，有一天，這隻貓就爬上了一個架子，頭朝下地把自己掛起來，用一隻爪子抓著繩子支撐著自己，就好像它已經死了一樣。
When the Mice peeped out and saw him in that position, they thought he had been hung up there in punishment for some misdeed.
當老鼠們從洞穴向外窺視，看見了貓的姿態，便以為是主人因為它犯了錯而把它掛在那裡懲罰它。
Very timidlyat first they stuck out their heads and sniffed about carefully.
一開始，它們還小心翼翼地伸出頭去，仔仔細細地嗅啊嗅。
But as nothing stirred, all trooped joyfully out to celebrate the death of the Cat.
但是，因為覺得沒有什麼值得擔心的，老鼠們就全體湧出洞穴，歡天喜地地慶祝這隻貓的死亡。
Just then the Cat let go his hold, and before the Mice recovered from their surprise, he had made an end of three or four.
突然，這隻貓鬆開了爪子，就在老鼠們從驚詫中回過神來之前，已經被貓結果了三四隻。
Now the Mice kept more strictly at home than ever.
至此，老鼠們比以前更加不敢出門了。
But the Cat, who was still hungry for Mice, knew more tricks than one.
但是這隻貓，仍然很想吃老鼠，而且它的伎倆可不止一個。
Rolling himself in flour until he was covered completely, he lay down in the flour bin, with one eye open for the Mice.
它在麵粉裡滾啊滾，直到自己完全被麵粉覆蓋，然後就躺在麵粉桶裡，只睜開一隻眼睛，以待老鼠們的到來。
Sure enough, the Mice soon began to come out.
確信足夠安全了，老鼠們很快又出洞了。
To the Cat it was almost as if he already had a plump young Mouse under his claws, when an old Rat, who had had much experience with Cats and traps, and had even lost a part of his tail to pay for it, sat up at a safe distance from a hole in the wall where he lived.
對這隻貓來說，就好像它已經用爪子抓住了一隻胖乎乎的小老鼠，突然，一隻上了年紀的老鼠，它對貓和陷阱有著相當豐富的經驗，甚至是以丟掉了它的一部分尾巴為代價，遠遠地站在它所生活的牆下的洞門口上。
"Take care!" he cried.
「小心！」它喊叫道。
"That may be a heap ofmeal, but it looks to me very much like the Cat.
「那可能是一堆食物，但對我而言，看起來就像那隻貓。
Whatever it is, it is wisest to keep at a safe distance."
不管那是什麼，保持安全距離總是十分明智的。」
The wise do not let themselves be tricked a second time.
正所謂：聰明人不會讓自己犯第二次錯誤。