An owl1, who lived in a hollow tree, was in the habit of feeding by night and sleeping by day, but her slumbers2 were greatly disturbed by the chirping3 of a grasshopper4, who had taken up his abode5 in the branches. She begged him repeatedly to have some consideration for her comfort, but the grasshopper, if anything, only chirped6 the louder. At last the owl could stand it no longer, but determined7 to rid herself of the pest by means of a trick. Addressing herself to the grasshopper, she said in her pleasantest manner, "As I cannot sleep for your song, which, believe me, is as sweet as the notes of Apollo's lyr., I have a mind to taste some nectar, which Minerva gave me the other day. Won't you come in and join me?" The grasshopper was flattered by the praise of his song, and his mouth, too, watered at the mention of the delicious drink, so he said he would be delighted. No sooner had he got inside the hollow where the owl was sitting than she pounced8 upon him and ate him up.

　　棲息在一棵樹上的貓頭鷹，習慣于晚上覓食，白天睡覺?？墒?，她白天卻也睡不好，一只早已在樹叢間坐窩的螞蚱總發(fā)出啁啾聲，吵得她無法入睡。貓頭鷹不斷地請求螞蚱考慮一下她的情況，可螞蚱卻仍然大聲叫個不停。最后，貓頭鷹再也受不了了，決定設計除掉螞蚱。于是，貓頭鷹裝出一副高興樣，對螞蚱說：“盡管我被你的歌聲驚擾，睡不著覺，但是請相信我，你的歌聲如同阿波羅神的七弦琴一樣動聽。我正想喝一杯美味瓊漿，這可是密涅瓦送給我的。你要不要上來和我一起享用呢？”螞蚱正得意于貓頭鷹對自己歌聲的奉承，一聽到有瓊漿玉液，嘴巴里就開始流口水了，所以，他很高興地接受了邀請，待他剛一飛上去，貓頭鷹就從樹洞中沖出來，撲過去抓住螞蚱，吃掉了他。