隐士和野兽（The Hermit And The Beasts）

从前，在苍翠山岭间住着一个隐士。他是个精神纯洁和良心清白的人。大地上的一切走兽和天空里的一切飞禽都成双成对地来到他的面前，他就对它们讲话。它们心悦诚服地听他讲话，它们围了拢来，不到天黑不愿离开；天黑时他就送它们走了，以他的祝福，把它们委托给风和森林。

有一天晚上，当隐士讲到爱情的时候，一头豹抬起脑袋对隐士说道："你给我们讲到恋爱，先生，请告诉我们，你的伴侣在哪儿呢？"隐士说："我没有伴侣。"

于是在飞禽走兽群里腾起了大为诧异的喧哗之声，它们开始叽叽喳别地互相议论："他自己对此一无所知，怎么能给我们讲恋爱和结婚呢？"它们悄悄地鄙夷地走掉了，剩下隐士孤零零一个人。

那天夜间，隐士脸孔朝下倒在席子上，接着就捶胸痛哭。

The Hermit And The Beasts

Once there lived among the green hills a hermit. He was pure of spirit and white of heart. And all the animals of the land and all the fowls of the air came to him in pairs and he spoke unto them. They heard him gladly, and they would gather near unto him, and would not go until nightfall, when he would send them away, entrusting them to the wind and the woods with his blessing.

Upon an evening as he was speaking of love, a leopard raised her head and said to the hermit, "You speak to us of loving. Tell us, Sir, where is your mate?"

And the hermit said, "I have no mate."

Then a great cry of surprise rose from the company of beasts and fowls, and they began to say among themselves, "How can he tell us of loving and mating when he himself knows naught thereof?" And quietly and in distain they left him alone.

That night the hermit lay upon his mat with his face earthward, and he wept bitterly and beat his hands upon his breast.