伊索是一位生活在公元前六世纪的古希腊寓言大师。传说他曾是奴隶，由于他的才智过人，受到主人的赏识而获得自由。伊索善讲寓言故事，语言浅近，通俗易懂，但由于讽刺权贵，终遭杀害。所编寓言经后人加工，写成诗和散文，成为现在流传的《伊索寓言》。现在我们来看这一篇《旅行者和熊》。

The Travellers and the Bear

　　Two men travelling through a forest together promised to help each other whatever danger threated them. They had not gone far when a bear rushed at[1] them from some bushes. One man was a good climber, and quickly climbed a nearby tree, but the other, seeing that he had no chance alone against the bear, fell flat on his back[2], and pretended to be dead. The Bear came up to him, sniffed at[3] him, and thinking him dead went off into the wood again without hurting him. When he had gone, the other traveller came down from the tree, and smilingly asked his companion what the Bear had said to him.
　　 "For I could see," he said, " that he put his mouth close to your ear."
　　 "He told me to tell you," replied the other,"that you were a great coward, and that in future[4] I should not trust those who make fine promises[5], but will not stand by their friends in danger."
　　
MORAL：Don't trust fine promises unless you are sure of the person who makes them.

旅行者和熊

　　两个旅行者一起穿过一片森林，两人都答应无论什么危险威胁他们，大家要互相帮助。他们才走了不远，一只熊从灌木丛中朝他们扑过来。他们当中有一个是攀登好手，他很快就爬到旁边的一棵树上，但是另一个人呢？知道他一个人不可能对付得了熊，就直挺挺地仰卧在地上装起死来。熊走到他跟前，嗅了嗅他，以为他死了，没有伤害他，就又走进森林里去了。等到熊走远了，另一个旅行者从树上下来，微笑着问他的同伴，那只熊对他说了些什么。
　　"因为我看到,"他说，"那只熊把它的嘴凑到了你的耳朵旁。"
　　"他叫我告诉你，"另一个旅行者答道，"你是一个胆小鬼，以后我再也不应该相信那些只会做出好听的诺言，但遇到危险就丢下朋友不管的人了。"

寓意：不要轻易地相信别人动听的诺言，除非你能确信他。