The Wolf And The House Dog 狼和家犬
There was once a Wolf who got very little to eat because the Dogs of the village were so wide awake and watchful. He was really nothing but skin and bones, and it made him very downhearted to think of it.
有一只狼，由于村里的狗都十分警惕，总是难以觅食，只剩下皮包骨，饥肠辘辘，愁眉苦脸。
One night this Wolf happened to fall in with a fine fat House Dog who had wandered a little too far from home. The Wolf would gladly have eaten him then and there, but the House Dog looked strong enough to leave his marks should he try it. So the Wolf spoke very humbly to the Dog, complimenting him on his fine appearance.
一天晚上，这只狼遇到了一个肥壮的家犬，家犬离家有点远。狼虽然很想把他吃掉，但是家犬看起来健壮无比，要攻击的话估计要吃亏。于是，狼对家犬恭维一番，夸赞他身强体壮。
“You can be as well-fed as I am if you want to,” replied the Dog. “Leave the woods; there you live miserably. Why, you have to fight hard for every bite you get. Follow my example and you will get along beautifully.”
“只要你愿意，你也可以像我一样吃得饱饱的，”家犬说，“离开森林吧，在那儿你过得惨兮兮的，每一口吃的都要拼死搏斗。跟着我，你就能过得舒舒服服。”
“What must I do?” asked the Wolf.
“我该怎么做？”狼问。
“Hardly anything,” answered the House Dog. “Chase people who carry canes, bark at beggars, and fawn on the people of the house. In return you will get tidbits of every kind, chicken bones, choice bits of meat, sugar, cake, and much more beside, not to speak of kind words and caresses.”
“没什么难的，”家犬回答，“追着拿手杖的人跑，对乞丐吠叫，讨好主人家的人。这样你就能得到各种各样的美食，鸡骨头、上等肉、糖、蛋糕等等，还有夸奖和抚摸呢。”
The Wolf had such a beautiful vision of his coming happiness that he almost wept. But just then he noticed that the hair on the Dog’s neck was worn and the skin was chafed.
狼对未来幸福生活的想象如此美好，几乎泪流满面。但就在这时，他注意到家犬脖子上的毛发磨损，皮肤发红。
“What is that on your neck?”
“你脖子上的这是什么？”
“Nothing at all,” replied the Dog.
“没什么，”家犬回答。
“What! nothing!”
“什么，没什么！”
“Oh, just a trifle!”
“噢，只是一点小事！”
“But please tell me.”
“但请告诉我。”
“Perhaps you see the mark of the collar to which my chain is fastened.”
“或许你看到的是拴链子的项圈留下的痕迹。”
“What! A chain!” cried the Wolf. “Don’t you go wherever you please?”
“什么！一根链子！”狼叫了起来，“难道你不能想去哪儿就去哪儿吗？”
“Not always! But what’s the difference?” replied the Dog.
“不是总是！但这又有什么区别呢？”家犬回答。
“All the difference in the world! I don’t care a rap for your feasts and I wouldn’t take all the tender young lambs in the world at that price.” And away ran the Wolf to the woods.
“天大的区别！我对你的盛宴毫不在意，就算给我全世界柔嫩的小羊羔，我也不愿接受这样的代价。”说完，狼跑回了森林。
There is nothing worth so much as liberty.
世上没有比自由更珍贵的宝物。
读后感：《自由的珍贵：狼与家犬的启示》
《狼与家犬》这则寓言故事通过描述一只狼向一只迷失在远离家的肥美家犬请教，以期望分享家犬丰盛生活的情节，深刻地反映了自由对于生命的珍贵。这个简单而深刻的寓言引发了我对自由、依从与真正幸福之间关系的深刻思考。
故事开始时，狼由于村子里的狗们的警觉而几乎找不到食物，他感到非常沮丧。于是，他碰巧遇到一只肥美的家犬，试图从家犬那里获取一些吃的。家犬向狼描述了自己在人类家庭中的生活，包括各种美味的食物、舒适的环境，以及得到主人关爱的点点滴滴。然而，当狼发现家犬颈上有链子的痕迹时，他突然醒悟，选择了回归自由的树林。
这个故事让我思考生活中我们对自由的追求与对便利生活的妥协之间的平衡。在追求更好的物质生活的同时，我们是否愿意放弃一些本来属于我们自己的自由。家犬的主人提供了各种各样的食物和关爱，但这些背后却有着对家犬的限制和控制。这让我想到现实生活中，当我们在追求物质享受时，可能会面临着牺牲一些自由的困境。
故事中的狼选择了自由，尽管在树林里生活可能更加艰难，但对他来说，自由是无价的。这让我深思，自由是一种追求不可或缺的权利，是能够真正让人感到幸福的基石。与此同时，故事也提醒我们，在追求幸福时，我们应该保持对自己内心真正需求的清醒认识，不要被外部的诱惑所迷惑。
故事中的家犬生活得虽然舒适，但被链子束缚，这是一种表面上的安逸，实际上却丧失了自由。这给我启示，我们在追求生活质量的同时，也要谨慎保护自己的自由权利，不要让短暂的安逸掩盖了对真正自由的渴望。
综上所述，《狼与家犬》这个寓言故事告诉我们，自由是生命中最为珍贵的财富，而在物质生活的追求中，我们应该理性看待自己真正的需求，不轻易放弃对自由的追求。自由是幸福的基石，而真正的幸福是建立在对自由的珍视之上。