兩個人正在市場裡屠戶的攤位上買肉，屠夫剛一轉身背向他們，其中一人便抓起一塊腱子肉，迅速放進另一人的斗篷裡，誰也沒看到他的舉動。待屠夫轉過身來，立刻注意到少了一塊肉，便指控他們偷了肉。但是，拿了肉的那個人說自己沒有偷，而得到肉的那個人也說自己沒有拿。屠夫確信他們是在欺騙自己，但僅僅說了一句話：“你可以用謊言來欺騙我，但卻騙不了神，他們不會這麽輕易放過你的。”

【屠夫和他的顧客的故事寓意】
屠夫和他的顧客這篇寓言故事給我們講述了相互推諉等同於欺騙。
 

THE BUTCHER AND HIS CUSTOMERS
　　Two Men were buying meat at a Butcher’S stall in the market—place，and，while the Butcher’S back was turned for a moment，one of them snatched up a joint and hastily thrust it under the other’S cloak，where it could not be seen.When the Butcher turned round，he missed the meat at once，and charged them with having stolen it：but the one who had taken it said he hadn’t got it，and the one who had got it said he hadn’t taken it.The Butcher felt sure they were deceiving him，but he only said，“You may cheat me with your lying，but you can’t cheat the gods，and they won’t let you off SO lightly.”
　　Prevarication often amounts to perjury.