As she went along she began calculating what she would buy after she had sold the milk.
“Ill buy a new dress， and when I go to the ball， all the young men will dance with me！”
As she spoke she tossed her head back. The pail immediately fell off her head， and all the milk was spilt.
The girl went back without anything. She felt very sad. “Ah， my child，” said her mother. “Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.”
挤牛奶的姑娘
一个农家挤奶姑娘头顶着一桶牛奶，前往集市。
走了一会儿，她开始算计起卖完牛奶后要买的东西：“我要买一身新衣服，好去参加舞会，年轻的小伙子都会邀请我跳舞。”
想到这里，她真地摇起头来，牛奶桶随之倾倒在地，牛奶都流了出去。
女孩很伤心，两手空空地回到家里，母亲对她说：“我的孩子，不要过早地打如意算盘。”
4.The young thief and his mother
A young man was caught stealing， and sentenced to death three days later.
He wanted to speak with his mother before the execution. Of course this was granted.
When his mother came to him， he said， “I want to tell you something.” He said something but she could not hear. He whispered again， and when she came close to him， she put her ear to his mouth. He nearly bit off her ear. All the bystanders were horrified.
“It is to punish her，” he said. “When I was young I began stealing little things， and brought them home to mother. ”Instead of punishing me， she laughed and said， It will not be noticed. It is because of her that I am here today.
小偷和他的母亲
一个小偷被抓住了，被判处死刑，三天后执行。
他想在行刑前与他的母亲话别，得到了允许。
当他妈妈来到他的面前，他说：“告诉你一件事。”他轻轻说了一遍，但是她听不到；等她走近些，小偷又轻声说了一遍。母亲将耳朵贴近时，儿子突然咬住母亲的耳朵，差点撕下来，周围的人都惊呆了。
“这是对她的惩罚，”小偷说，“我小时候小偷小摸，把偷的东西带回家时，她不但不惩罚我，反而笑着说别让人看见。就是因为她我才落个今天这样的下场。”
5.The eagle and the arrow
An eagle was flying in the sky. As soon as it saw a rabbit， it swooped down on its prey.
Suddenly it was hit by an arrow.
It fluttered slowly down to the earth， and blood was pouring from the wound.
When the eagle looked down， he found that the shaft of the arrow was feathered with one of its own plumes.“Alas！”it cried.“We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction.”
鹰和箭
鹰在天空中飞翔，当他看见一只野兔时，就俯冲下来捕捉猎物。
突然，有人一箭射中了它。
鹰扇着翅膀降落在地面上。鲜血从伤口中喷涌而出。
它低头看到箭尾竟是由一根它自己的羽毛制成的，就痛苦地说：“唉，我们总是给敌人提供毁灭我们自己的工具！”
6.The miser and his gold
Once upon a time there was a miser. He hid his gold under a tree. Every week he used to dig it up.
One night a robber stole all the gold. When the miser came again， he found nothing but an empty hole.
He was surprised， and then burst into tears.All the neighbors gathered around him. He told them how he used to come and visit his gold.
“Did you ever take any of it out？” asked one of them. “No，” he said， “I only came to look at it.” “Then come again and look at the hole，” said the neighbor， “it will be the same as looking at the gold.”
守财奴
从前，有个守财奴将他的金块埋到一棵树下，每周他都去把他挖出来看看。
一天晚上，一个小偷挖走了所有的金块。守财奴再来查看时，发现除了一个空洞什么都没有了。
守财奴便捶胸痛哭。哭声引来了邻居，他告诉他们这里原来有他的金块。
一个邻居问：“你使用过这些金块吗？” “没用过，” 他说，“我只是时常来看看。”“那么，以后再来看这个洞，”邻居说，“就像以前有金块时一样。”
7.The fox and the lion
When the fox first saw the lion he was terribly frightened. He ran away， and hid himself in the woods.
The second time， however， he came near the lion. He stopped at a safe distance， and watched him pass by.
The third time they came near one another. The fox went straight up to the lion， and stayed the whole day with him. He asked the lion how his family was， and when they would meet again.
They soon became good friends.
狐狸和狮子
狐狸第一次见到狮子时非常害怕，赶紧藏到森林里。
当他第二次遇到狮子时，则站在附近安全距离看狮子经过。
第三次遇到狮子时，他们走得更近了。狐狸径直走过去，一整天与狮子在一起。他问起狮子的家庭情况，下次什么时间再见面。
不久，他们便成了好朋友。
8.The goose with the golden eggs