英語故事:The Loyal Dog 忠誠的小狗

"What shall I do," said a very little dog one day to his mother, "to show my gratitude to our good master, and make myself of some value to him? I cannot draw or carry burdens like the horse; nor give him milk like the cow; nor lend him my covering for his clothing like the sheep; nor produce him eggs like the poultry; nor catch mice and rats so well as the cat. I cannot divert him with singing like the canaries and linnets; nor can I defend him against robbers like our relation, Towzer; I should not be of use to him even if I were dead, a s the hogs are. I am a Poor insignificant creature, not worth the cost of keeping; and I don't see that I can do a single thing to entitle me to his regard." So saying, the poor little dog hung down his head in silent despondency.
一天，一隻小狗對他的媽媽說：“我該怎麼做，才能向我們仁慈的主人表示感謝，讓自己對他有價值呢？我不能像馬那樣揹負重物；不能像奶牛一樣給他提供牛奶；不能像羊那樣用我的毛爲他做衣服；不能像雞鴨那樣爲他產蛋；不能像貓那樣抓老鼠；不能像鳥兒一樣爲他歌唱；也不能像我們的親戚——大黃狗一樣爲他趕走強盜。我就是死了，對我的主人也毫無用處，還不如大肥豬呢！我是無用的東西，沒有存在的價值。我不知道怎樣做才能引起他的關注。”可憐的小狗說着，失落地垂下頭。

"My dear child," replied his mother, "though your abilities are but small, yet a hearty good-will is sufficient to supply all defects. Do but love him dearly, and prove your love by all the means in your power, and you will not fail to please him."
“好孩子，”他的媽媽說，“雖然你的本領不大，但你的好心腸足以彌補所有的不足。深深地愛主人，並在你力所能及的範圍內用各種方式向他展現你對他的愛，就會使他快樂。”

The little dog was comforted by this assurance; and, on his master's approach, ran to him, licked his feet, gambolled before him, and every now and then stopped, wagging his tail, and looking up to his master with expressions of the most humble and affectionate attachment. The master observed him. "Ah! little Fido," said he, "you are an honest, good-natured little fellow!" and stooped down to pat his head . Poor Fido was ready to go out of his wits for joy.
媽媽的話使小狗得到了極大的安慰。主人過來了，小狗跑過去，舔他的腳，在他面前嬉戲，時不時地停下來，搖搖尾巴，非常恭敬而深情地看着主人。主人注意到了他，說道：“哦，小費多！你真是真誠可愛的小傢伙。”主人邊說邊停下來拍拍他的頭。可憐的費多高興得幾乎要發狂了。

Fido was now his master's constant companion in his walks, playing and skipping round him, and amusing him by a thousand sportive tricks . He took care, how-ever, not to be troublesome by leaping on him with dirty paws, nor would he follow him into the parlour, unless invited. He also attempted to make himself useful by a number of little services. He would drive away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens' meat; and would run and bark with the utmost fury at any strange pigs or other animals that offered to come into the yard. He kept the poultry, geese, and pigs from straying beyond their bounds and particularly from doing mischief in the garden. He was always ready to alarm Towzer if there was any suspicious noise about the house, day or night. If his master pulled off his coat in the field to help his workman, as he would sometimes do, Fido always sat by it, an d would not suffer either man or beast to touch it. By this means he came to be considered as a very trusty protector of his master's property.
現在，費多成了主人散步時必不可少的夥伴。他在主人身邊玩耍、跳躍，用各種方式嬉鬧逗主人開心。並且，他還十分小心，以免自己的髒爪子讓主人不快。他也不跟着主人走進客廳，除非受到主人的邀請。他還試着做些小事來體現自己的價值：當麻雀偷食小雞的食物時，他會把它們趕走；當有陌生的豬或者其他動物企圖進入院子時，他就跑過去對着它們狂吠。他還看管雞鴨鵝和豬，以免它們亂跑，尤其不准它們在花園裏搗亂。不管是白天還是晚上，只要房子周圍有可疑的動靜，他就會提醒大黃狗。有時，他的主人會脫掉外套去田裏幫工人幹活，費多就會在旁邊守着，不讓其他人或者動物碰它。通過這種方式，他開始被認爲是主人忠實的財產守護者。

His master was once confined to his bed with a dangerous illness. Fido planted himself at the chamber-door, and could not be persuaded t o leave it even to take food; and as soon as his master was so far recovered as to sit up, Fido, being admitted into the room, ran up to him with such marks of excessive joy and affection, as would have melted any heart to behold. This circumstance wonderfully endeared hi m to his master; and some time after, he had an opportunity of doing him a very important service.
有一次，他的主人生了一場大病。費多一直守候在門口，沒有人可以說服他進食；當他的主人恢復，可以站起來時，費多便得到允許進入房間，極爲開心地奔向主人，那種狂喜讓所有人感動不已。這使他得到了主人的鐘愛。不久後，他便得到了一個爲主人效勞的大好機會。

One hot day, after dinner, his master was sleeping in a summer-house , with Fido by his side. The building was old and crazy; and the dog, who was faithfully watching his master, perceived the walls shake, and pieces of mortar fall from the ceiling. He comprehended the danger, and began barking to awaken his master; and this not sufficing, he jumped up, and gently bit his finger. The master upon this started up, and had just time to get out of the door before the whole building fell down. Fido, who was behind, got hurt by some rubbish which fell upon him: on which his master had him taken care of with the utmost tenderness, and ever afterwards acknowledged his obligation t o this little animal as the preserver of his life. Thus his love and fidelity had their full reward.
一個大熱天，他的主人吃完晚飯後就在涼亭睡覺，費多待在主人旁邊。涼亭破舊不堪。這條小狗，非常忠實地注視着他的主人，覺察到牆在搖晃，天花板上有些水泥掉了下來。他意識到了危險，開始朝他的主人叫喊試圖叫醒他，但是沒有用。於是他跳起來，輕輕地咬主人的手指。主人被叫醒了，剛跑出涼亭，涼亭便倒塌了。費多在主人的後面，被一些碎片砸傷了。從此以後，主人無微不至地照顧他，將他當成自己的救命恩人。就這樣，小狗對主人的忠誠和愛得到了最大的回報。

智慧點睛：
愛是奇妙無窮，無所不能的。只要有愛，自身的缺陷就有彌補的可能。我們付出更多的愛，就會讓別人得到更多的溫暖。在付出愛的同時，我們的心靈也會得到愛的慰藉和回報。