A Merchant, driving his Ass homeward from the seashore with a heavy load of salt, came to a river crossed by a shallow ford. They had crossed this river many times before without accident, but this time the Ass slipped and fell when halfway over. And when the Merchant at last got him to his feet, much of the salt had melted away Delighted to find how much lighter his burden had become, the Ass finished the journey very gaily.

　　一个商人赶着自己的驴子，从海边往家走。驴子背上，驮着慢慢的盐，准备淌过一个浅滩，到河的对岸。这个浅滩它们已经走过多次，每次都平安无事。然而这次，走到一半，驴子不小心滑了一下，跌倒在河中。当商人把驴子重新弄起来时，不少盐已经溶解在水里。驴子发现自己的负重变轻了不少，驴子十分欣喜，高兴地走完了剩下的路程。

　　Next day the Merchant went for another load of salt. On the way home the Ass, remembering what had happened at the ford, purposely let himself fall into the water, and again got rid of most of his burden.

　　第二天，商人又去运盐。在回家的路上，驴子记起上次在浅滩发生的事，故意让自己跌倒在水里，又成功减少了不少负担。

　　The angry Merchant immediately turned about and drove the back to the seashore, where he loaded him with two great baskets of sponges. At the ford the Ass again tumbled over; but when he had scrambled to his feet, it was a very disconsolate Ass that dragged himself homeward under a load ten times heavier than before.

　　火冒三丈的商人，立刻改变主意，赶着驴子回到河边，让它驮了慢慢两大筐海绵。到了浅滩，驴子故技重施，跌倒在河中，然而，当它爬起来后，它只得驮着比先前重了十倍的货物，闷闷不乐的往家走去。

　　本故事重点英语词汇学习

　　Accident 意外，事故

　　Melt 融化，熔化

　　Get rid of 摆脱，除去

　　Sponge 海绵

　　Scramble 爬

　　Disconsolate 孤独的，不快乐的

　　道理学习

　　The same measures will not suit all circumstances.

　　一种方法，不可能适用于任何情况。