The Eagle And The Jackdaw
老鷹和寒鴉
by Aesop
出自《伊索寓言》
An Eagle, swooping downon powerful wings, seized a lamb in her talons and made off with it to her nest.
一隻老鷹，靠著它強壯的羽翼俯衝下來，用它的爪子抓住了一直羔羊，接著就帶著獵物飛向了它的窩。
A Jackdaw saw the deed, and his silly head was filled with the idea that he was big and strong enough to do as the Eagle had done.
一隻寒鴉見到老鷹這樣做，便愚蠢地以為，自己的體型和力量也足以像老鷹那樣去抓走一直羔羊。
So with much rustling of feathers and a fierce air, he came down swiftly on the back of a large Ram.
於是，它也急劇地扇動著翅膀，裝作十分兇猛的樣子，敏捷地飛到了一隻大公羊的背上。
But when he tried to rise again he found that he could not get away, for his claws were tangled in the wool.
可是，當它再次試著飛起來的時候，發現自己根本就脫不了身，因為它的爪子被厚厚的羊毛給纏繞住了。
And so far was he from carrying away the Ram, that the Ram hardly noticed he was there.
並且隨後都是它一直被公羊帶著走，而那隻公羊還沒有意識到自己的背上竟然有隻寒鴉。
The Shepherd saw the fluttering Jackdaw and at once guessed what had happened.
牧羊人看見了不停扇動翅膀的寒鴉，立馬就猜到發生了什麼。
Running up, he caught the bird and clipped its wings.
他立馬趕過來，抓住了這隻鳥並折斷了它的雙翼。
That evening he gave the Jackdaw to his children.
當天晚上，牧羊人就把這隻寒鴉送給了他的孩子們。
"What a funny bird this is!" they said laughing, "what do you call it, father?"
「這鳥真有趣！」他們高興地說道，「它叫什麼名字，父親？」
"That is a Jackdaw, my children. But if you should ask him, he would say he is an Eagle."
「這是一隻寒鴉，我的孩子們。但是如果你問它自己的話，它會說自己是一隻老鷹。」
Do not let your vanity make you overestimate your powers.
正所謂：不要夜郎自大而高估了自己的能力。