Key to Reading Unit 3
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Cover Introduction Main Index Links Unit Key 2 Unit Key 4 Unit 3 |
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1. (i) [Some] wolves are plotting against a flock of sheep, but they are unable to snatch the sheep because of the little dogs. (ii) The wolves want to kill the sheep by a trick and eat [them].(iii) The wolves send messengers and say to the sheep, 'Sheep, the little dogs are responsible for our (the) enmity, but we want to be at peace. (iv) The sheep do not worry about the danger and the wolves lead the little dogs away. (v) Since the flock is unguarded, the wolves easily kill the sheep and eat [them]. (vi) The fable shows that one must trust not rogues (lit. the wicked) but friends. 2. An ass deems a horse happy as his (the) master provides nourishment abundantly and carefully, since the ass does not even have enough bran and leads a very difficult life. But when there is war and the soldier in armour mounts the horse and rides in every direction and indeed attacks the enemy, the enemy's weapons wound the horse. And now the ass does not consider the horse happy. 3. A wild ass looks at a tame ass in a sunny spot and congratulates him on his (the) good condition and food. But later on, when the ass-driver strikes the tame ass with clubs, the wild ass says, 'I no longer consider you happy, since you have abundance only together with (lit. not without) great ills.' So benefits (lit. good things) [that come] with danger and suffering are not to be envied. __________ ____________ _____________ ____________________ _____________ ____________ _____________ _______________ ___________ __________ __________ __________ _____________ ________ __ _(c) Gavin Betts, Alan Henry 2001 |