一個(gè)小偷在旅館里租了一間房，一連住了好幾天，想要偷一點(diǎn)東西。可是，一直沒(méi)找到機(jī)會(huì)。直到有一天，人們要慶祝某個(gè)節(jié)日，老板穿著一件漂亮的新衣坐在門口透氣。小偷很快就盯上了那件新衣服，想據(jù)為己有。店里也沒(méi)有什幺生意，小偷便走過(guò)去坐在老板旁邊，與他閑談起來(lái)。聊了一會(huì)兒，小偷突然打了一個(gè)呵欠，并像狼似的大吼了一聲。旅館老板關(guān)切地問(wèn)他這是怎么了。小偷回答說(shuō)：“我會(huì)告訴你育關(guān)我的事情，但是首先，請(qǐng)你負(fù)責(zé)照看一下我的衣服，因?yàn)槲蚁氚堰@些都留給你。我自己也不知道為什么要這樣打呵欠，可能是對(duì)過(guò)去所犯惡行的一種懲罰吧。不過(guò)，無(wú)論是什么原因，實(shí)際上，等我第三次打呵欠時(shí)，就會(huì)變成一只狼，撲向人的喉嚨。”說(shuō)完之后，他又打了第二個(gè)呵欠，接著就像第一次一樣大吼了一聲。旅館老板完全信以為真，一想到即將要面對(duì)一只狼，心里就很害怕。他立刻站起身來(lái)，準(zhǔn)備奪門而逃。小偷扯住他的外衣，想留下他，并說(shuō)：“先生，請(qǐng)等一等，拿走我的衣服吧，不然我再也看不到它們了。”剛一說(shuō)完，他又張開嘴，準(zhǔn)備打第三個(gè)呵欠。旅館老板快被嚇瘋了，便趕緊從被小偷抓住的外套里溜出來(lái)，逃進(jìn)旅館里并鎖上了門，而小偷則帶著他奪來(lái)的戰(zhàn)利品悄悄地溜走了。

　　【小偷和店主的故事寓意】

　　伊索寓言中小偷和店主告訴了我們，萬(wàn)惡的壞人說(shuō)的每一句話我們都不應(yīng)該去相信，我們應(yīng)該用正義的力量去挑戰(zhàn)邪惡。

　　【小偷和店主英文版】

　　THE THIEF AND THE INNKEEPER

　　A Thief hired a room at an inn，and stayed there some days on the look—out for something to steal．No opportunity，however，presented itself,till one day，when there was a festival to be ncelebrated，the Innkeeper appeared in a fine new coat and sat down before the door of the inn for an airing．The Thief no sooner set eyes upon the coat than he longed to get possession of it．There was no business doing，SO he went and took a seat by the side of the Innkeeper，and began talking to him．They conversed together for some time，and then the Thief suddenly yawned and howled like a wolf．The Innkeeper asked him in some concern what ailed him．The Thief replied，“I will tell you about myself,sir，but first I must beg you to take charge of my clothes for me，for I Intend to leave them with you．Why I have these fits of yawning I cannot tell：maybe they are sent as a punishment for my misdeeds；but，whatever the reason，the facts are that when I have yawned three times I become a ravening wolf and fly at men’s throats．”As he finished speaking he yawned a second time and howled again as before．The Innkeeper,believing every word he said，and terrified at the prospect of being confronted with a wolf, got up hastily and started to run indoors；but the Thief caught him by the coat and tried to stop him，crying，“Stay，sir，stay,and take charge of my clothes，or else I shall never see them again．”As he spoke he opened his mouth and began to yawn for the third time．The Innkeeper,mad with the fear of being eaten by a wolf,slipped out of his coat，which remained in the other’S hands，and bolted into the inn and locked the door behind him；and the Thief then quietly stole off with his spoil．