A Wild Boar was sharpening his tusks busily against the stump of a tree, when a Fox happened by. Now the Fox was always looking for a chance to make fun of his neighbors. So he made a great show of some hidden enemy. But the Boar kept right on with his work.
 
一头野猪，忙着在大树的树桩上磨自己的獠牙，有只狐狸恰巧从一旁经过。狐狸一直都在找机会奚落自己的邻居们。于是，这一次，它做出一副看上去万分焦虑的样子，好像在害怕某些潜藏着的敌人。但是，野猪并没有理他，依然忙着磨牙。
 
“Why are you doing that?” asked the Fox at last with a grin. “There isn’t any danger that I can see.” 
 
“你干嘛一直磨牙呢？”见野猪没理自己，狐狸咧嘴笑着问，“据我观察，现在并没有任何危险。”
 
“True enough,” replied the Boar, “but when danger does come there will not be time for such work as this. My weapons will have to be ready for use then, or I shall suffer for it.”
 
“没错，”野猪回答说，“但是，一旦危险真的降临，就没有时间做这样的事了。事先准备好我的武器，那样才可以在危险来临时直接使用，否则，我将因此而遭到不幸。”
 
本故事重点英语词汇学习
 
boar 公猪，野猪
sharpen 削尖，磨快
tusk 长牙，獠牙
grin 露齿笑
guarantee 保证
 
道理学习
 
Preparedness for war is the best guarantee of peace.
提前为战斗做好准备，这是保证和平的最好方法。