A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go.

有一條狗，一個屠夫扔給它了一塊骨頭，它就飛快地含著骨頭往家里跑。

As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he happened to look down and saw himself reflected in the quiet water as if in a mirror.

當(dāng)它經(jīng)過一座狹窄的人行橋時，它無意間向下看了看，發(fā)現(xiàn)了自己在水里的倒影，那平靜的水面就像一塊鏡子。

But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own.

但是這貪婪的狗兒，以為見到了一條真正的含著骨頭的狗，而且水里的骨頭還比自己的要大。

If he had stopped to think he would have known better.

如果它能停下來想一想，它就會明白并非如此。

But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore.

但是，它并沒有這樣做，而是丟下自己的骨頭，撲向河里的那條狗，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)只有掙扎著游向岸邊來救自己一命。

At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a stupid Dog he had been.

最終，它成功地爬上了岸，并站在岸上傷感地想念著自己弄丟的那塊好骨頭，并意識到了自己真是一條愚蠢的狗。

It is very foolish to be greedy.

正所謂：貪多必失。（直譯為：貪婪是非常愚蠢的。