A STAG overpowered by heat came to a spring to drink. Seeing his own shadow reflected in the water, he greatly admired the size and variety of his horns, but felt angry with himself for having such slender and weak feet. While he was thus contemplating himself, a Lion appeared at the pool and crouched to spring upon him. The Stag immediately took to flight, and exerting his utmost speed, as long as the plain was smooth and open kept himself easily at a safe distance from the Lion. But entering a wood he became entangled by his horns, and the Lion quickly came up to him and caught him. When too late, he thus reproached himself: “Woe is me! How I have deceived myself! These feet which would have saved me I despised, and I gloried in these antlers which have proved my destruction.”
暑さにまいった牡ジカが、泉に水を飲みにやって来た。水に映った自分の姿を見て、牡ジカは角の大きさと見事な枝ぶりにすっかり見とれたが、足がこんなに細くて弱々しいことには腹が立った。こうして自分の姿をながめていると、ライオンが泉に現れ、身をかがめて飛びかかろうとした。牡ジカはすぐに逃げ出し、全速力で走った。平らでひらけた野原が続くあいだは、ライオンから安全な距離を楽に保つことができた。ところが森に入ると、角が枝にからまってしまい、すぐに追いついたライオンに捕まってしまった。もう手遅れになってから、牡ジカはこう自分を責めた。「ああ、なんということだ！ わたしはなんと思い違いをしていたのだろう！ 自分を救ってくれたはずのこの足をばかにして、自分を滅ぼすことになったこの角を自慢していたとは。」
What is most truly valuable is often underrated.
本当に価値のあるものは、しばしば軽く見られる。