3.狗和影子儿, The Dog and the Shadow (gǒu hé yǐng zǐ ér)

Cóng qián ， yī zhī gǒu dé dào le yī kuài ér ròu 。tā diāo zhe ròu xiǎng huí dào jiā hòu zài xì jiáo màn yàn、yè 。

从前，一只狗得到了一块儿肉。它叼着肉想回到家后再细嚼慢咽。

zài huí jiā de tú zhōng ， yào jīng guò yī zuò mù qiáo 。qiáo xià miàn yǒu liú dòng de xī shuǐ 。

在回家的途中，要经过一座木桥。桥下面有流动的溪水。

dāng tā zhèng yào tōng guò shí ，dī tóu kàn jiàn shuǐ zhōng zì jǐ de yǐng zǐ ér 。

当它正要通过时，低头看见水中自己的影子儿。

tā yǐ wéi shì lìng wài de yī zhī gǒu diāo zhe ròu ，suǒ yǐ jiù dǎ dìng zhǔ yì yào bǎ ròu qiǎng guò lái 。

它以为是另外的一只狗叼着肉，所以就打定主意要把肉抢过来。

tā duì shuǐ zhōng de yǐng zǐ ér dǎ le gè shǒu shì ， kě shì dāng tā zhāng kāi zuǐ bɑ shí ， 

它对水中的影子儿打了个手势，可是当它张开嘴巴时，

kǒu lǐ de ròu què diào jìn shuǐ lǐ xiāo shī le 。 

口里的肉却掉进水里消失了。

gù shì shì shuō ： jǐn jì ， bù yào zhuī zhú huàn yǐng ér diū shī yǐ yǒu de dōng xī 。 

故事是说：谨记，不要追逐幻影而丢失已有的东西。

It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. 

Cóng qián ， yī zhī gǒu dé dào le yī kuài ér ròu 。tā diāo zhe ròu xiǎng huí dào jiā hòu zài xì jiáo màn yàn、yè 。

Now on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook.

zài huí jiā de tú zhōng ， yào jīng guò yī zuò mù qiáo 。qiáo xià miàn yǒu liú dòng de xī shuǐ 。

As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath.  

dāng tā zhèng yào tōng guò shí ，dī tóu kàn jiàn shuǐ zhōng zì jǐ de yǐng zǐ ér 。

Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also.

tā yǐ wéi shì lìng wài de yī zhī gǒu diāo zhe ròu ，suǒ yǐ jiù dǎ dìng zhǔ yì yào bǎ ròu qiǎng guò lái 。

So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, 

tā duì shuǐ zhōng de yǐng zǐ ér dǎ le gè shǒu shì ， kě shì dāng tā zhāng kāi zuǐ bɑ shí ， 

dropped into the water and was never seen more.

kǒu lǐ de ròu què diào jìn shuǐ lǐ xiāo shī le 。 

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.

gù shì shì shuō ： jǐn jì ， bù yào zhuī zhú huàn yǐng ér diū shī yǐ yǒu de dōng xī 。