Once upon a time, a Cat and a Monkey lived as pets in the same house.
从前，一只宠物猫和一只宠物猴都住在同一个家里，
They were great friends and were constantly in all sorts of mischief together.
他们总是亲密无间，一起做各种恶作剧。
What they seemed to think of more than anything else was to get something to eat, and it did not matter much to them how they got it.
他们想的最多的就是吃东西，却不管用什么方式得到它们。
One day they were sitting by the fire, watching some chestnuts roasting on the hearth.
一天，他们坐在火炉边，看见炉子上正烤着一些板栗。
How to get them was the question.
但是怎样拿到板栗是个大问题。
"I would gladly get them," said the cunning Monkey, "but you are much more skillful at such things than I am.
狡猾的猴子说道：“我很愿意去取，但是你比我在这方面更厉害。
Pull them out and I'll divide them between us."
把它们拿下来，我们把它平分了。”
The Cat stretched out her paw very carefully, pushed aside some of the cinders, and drew back her paw very quickly.
猫小心地伸出爪子，拨开一些灰烬，马上就把爪子伸了回来。
Then she tried it again, this time pulling a chestnut half out of the fire.
她又试了一次，差一点就把栗子从火堆里拿出来了。
A third time and she drew out the chestnut.
第三次，她终于拿出了这颗板栗。
This performance she went through several times, each time singeing her paw severely.
她尝试了好几次，每次爪子都烫伤的很厉害。
As fast as she pulled the chestnuts out of the fire, the Monkey ate them up.
然而，她一把栗子拿出火中，猴子就把他们全吃掉了。
Now the master came in, and away scampered the rascals, Mistress Cat with a burnt paw and no chestnuts.
这时，主人回来了，把这些淘气鬼赶开了，猫爪子都烧伤了，却没吃到一颗板栗。
From that time on, they say, she contented herself with mice and rats and had little to do with Sir Monkey.
据说，从那时起，猫就只满足于吃老鼠，与猴子先生没什么联系了。
Moral
The flatterer seeks some benefit at your expense.
寓意：
拍马屁的人从别人的辛勤付出中获益。
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