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The Two Gold Beetles

(Aesop’s Fables)

Translation　ちいさな翻訳屋さん

Japanese ・ English ・ Japanese & English

　There was a cow in an isle,

　and there lived two gold beetles by eating the cow's dung.

　One day, when the winter was around the corner,

　one of the gold beetles said to the other,

“I'll go over to the land across this isle.

　Because if I leave the isle, you can eat the dung that I would be eating.

　So I will spend the winter over there.

　If there is a lot of food over there,

　I'll bring some back for you.”

　Then after making this promise, he left the isle.

　When he got to the land, there was plenty of dung,

　so he got settled and ate it all he wanted.

　After the winter, he returned to the isle,

　then the other gold beetle that remained in the isle and waited for his friend's return asked,

“You've gained so much weight, and look so well.

　You said that you would bring some food back for me if there was a lot over there,

　so I'm wondering what the situation was like over there. Was there a lot of food there?”

　Once he found out that there was no food for him,

　he got angry and said,  “How could you do that to me?”

　Then the other gold beetle said,

“Don't blame me.

　To tell you the truth, it is okay to eat all we want while we stay there,

　but we're not supposed to take any food out.”

　He said this primly.



　This story is the one for those who pretend to be kind to friends,

　but do not take any actions for them.

The end

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