大山分娩
 原文：
    In days of yore, a mighty runmbling was heard in a mountain. It was said to be in labor, and multitudes flocked together, from far and near, to see what it would produce. After long expectation and many wise conjectures from the by-standers -- out popped a Mouse!
    The story applies those magnificent promises end in a paltry performance.
译文：
    古时候，在一座山里发出了一阵隆隆巨响，据说这是大山要临产了。人群从四面八方聚集起来，观看大山会生出什么后代。大家企盼了许久，并且作了许多聪明的推测，结果从那里跳出一只老鼠。
这个故事说的是，雷声大，雨点小。

词汇：
In days of yore 古时候
in labor 临产
multitudes flocked together 人群聚集
by-standers 旁观者
out popped 跳出
paltry 微不足道的
 
树和斧子
原文：
    A Woodman came into a forest to ask the Trees to give him a handle for Ax. It seemed so modest a request that the principal tree at once agreed to it, and it was settled among them that the plain, homely Ash should furnish what was wanted. No sooner had the Woodman fitted the staff to his purpose ,than he began laying about him on all side. felling the whole matter too late, whispered to the Cedar: "the first concession has lost all ;if we has not a sacrificed our humble neighbor, we might have yet stood for ages ourselves."
译文：
    有一个樵夫来到森林里，要求树给他一跟斧柄，看来他的请求非常谦虚，立刻得到了树的首领的同意。他们决定由平凡而朴素的白杨树来提供所需要的东西。樵夫刚按好斧柄，就开始到处乱砍，森林里最高的树都砍倒了，树林现在察觉大势已去，就小声对衫树说："第一次的让步已失去了一切。如果我们不牺牲我们的小小的邻居，我们自己还可以活无数年呢。"
词汇：
the principal tree 领头树
was settled among them 大家商定
no sooner...than... 一……就……
laying about him 向他四周乱砍
might have yet stood for ages 也许还能活几百年
 
旅行者和熊
原文：
    Two friends were traveling on the same road together, when they met with a bear .The one, in great fear, without a thought of his companion, climbed up into a tree, and hid himself .The other, seeing that he had on chance single-handed against the bear, had nothing left but to throw himself on the ground and feign to be dead, for he had heard that the bear will never touch a dead body .A s he thus lay, the bear came up to his head, muzzling and snuffing at his nose, and ears, and heart, but the immovably held his breath, and the beast, supposing him to be dead, walked away .When the bear was fairly out of sight, his companion came down out of the tree, and asked what it was that the bear whispered to him-"for"says he, "I observed he put his mouth very close to your ear . ""why,"replies the other, "it was no great secret, he only bid me have a care how I kept company with those who, when they get into a difficulty, leave their friends in a lurch."
词汇：
single-handed 独自一人，孤立无援
lurch 危难