The Two Pots

两个罐子

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

Two Pots, one of brass and the other of clay, stood together on the hearthstone. One day the Brass Pot proposed to the Earthen Pot that they go out into the world together. But the Earthen Pot excused himself, saying that it would be wiser for him to stay in the corner by the fire.

壁炉上有两个罐子，一个是铜的，一个是泥的。一天，铜罐向瓦罐提议，一起出去看看外面的世界。但是瓦罐推辞说，他还是呆在火炉边的角落里比较明智。

"It would take so little to break me," he said. "You know how fragile I am. The least shock is sure to shatter me!"

他说:“你知道我有多脆弱的，我很容易就被打碎了。最轻微的震动也一定会把我震碎!”

"Don't let that keep you at home," urged the Brass Pot. "I shall take very good care of you. If we should happen to meet anything hard I will step between and save you."

“不要因此而呆在家里，”铜罐催促着。“我会好好照顾你的。如果我们遇到什么坚硬的东西，我就会站在中间保护你。”

So the Earthen Pot at last consented, and the two set out side by side, jolting along on three stubby legs first to this side, then to that, and bumping into each other at every step.

于是瓦罐终于答应了。他们两个并排走着，用三条粗壮的腿一颠一颠地走着，一会儿走到这边，一会儿又走到那边，每走一步它们都碰到一起。

The Earthen Pot could not survive that sort of companionship very long. They had not gone ten paces before the Earthen Pot cracked, and at the next jolt he flew into a thousand pieces.

瓦罐在这种陪伴下，可活不长久。他们走了不到十步，瓦罐就裂开了，再一震，他就摔成了碎片。

Equals make the best friends.

寓意：同等的人才能成为好友。