The Bees And Wasps And The Hornet

蜜蜂、黄蜂和大黄蜂

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

A store of honey had been found in a hollow tree, and the Wasps declared positively that it belonged to them.

一棵空心树里被发现贮藏着蜂蜜，黄蜂坚称这些蜂蜜是属于它们的。

The Bees were just as sure that the treasure was theirs.

蜜蜂也和黄蜂一样确信这珍酿是自己的。

The argument grew very pointed, and it looked as if the affair could not be settled without a battle, when at last, with much good sense, they agreed to let a judge decide the matter.

双方之间的争论变得越来越激烈，那阵势看起来不打一架是解决不了这个问题的，最后它们非常明智地一致同意，让一个法官来解决这个麻烦。

So they brought the case before the Hornet, justice of the peace in that part of the woods.

于是，它们就把这个案子交到了大黄蜂面前，大黄蜂可是那一带最为公正的法官，平息了不少争端。

When the Judge called the case, witnesses declared that they had seen certain winged creatures in the neighborhood of the hollow tree, who hummed loudly, and whose bodies were striped, yellow and black, like Bees.

法官开始审理这个案子的时候，证人们声称，在那棵空心树附近确实住着某种会飞的动物，这些动物会发出很大的嗡嗡声，而且它们有着条纹、黄色和黑色的肢体，就跟蜜蜂是的。

Counsel for the Wasps immediately insisted that this description fitted his clients exactly.

黄蜂的律师立马坚称，这描述完全符合它的委托人。

Such evidence did not help Judge Hornet to any decision, so he adjourned court for six weeks to give him time to think it over.

这样的证据根本不能帮助大黄蜂法官做出任何决断，于是它宣布休庭六周好让它有时间仔细想想。

When the case came up again, both sides had a large number of witnesses.

当再次开庭审理这个案子的时候，双方都有了很多证人。

An Ant was first to take the stand, and was about to be cross-examined, when a wise old Bee addressed the Court.

蚂蚁第一个出来作证，正当他准备接受双方律师盘问的时候，一只聪明的老蜜蜂在庭上发了言。

"Your honor," he said, "the case has now been pending for six weeks. If it is not decided soon, the honey will not be fit for anything.

“法官大人，”它说，“这案子已经被搁置了六周了，要是再不做出决断，那些蜂蜜就没什么用了。

I move that the Bees and the Wasps be both instructed to build a honey comb.

我提议，让蜜蜂和黄蜂各自去建造一个蜂窝。

Then we shall soon see to whom the honey really belongs."

那么，我们将很快知晓，这些蜂蜜到底是谁的了。”

The Wasps protested loudly.

黄蜂们对此强烈抗议。

Wise Judge Hornet quickly understood why they did so: They knew they could not build a honey comb and fill it with honey.

而聪明的大黄蜂法官很快就明白了它们为什么抗议得这么激烈：黄蜂很清楚自己根本建造不出能够装蜂蜜的蜂窝。

"It is clear," said the Judge, "who made the comb and who could not have made it. The honey belongs to the Bees."

“很显然，”法官说，“谁有能力建造这种蜂窝是十分明显的。这蜂蜜是属于蜜蜂的。”

Ability proves itself by deeds.

正所谓：真才在手，吃喝不愁。