故事強(qiáng)調(diào)情節(jié)的生動性和連貫性，較適于口頭講述。也適合用于記載在書中。

　　英文寓言故事篇一

　　螳螂捕蟬

　　Once, the King of the State of Wu wanted to invade the State of Chu.

　　The King of Wu warned his ministers: "If anyone should dare to dissuade1 me from invading Chu again, I will put him to death."

　　One young hanger-on of his wanted to dissuade him but didn't dare. He carried a slingshot, and for three consecutive2 days paced up and down in the King's back garden. The dew wetted his clothes all through.

　　One day, the King of Wu called him: "The dew has wetted your clothes to such a state. Why should you bear such hardship?"

　　The young man replied: "There is a cicada on a tree in this garden. The cicada is high above, chirping3 leisurely4 and taking in the dew freely, not knowing that a mantis5 is right behind it. The mantis, pressing its body close in a concealed6 place, is intent on catching7 the cicada, not knowing that a siskin is hiding right behind it. The siskin is stretching out its neck to peck at the mantis, not knowing that a man carrying a slingshot is under it. These three small creatures make every effort only to get the benefit before them but ignore entirely8 the disaster behind."

　　Having heard the young man's words, the King of Wu suddenly saw the light and said: "What you said is right!"

　　Consequently, the King of Wu dropped his plan to invade the State of Chu.

　　一次，吳王要進(jìn)攻楚國。

　　吳王警告他的大臣們說：“有誰再敢來勸阻我進(jìn)攻楚國，我就處死他。”

　　吳王的門客中有一個年青人，想去勸阻但又不敢。他懷里揣著彈弓，一連三個早晨在吳工的后花園里徘徊，露水濕透了他的衣服。

　　一天，吳王叫住他：“露水把你的衣服濕成這個樣子，你何必吃這個苦呢?”

　　年青人回答說：“這個園子里，有一棵樹，樹上有一只蟬。蟬高高在上，悠閑地叫著，自由自在地吸著露水，卻不知道有一只蝗螂在它身后呢!蝗螂把身子緊緊地貼在隱蔽的地方，只想去捕蟬，卻不知道有一只黃雀早已躲在它的身后呢!黃雀正伸長了脖子想去啄蝗螂，卻不知道在它下面正有人拿著彈弓呢!這三只小生物，只是力求得到它們眼前的利益，卻全不管它們身后隱伏著禍患啊!”

　　吳王聽了年青人的話后，恍然大悟說：“你說得好啊!”

　　于是，吳王就不再進(jìn)攻楚國了。