《伊索寓言》相傳為公元前六世紀，共三百五十七篇。大部分把人比喻為動物來諷刺。

　　樹和斧子，對敵人施以小惠就是對自己殘忍

　　英語原文：

　　A Woodman came into a forest to ask the Trees to give him a handle for Ax. It seemed so modest a request that the principal tree at once agreed to it, and it was settled among them that the plain, homely Ash should furnish what was wanted. No sooner had the Woodman fitted the staff to his purpose ,than he began laying about him on all side. felling the whole matter too late, whispered to the Cedar: "the first concession has lost all ;if we has not a sacrificed our humble neighbor, we might have yet stood for ages ourselves."

　　中文譯文：

　　有一個樵夫來到森林里,要求樹給他一跟斧柄,看來他的請求非常謙虛,立刻得到了樹的首領的同意.他們決定由平凡而樸素的白楊樹來提供所需要的東西.樵夫剛按好斧柄,就開始到處亂砍,森林里最高的樹都砍倒了,樹林現在察覺大勢已去,就小聲對衫樹說："第一次的讓步已失去了一切.如果我們不犧牲我們的小小的鄰居,我們自己還可以活無數年呢."

　　結論：這故事諷刺忘恩負義的人，也告訴我們對敵人的施舍就是對自己的殘忍。

　　一只貪心的狗,貪的太多只會失去更多

　　A GREedy dog went into a butcher’s shop and stole a big juicy bone. He ran away so fast that the butcher could not catch him. He ran out into the fields with his bone. He was going to eat it all by himself.

　　一只貪心的狗跑到一家豬肉店偷了一根很大又有髓的骨頭.他跑很快,所以那個賣豬肉的人追不到他.他咬著他的大骨頭跑到空曠的地方,準備要好好地吃個痛快.