A blind ass¹, which had undertaken a long journey, wandered from the road into a forest.

一头瞎眼的驴子在长途跋涉时迷了路，走进了森林。

As the night came on, our foolish fellow went so far into the thicket² that it couldn't move either backward or forward; and even one who had eyes would have been unable to get out of that difficulty. But an owl³, by good luck, happened to be in the neighbourhood, and offered to act as a guide to the ass.

夜幕降临时，这头蠢驴钻进了灌木丛，进退不得。就是视力好的动物也没有办法摆脱这个困境。幸运的是，一只猫头鹰恰好在附近，它乐意为驴子当向导。

We all know how well owls⁴ see at night. Hills, hillocks, precipices—all these our owl distinguished⁵ as if it had been daylight.By daybreak, it had made its way with the ass to the level road.

众所周知，猫头鹰在夜间视力很好，斜坡啦、山丘啦、悬崖啦——它都能辨认出来，就像在白天一样。黎明时分，它已领着驴子来到了平地上。

Now, how could any one part with such a guide？ So the ass entreated⁶ the owl not to desert it, and determined⁷ to visit the whole world in the owl's company.

现在，谁愿意离开这么好的向导呢？于是驴子恳求猫头鹰不要撇下它，驴子决意与它结伴一同环游世界。

Our owl seated itself like a lord on the back of the ass, and the two friends began to continue their journey.

猫头鹰像君主般端坐在驴背上，这两个好朋友继续它们的旅行。

But did it prosper⁸？ No. The sun had scarcely begun to glow in the morning sky, when a greater than nocturnal darkness hid everything from the owl's eyes. But our owl is obstinate⁹; it directs the ass at random¹⁰.

但是，这能行得通吗？不能。清晨，太阳刚刚放射出光芒，猫头鹰眼前就出现了比夜幕还黑的黑暗，什么也看不见了。可是，它一意孤行，随意地指挥着驴子。

“Take care！”it cries,“We shall tumble into a pool, if we go to the right.”

“小心，”猫头鹰喊道，“要是往右走，我们会掉进池塘里去的。”

There was really no pool on the right; but on the left there was even worse.

实际上，右边根本没有什么池塘，左边的情况反而更糟。

“Keep more to the left—another pace to the left！”

“再往左边一点儿，往左迈一步。”

And, the owl and the ass fell into the ravine together.

结果，猫头鹰和驴一起掉进了深谷。