The Fighting Cocks And The Eagle

打架的公鸡与老鹰

by Aesop

选自《伊索寓言》

Once there were two Cocks living in the same farmyard who could not bear the sight of each other. At last one day they flew up to fight it out, beak and claw. They fought until one of them was beaten and crawled off to a corner to hide.

很久以前，有两只生活在同一个院子里的大公鸡，它俩总是相互看不顺眼。终于，有一天它俩飞上屋顶来一决雌雄，一边用喙啄一边用爪子抓的打啊打，直到一方战败而不得不爬到一个角落里躲起来。

The Cock that had won the battle flew to the top of the hen-house, and, proudly flapping his wings, crowed with all his might to tell the world about his victory. But an Eagle, circling overhead, heard the boasting chanticleer and, swooping down, carried him off to his nest.

赢得战斗的那只公鸡飞到了母鸡鸡舍的屋顶，然后高傲地拍打着翅膀，高声地打鸣以向世界宣告自己的胜利。但是，盘旋在高空的一只鹰，注意到了这只吹牛的公鸡，它俯冲下来，把公鸡抓到了自己的鸟巢里。

His rival saw the deed, and coming out of his corner, took his place as master of the farmyard.

而先前战败的那只公鸡目睹了这一切，它缓缓走出那个阴暗的角落，取代得胜之鸡而成为农场之主。

Pride goes before a fall.

正所谓：骄兵必败。（直译为：失败之前，骄傲先行。）