A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cruel.
驴子和买主
The Ass and His Purchaser
一个人想买一头驴子,但又不知道驴子是否勤劳能干,于是就和卖主达成协议,等他试验之后再决定是否购买。他把驴子带回家后就把他和其他驴子一起喂养。这头驴看见别的驴子都躲得远远的,唯独和一头最是好吃懒做的驴子待在一起。
看到这些,这人就给驴子带上笼头还把他送回到原先的主人身边。主人问他:“在这么短的时间内,真的可以试验出结果吗?”这人回答说:“我已经不需要试验了,只要看他挑选什么样的伙伴,就知道他是什么品行了。”
看其友知其人。
A Man wished to purchase an Ass,and agreed with its owner that he should try out the animal before he bought him. He took the Ass home and put him in the strawyard with his other Asses,upon which the new animal left all the others and at once joined the one that was most idle and the greatest eater of them all.