The Peacock

孔雀

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

The Peacock, they say, did not at first have the beautiful feathers in which he now takes so much pride.

听人们说，孔雀起初并没有那令自己自豪不已的美丽羽毛。

These, Juno, whose favorite he was, granted to him one day when he begged her for a train of feathers to distinguish him from the other birds.

有一天，孔雀乞求朱诺（Juno,朱庇特的妻子）能够赐给他一串羽毛好让它在所有的鸟儿中显得与众不同，而朱诺恰好又最喜爱孔雀了，就答应了他的请求。

Then, decked in his finery, gleaming with emerald, gold, purple, and azure, he strutted proudly among the birds.

接下来，他就盛装打扮，全身五彩斑斓，在鸟儿中趾高气昂地走着。

All regarded him with envy. Even the most beautiful pheasant could see that his beauty was surpassed.

所有的鸟儿都羡慕地看着他。即便是那最妖艳的野鸡也是自叹不如。

Presently the Peacock saw an Eagle soaring high up in the blue sky and felt a desire to fly, as he had been accustomed to do.

正在这时，那只孔雀望见一只老鹰在蓝天里翱翔，就也 想像他 以往那样飞起来。

Lifting his wings he tried to rise from the ground. But the weight of his magnificent train held him down.

他震了震翅膀，想从地面飞起来。然而他那串华丽的羽毛却拖累了他。

Instead of flying up to greet the first rays of the morning sun or to bathe in the rosy light among the floating clouds at sunset, he would have to walk the ground more encumbered and oppressed than any common barnyard fowl.

没能飞上天去问候朝阳的第一缕阳光，也不能沐浴在夕阳西下时那云间的漫天霞光，而只好跟农场其它家禽一样，又碍事又苦恼地走在地上。

Do not sacrifice your freedom for the sake of pomp and show.

寓意：不要舍本逐末。 （直译为：不要为了显摆而牺牲自由。）