Transcript:

Welcome to "English Classics," where we exploreenduring tales. Today, we feature Aesop's "The Ass and His Masters."This fable tells of a donkey who, tired of his hard work and meager food, asksJupiter for a new master. Each change brings new troubles, teaching a lesson incontentment and the risks of discontent. Enjoy this timeless wisdom fromAesop's world.

The Ass and His Masters

An Ass, belonging to an herb-seller who gave him toolittle food and

too much work made a petition to Jupiter to be releasedfrom his present service and provided with another master. Jupiter, afterwarning him that he would repent his request, caused him to be sold to atile-maker.

Shortly afterwards, finding that he had heavier loads tocarry and harder work in the brick-field, he petitioned for anotherchange of master. Jupiter, telling him that it would be the lasttime that he could grant his request, ordained that he be sold to atanner. The Ass found that he had fallen into worse hands, and notinghis master's occupation, said, groaning: "It would have been better for meto have been either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the otherof my former masters, than to have been bought by my present owner, who willeven after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to him."

中文翻译：

草药商人的一头驴，因不满自己吃不饱还要干重活，向朱庇特请愿，希望能给自己换个主人，使自己从眼前的苦难中解脱出来。朱庇特提醒他，也许他会后悔做这个请求。驴执意。于是朱庇特使他被卖给了一个烧砖工。驴很快就发现自己在砖地里要干更重的活，驮更重的东西。于是他再一次请求更换主人。朱庇特告诉他，这将是他的最后一次机会。这一次，驴被一个皮革匠给买走了。知道了新主人的行当后，驴发现自己落入了更悲惨的境地，他痛苦的呻吟道，“在第一位主人那儿挨饿也好，在第二位主人那累死累活也罢，怎么着也比现在这种情况好啊。等我死了，他还要扒了我的皮，当做我对他的最后一点用处。”