懒驴的故事

A man bought a Donkey at the market one day and took him home on approval.
一天，有个人在集市上买了一头驴，把驴牵回家先试用一下。

Now the man owned several Donkeys already and he knew each one's character very well.
这人已经有好几头驴了，深知每头驴的习性。

One of the Donkey was very strong and brave. Another was eager to please but quickly exhausted.
有头驴又强壮、又勇敢；还有头驴急于讨人喜欢，可一会儿就累了；

One Donkey was very lazy. He hated going to work in the morning and he did as little as he possibly could all day long.
另有头驴非常懒，它不愿意一大早就去干活，一整天它都尽可能地少干点活，别的驴载东西时，

When the other animals were being loaded up he always tried to be the last so that he would get the lightest load.
它总是尽量排最后一个，这样载的东西就会最轻。

The man led the new Donkey into the stable yard. For a moment he stood sniffing at his new companions. Then, without hesitation, he trotted up to the lazy Donkey and began feeding comfortably at his side.
这个人把新买的驴牵进牲口棚的院子里。驴站了一会儿，闻了闻它的新伙伴们，然后，毫不犹豫地跑到懒驴跟前，在它旁边悠闲自得地吃起草来。

Though it was late in the day, the man immediately led the new Donkey out of the yard, straight back to the market.
天色已经很晚了，这个人还是马上把新买的驴牵出了院子，径直回到集市上。

"You cannot have given him a fair trial yet, "said the merchant. "It is only ten minutes since you bought him."
“你不可能已经好好试过了，”卖驴的人说，“你买了它才十几分钟。”

"I don't need to try him any more," replied the man. "I know just what he is like from the friend he chose for himself.
“我不用再试了，”这个人回答道。“从它自己挑选的朋友，我就知道它是头什么样的驴了。

Take him away and give me my money back. I can do without Donkeys like him."
把它牵走，把钱还给我。我没有这样的驴也能过日子。”