兩個士兵一起趕路，途中被一個強(qiáng)盜所劫。其中一個士兵馬上逃跑了，另一個則勇敢地握著劍立在原地，強(qiáng)盜不得不棄他而逃。這時，那個膽小的士兵跑過來，抽出劍，壯著膽大喝一聲：“他去哪里了？讓我來對付他，我要讓他知道面對的是什么人。”然而，那名勇敢的士兵說：“你來晚了，我的朋友。要是你剛才能來幫我就好了，即便只是嘴上這樣說也好，因?yàn)槲視艿侥氵@番話的鼓舞，并且相信這些話都是真的。而現(xiàn)在，還是請你把劍收好，已經(jīng)沒有必要再用它了。你只能欺騙其他人，讓人們以為你像雄獅一樣勇敢；而我卻知道，在遇到危險時，你會像兔子一樣落荒而逃。”

　　【兩個士兵和強(qiáng)盜的故事寓意】

　　兩個士兵和強(qiáng)盜這篇伊索寓言故事是說，有些人在事快要成功或已經(jīng)成功后，企圖把自己打扮成英雄，而在奪取成功的過程中，他們卻袖手旁觀。

　　【兩個士兵和強(qiáng)盜的英文版】

　　THE TWO SOLDIERS AND THE ROBBER

　　Two Soldiers travelling together were set upon by a Robber.One of them ran away,but the other stood his ground，and laid about him SO lustily with his sword that the Robber was fain to fly and leave him in peace.When the coast was clear the timid one ran back，and，flourishing his weapon，cried in a threatening voice，“Where is he?Let me get at him.and I’ll soon let him know whom he’S got to deal with.”But the other replied，“You are a little late，my friend：I only wish you had backed me upjust now,even ifyou had done no more than speak，for I should have been encouraged，believing your words to be true.As it is，calm yourself,and put up your sword：there is no further use for it.You may delude others into thinking you’re as brave as a lion：but I know that，at the first sign of danger,you rlln away like a hare.”