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Bats are very strange little animals, having hair like mice,and wings like birds.
蝙蝠是很奇怪的动物，有着像老鼠一样的毛发和像小鸟一样的翅膀。
During the day, they live in crevices of rocks, in caves, and in other dark places.
白天，它们都待在岩石裂缝、洞穴以及其他黑暗的地方。
At night, they go forth in search of food; and, no doubt, you have seen them flying about, catching such insects as happen to be out rather late at night.
它们经常在夜里出来觅食，毫无疑问，你可能曾经看见过它们飞来飞去地捕捉那些偶尔在深夜出没的昆虫。
The wings of a bat have no quills.
蝙蝠的翅膀并没有羽毛，
They are only thin pieces of skin stretched upon a framework of bones.
只有薄薄的皮挂在骨架上。
Besides this, it may be said that while he is a quadruped, he can rise into the air and fly from place to place like a bird.
除此之外，据说蝙蝠还有两只脚，它也能像小鸟那样在空中飞来飞去。
There is a funny fable about the bat, founded upon this double character of beast and bird, which I will tell you.
基于蝙蝠的这种鸟兽双重特性，还有一个有趣的寓言，我会慢慢告诉你。
An owl was once prowling about, when he came across a bat.
有一次，一只猫头鹰在空中徘徊，这时，它看见了一只蝙蝠。
So he caught him in his claws, and was about to devour him.
于是，它就用爪子抓住了蝙蝠，准备要吞下去。
Upon this, the bat began to squeal terribly; and he said to the owl, "Pray, what do you take me for, that you use me thus?"
就在这时，蝙蝠可怜巴巴地啼哭着对猫头鹰说：“求求你告诉我，你以为我是谁，为什么抓我呢？”
"Why, you are a bird, to be sure," said the owl, "and I am fond of birds."
“为什么，你是一只鸟，千真万确，”猫头鹰说，“我很喜欢鸟类。”
I love dearly to break their little bones.
我最爱做的就是弄断它们的小骨头。
"Well," said the bat, "I thought there was some mistake."
蝙蝠说：“好吧，我想你可能真弄错了。”
I am no bird.
我不是鸟。
Don't you see, Mr. Owl, that I have no feathers, and that I am covered with hair like a mouse?
猫头鹰先生，我并没有羽毛，而且我身上的毛很像老鼠，你没看到吗？
"Sure enough," said the owl, in great surprise; "I see it now."
“的确如此，”猫头鹰惊讶地说道，“我现在看清楚了。”
Really, I took you for a bird, but it appears you are only a kind of mouse.
真的，我以为你是一只鸟呢，但是，从外表看来，你就是一只老鼠。
I ate a mouse last night, and it gave me the night mare.
我昨天晚上刚吃了一只老鼠，还让我做了一场噩梦。
I can't bear mice! Bah! it makes me sick to think of it.
我再也不吃老鼠了！呸，真让我恶心！
So the owl let the bat go.
于是，猫头鹰就放走了蝙蝠。
The very next night, the bat encountered another danger.
到了第二天，这只蝙蝠又遇到了危险。
He was snapped up by puss, who took him for a mouse, and immediately prepared to eat him.
它被一只花猫逮住了，小花猫把它当成了老鼠，正准备要吃掉它。
"I beg you to stop one moment," said the bat. "Pray, Miss Puss, what do you suppose I am?"
“求求你，等一下，”这只蝙蝠说，“拜托你告诉我，花猫小姐，你把我当成什么了？”
"A mouse, to be sure!"said the cat. "Not at all," said the bat, spreading his long wings.
“一只老鼠，千真万确！”花猫说。“根本不是。”蝙蝠说着，立刻伸展开它的翅膀。
"Sure enough," said the cat: "you seem to be a bird,though your feathers are not very fine."
“果真不是呀，”花猫说，“尽管你的翅膀不那么漂亮，但你看上去真像小鸟。”
I eat birds sometimes, but I am tired of them just now, having lately devoured four young robins; so you may go.
我有时也吃小鸟，但我厌倦小鸟，最近已经吃了四只小知更鸟了；所以，你可以走了。
But, bird or mouse, it will be your best policy to keep out of my way here after.
但是，不管你是小鸟，还是老鼠，为了保险起见，从今往后最好别再出现在我面前。
The meaning of this fable is, that a person playing a double part may sometimes escape danger;
这则寓言故事的意义是，一个两面玲珑的人有时可能会逃脱危险，
but he is always,like the bat, a creature that is disgusting to everybody, and shunned by all.
但他却会像蝙蝠那样遭人厌恶和唾弃。
