学文网A Fox one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox, asked if the water was good. Hiding his sad feeling under a merry heart, the Fox sang high praise for the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to jump down. The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a plan for their common escape. “If,” said he, “you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards.” The Goat readily agreed and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the Goat’s horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat blamed him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out,“You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had seen the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape.”
一天，一只狐狸失足掉进了一口深井里，不论他如何挣扎仍没法爬上去。一只山羊觉得口渴极了，来到这口井边，看见狐狸在井下，便问他井水好不好喝。狐狸心中暗喜，马上隐藏起自己的窘境，极力赞美井水好喝，说这水是天下第一泉，清甜爽口，并劝山羊赶快下来，与他一起痛饮。一心只想喝水信以为真的山羊，便不假思索地跳了下去，当他咕咚咕咚痛饮时，狐狸就告诉他了他们共同面对的困境，于是他就不得不与狐狸共商逃跑的办法。狐狸早有准备，他狡猾地说：“我倒有一个方法。你用前脚扒在井壁上，再把头弯下去，我从你后背跳上井去，再拉你上来，我们就都得救了。”山羊同意了他的提议，狐狸踩着他的后脚，跳到他背上，然后再从他的角上用力一 跳，跳出了井口。狐狸上去以后，准备尽快逃离。山羊指责狐狸不信守诺言。狐狸回过头对山羊说：“你这个愚蠢的老家伙，你的头脑如果能和你的胡须媲美的话，你就不会在没看清上来的路之前就跳下去，也不会在没有逃跑的方法时就把自己暴露在危险之中。”
MORAL：Look before you leap.
这故事说明，聪明的人应当事先考虑清楚事情的结果，然后才去做。
（刘扬供稿）