原文：
A crow had snatched a goodly piece of cheese out of a window, and flew with it into a high tree, intent on enjoying her prize. A fox spied the dainty morsel1, and thus he planned his approaches, Oh, crow, said he, how beautiful are thy wings ! how bright thine eye! How graceful2 thy neck! Thy breast is the breast of an eagle ! thy claws-I beg pardon-thy talons3, are a match for all the beasts for the field, oh, that such a bird should be dumb, and want only a voice.the crow, pleased with the flattery, and chuckling4 to think how she would surprise the fox with her caw, opened her mouth. Down dropped the cheese! Snapping it up, the fox observed, as he walked away, that whatever he had remarked of her beauty, he had said nothing yet of her brains.
Men seldom flatter without some private end in view, and they who listen to such music may expect to have to pay the piper.
译文：
一只乌鸦从一个窗户里叼出了一快相当大的干酪，飞上了一棵高数，一心想享享口福，吃掉她夺来的这快东西，一只狐狸发现了这块美味的食物，就计划去接近她，哦，乌鸦他说，你的翅膀多么漂亮啊！你的双眼多么明亮啊，你的脖子多么姣媚！你的胸部和鹰一样！你的爪子，请原谅我，你的铁爪足以和所有些野兽对抗，哦，多么可惜，如此一只鸟竟是一只哑巴，只缺少一副喉咙了！乌鸦听了这甜言蜜语，心理非常高兴，他得意地心里想，假如我哇哇地叫起来将使狐狸感到多么惊奇，于是他就张开了嘴。干酪拍地掉下去了！狐狸叼起干酪，一边走开，一边批评地说，不论他如何吹嘘她的美貌，可是他还没有谈论他的智慧。
谄媚人的人极少是没自私计划的，而倾听这种音乐的人则必然要出钱。
词语：
snatched 抢夺
a goodly piece of 相当大一块
spied 侦察出，发现
dainty morsel 美味的东西
thy 你的（古语）
thine 你的（古语）
a match for 的对手
flattery 奉承
chuckling 暗自得意
Snapping it up 猛地咬住
in view 企望
to pay the piper 负担成本，承担代价
