🔊 A Pedlar who owned an Ass one day bought a quantity of salt, and loaded up his beast with as much as he could bear. On the way home the Ass stumbled as he was crossing a stream and fell into the water. The salt got thoroughly wetted and much of it melted and drained away, so that, when he got on his legs again, the Ass found his load had become much less heavy. His master, however, drove him back to town and bought more salt, which he added to what remained in the panniers, and started out again. No sooner had they reached a stream than the Ass lay down in it, and rose, as before, with a much lighter load. But his master detected the trick, and turning back once more, bought a large number of sponges, and piled them on the back of the Ass. When they came to the stream the Ass again lay down: but this time, as the sponges soaked up large quantities of water, he found, when he got up on his legs, that he had a bigger burden to carry than ever.

一位养着驴的小贩某日购得一批盐,便让这牲口驮上它能承受的最大分量。归途中,驴涉溪时失足跌入水中。盐被浸得透湿,大半融化解去,待它重新站起,驴发觉背上的重担已然轻省许多。然而,主人却驱它折返城中,添购了更多盐,加进鞍筐里剩余的盐中,再度启程。甫至溪边,驴便故技重施,卧入水中,起身时负担果然又轻了不少。可主人这回瞧出了端倪,便又一次折返,买来一大堆海绵,全数堆在驴的背上。及至溪畔,驴照旧躺下；但这回,海绵吸饱了溪水,待它站起身来,竟发觉背负的重担比以往任何时候都更为沉重。

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Pedlar /ˈpedlər/

n. （沿街叫卖的）小贩,货郎➕

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quantity /ˈkwɒntəti/

n. 量,数量➕

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loaded up /ˈləʊdɪd ʌp/

v. phrase. 装载,装满（原形为 load up）➕

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stumbled /ˈstʌmbld/

v. 绊倒,绊脚（原形为 stumble）➕

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thoroughly /ˈθʌrəli/

adv. 彻底地,完全地➕

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wetted /ˈwetɪd/

v. 弄湿,使潮湿（原形为 wet）➕

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melted /ˈmeltɪd/

v. 融化,溶解（原形为 melt）➕

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drained away /dreɪnd əˈweɪ/

v. phrase. 流走,排走（原形为 drain away）➕

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panniers /ˈpæniərz/

n. （挂在牲口或自行车两侧的）驮篮,挂篮➕

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lay down /leɪ daʊn/

v. phrase. 躺下➕

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detected /dɪˈtektɪd/

v. 发现,察觉（原形为 detect）➕

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trick /trɪk/

n. 诡计,花招➕

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sponges /ˈspʌndʒɪz/

n. 海绵（复数）➕

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piled /paɪld/

v. 堆积,堆放（原形为 pile）➕

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soaked up /səʊkt ʌp/

v. phrase. 吸收,吸干（原形为 soak up）➕

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burden /ˈbɜːdn/

n. 负担,重担➕

🔊 You may play a good card once too often.

再好的把戏,用多了也会失灵。

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play a good card /pleɪ ə ɡʊd kɑːd/

v. phrase. 打出好牌,（比喻）使用有效策略或利用优势➕

Chapter forty-five: The Ass And His Burdens (第四十五章:驴子与他的重担)

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