A lion and a bear were fighting for possession of a kid, which they had both seized at the same moment. The battle was long and fierce, nd at length both of them were exhausted1, and lay upon the ground severely2 wounded and gasping3 for breath.

　　A fox had all the time been prowling（徘徊） round and watching the fight: and when he saw the combatants lying there too weak to move, he slipped in and seized the kid, and ran off with it, They looked on helplessly, and one said to the other, "Here we've been mauling each other all this while, and no one the better for it except the fox!"