Aesop's fable
伊索寓言
Lesson 13
北风与太阳
The north wind and the sun
北风觉得自己的力量非常强大,能轻易把人吹得瑟瑟发抖,甚至能把一棵大树连根拔起,他为此非常得意。太阳对此很不屑,觉得这根本不算什么。他们为此争论不休。争吵没有结果,北风和太阳决定比试一下,谁能使得行人脱下衣服,谁就胜利。
北风一开始就猛烈地刮,路上的行人紧紧裹住自己的衣服。北风刮得更猛了,行人为了抵御寒冷,便添加更多衣服。北风疲倦了,只能让位给太阳。太阳最初把温和的阳光洒向行人,行人脱掉了添加的衣服,太阳接着把强烈的阳光射向大地,行人开始汗流浃背,衣服越脱越少,最后脱光衣服跳到河裡去洗澡。太阳赢了。
【北风与太阳的寓意】
北方与太阳这篇寓言告诉了我们,劝说往往比强迫更为有效,待人处事不是给人压力、给人逼迫,就能成功,就能获胜,疾言厉色或者使用暴力,是无法令人心服口服的,反而是要给人温暖、安详、以尊重、爱语,让人心生欢喜、心悦诚服,才是胜利者。
THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN
A dispute arose between the North Wind and the Sun,each claiming that he was stronger than the other. At last, they agreed to try their powers upon a traveler, to see which could soonest strip him of his cloak. The North Wind had the first try and gathering up all his force for the attack. He came whirling furiously down upon the man and caught up his cloak as though he would wrest it from him by one single effort. But the harder he blew, the more closely the man wrapped it around himself. Then came the turn of the Sun. At first, he beamed gently upon the traveler, who soon unclasped his cloak and walked on with it hanging loosely about his shoulders. Then he shone forth in his full strength and the mall. Before he had gone many steps, he was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey more lightly clad.