An Ass was being driven along a road leading down the mountain side, when he suddenly took it into his silly head to choose his own path. He could see his stall at the foot of the mountain, and to him the quickest way down seemed to be over the edge of the nearest cliff. Just as he was about to leap over, his master caught him by the tail and tried to pull him back, but the stubborn Ass would not yield and pulled with all his might.
 
        赶驴人领着驴子，沿着山边的小道往下走。忽然，驴子那蠢笨的脑子里冒出一个念头：它要自己选择自己的路。山脚下的驴舍，俨然就在驴子的眼皮底下，因此在它看来，最快捷的路，就是越过离自己最近的悬崖边缘，直冲到山下。正当驴子要跳下悬崖的时候，它的主人一把抓住它的尾巴，竭力想把它拉回来。然而，这头倔驴丝毫不领情，使出了全身的力量想要挣脱。
 
“Very well,” said his master, ”go your way, you willful beast, and see where it leads you.” With that he let go, and the foolish Ass tumbled head over heels down the mountain side.
 
        “好吧”，驴子的主人说，“走你的路吧，你这头任性妄为的畜生，看看你会有什么下场。”说完，主人就走了。蠢驴一头栽了下去，沿着山崖一路翻滚。至于它的下场，大家可想而知。
 
本故事重点词汇学习
 
Stubborn 顽固的，固执的
Yield 出产，屈服
tumble 摔倒，翻筋斗
 
一起学道理
 
They who will not listen to reason but stubbornly go their own way against the friendly advice of those who are wiser than they, are on the road to misfortune.
 
不听从聪明人友好明智的建议，反而一意孤行的人，离不幸就不远了。