英语故事:The Loyal Dog 忠诚的小狗

"What shall I do," said a very little dog one day to his mother, "to show my gratitude to our good master, and make myself of some value to him? I cannot draw or carry burdens like the horse; nor give him milk like the cow; nor lend him my covering for his clothing like the sheep; nor produce him eggs like the poultry; nor catch mice and rats so well as the cat. I cannot divert him with singing like the canaries and linnets; nor can I defend him against robbers like our relation, Towzer; I should not be of use to him even if I were dead, a s the hogs are. I am a poor insignificant creature, not worth the cost of keeping; and I don\'t see that I can do a single thing to entitle me to his regard." So saying, the poor little dog hung down his head in silent despondency.
一天，一只小狗对他的妈妈说：“我该怎么做，才能向我们仁慈的主人表示感谢，让自己对他有价值呢？我不能像马那样背负重物；不能像奶牛一样给他提供牛奶；不能像羊那样用我的毛为他做衣服；不能像鸡鸭那样为他产蛋；不能像猫那样抓老鼠；不能像鸟儿一样为他歌唱；也不能像我们的亲戚——大黄狗一样为他赶走强盗。我就是死了，对我的主人也毫无用处，还不如大肥猪呢！我是无用的东西，没有存在的价值。我不知道怎样做才能引起他的关注。”可怜的小狗说着，失落地垂下头。

"My dear child," replied his mother, "though your abilities are but small, yet a hearty good-will is sufficient to supply all defects. Do but love him dearly, and prove your love by all the means in your power, and you will not fail to please him."
“好孩子，”他的妈妈说，“虽然你的本领不大，但你的好心肠足以弥补所有的不足。深深地爱主人，并在你力所能及的范围内用各种方式向他展现你对他的爱，就会使他快乐。”

The little dog was comforted by this assurance; and, on his master\'s approach, ran to him, licked his feet, gambolled before him, and every now and then stopped, wagging his tail, and looking up to his master with expressions of the most humble and affectionate attachment. The master observed him. "Ah! little Fido," said he, "you are an honest, good-natured little fellow!" and stooped down to pat his head . Poor Fido was ready to go out of his wits for joy.
妈妈的话使小狗得到了极大的安慰。主人过来了，小狗跑过去，舔他的脚，在他面前嬉戏，时不时地停下来，摇摇尾巴，非常恭敬而深情地看着主人。主人注意到了他，说道：“哦，小费多！你真是真诚可爱的小家伙。”主人边说边停下来拍拍他的头。可怜的费多高兴得几乎要发狂了。

Fido was now his master\'s constant companion in his walks, playing and skipping round him, and amusing him by a thousand sportive tricks . He took care, how-ever, not to be troublesome by leaping on him with dirty paws, nor would he follow him into the parlour, unless invited. He also attempted to make himself useful by a number of little services. He would drive away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens\' meat; and would run and bark with the utmost fury at any strange pigs or other animals that offered to come into the yard. He kept the poultry, geese, and pigs from straying beyond their bounds and particularly from doing mischief in the garden. He was always ready to alarm Towzer if there was any suspicious noise about the house, day or night. If his master pulled off his coat in the field to help his workman, as he would sometimes do, Fido always sat by it, an d would not suffer either man or beast to touch it. By this means he came to be considered as a very trusty protector of his master\'s property.
现在，费多成了主人散步时必不可少的伙伴。他在主人身边玩耍、跳跃，用各种方式嬉闹逗主人开心。并且，他还十分小心，以免自己的脏爪子让主人不快。他也不跟着主人走进客厅，除非受到主人的邀请。他还试着做些小事来体现自己的价值：当麻雀偷食小鸡的食物时，他会把它们赶走；当有陌生的猪或者其他动物企图进入院子时，他就跑过去对着它们狂吠。他还看管鸡鸭鹅和猪，以免它们乱跑，尤其不准它们在花园里捣乱。不管是白天还是晚上，只要房子周围有可疑的动静，他就会提醒大黄狗。有时，他的主人会脱掉外套去田里帮工人干活，费多就会在旁边守着，不让其他人或者动物碰它。通过这种方式，他开始被认为是主人忠实的财产守护者。

His master was once confined to his bed with a dangerous illness. Fido planted himself at the chamber-door, and could not be persuaded t o leave it even to take food; and as soon as his master was so far recovered as to sit up, Fido, being admitted into the room, ran up to him with such marks of excessive joy and affection, as would have melted any heart to behold. This circumstance wonderfully endeared hi m to his master; and some time after, he had an opportunity of doing him a very important service.
有一次，他的主人生了一场大病。费多一直守候在门口，没有人可以说服他进食；当他的主人恢复，可以站起来时，费多便得到允许进入房间，极为开心地奔向主人，那种狂喜让所有人感动不已。这使他得到了主人的钟爱。不久后，他便得到了一个为主人效劳的大好机会。

One hot day, after dinner, his master was sleeping in a summer-house , with Fido by his side. The building was old and crazy; and the dog, who was faithfully watching his master, perceived the walls shake, and pieces of mortar fall from the ceiling. He comprehended the danger, and began barking to awaken his master; and this not sufficing, he jumped up, and gently bit his finger. The master upon this started up, and had just time to get out of the door before the whole building fell down. Fido, who was behind, got hurt by some rubbish which fell upon him: on which his master had him taken care of with the utmost tenderness, and ever afterwards acknowledged his obligation t o this little animal as the preserver of his life. Thus his love and fidelity had their full reward.
一个大热天，他的主人吃完晚饭后就在凉亭睡觉，费多待在主人旁边。凉亭破旧不堪。这条小狗，非常忠实地注视着他的主人，觉察到墙在摇晃，天花板上有些水泥掉了下来。他意识到了危险，开始朝他的主人叫喊试图叫醒他，但是没有用。于是他跳起来，轻轻地咬主人的手指。主人被叫醒了，刚跑出凉亭，凉亭便倒塌了。费多在主人的后面，被一些碎片砸伤了。从此以后，主人无微不至地照顾他，将他当成自己的救命恩人。就这样，小狗对主人的忠诚和爱得到了最大的回报。

智慧点睛：
爱是奇妙无穷，无所不能的。只要有爱，自身的缺陷就有弥补的可能。我们付出更多的爱，就会让别人得到更多的温暖。在付出爱的同时，我们的心灵也会得到爱的慰藉和回报。