The Tortoise, you know, carries his house on his back. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot leave home. They say that Jupiter punished him so, because he was such a lazy stay-at-home that he would not go to Jupiter's wedding, even when especially invited.
After many years, Tortoise began to wish he had gone to that wedding. When he saw how gaily the birds flew about and how the Hare and the Chipmunk and all the other animals ran nimbly by, always eager to see everything there was to be seen, the Tortoise felt very sad and discontented. He wanted to see the world too, and there he was with a house on his back and little short legs that could hardly drag him along.
One day he met a pair of Ducks and told them all his trouble.
"We can help you to see the world," said the Ducks. "Take hold of this stick with your teeth and we will carry you far up in the air where you can see the whole countryside. But keep quiet or you will be sorry."
The Tortoise was very glad indeed. He seized the stick firmly with his teeth, the two Ducks took hold of it one at each end, and away they sailed up toward the clouds.
Just then a Crow flew by. He was very much astonished at the strange sight and cried:
"This must surely be the King of Tortoises!"
"Why certainly——" began the Tortoise.
But as he opened his mouth to say these foolish words he lost his hold on the stick, and down he fell to the ground, where he was dashed to pieces on a rock.
Foolish curiosity and vanity often lead to misfortune.
【参考中文译文】
大家都知道，乌龟把自己的家背在身上。不管他如何努力地尝试，他都无法离开自己的家。人们说，因为乌龟实在是太懒了，总是呆在家里，就算朱庇特特别邀请乌龟去他的婚礼，乌龟也不出席，于是朱庇特神就惩罚他，让他永远离不开家。
许多年过去了，乌龟开始后悔自己当年没有出席那个婚礼。每当看见小鸟高兴地在天空上飞翔，野兔和花栗鼠还有其他小动物轻快地跑来跑去，他感到十分地伤心和不满，并希望自己可以去看看各种各样的事物。他还想去看看这个世界，但是他的背上背着自己的家，而他的小短腿要很艰难才能拖动自己笨重的身躯。
有一天他遇见了两只鸭子，并向他们述说了自己的烦恼。
“我们可以帮你去看世界，”鸭子们说。“只要你咬住这根棍子，我们可以带你飞得很高很高，这样你就可以看见这个乡间的全貌了。但是你绝对不要说话，不然你会追悔莫及的。”
乌龟高兴极了。他牢牢地用牙齿咬住棍子，两只鸭子分别叼住棍子的两端，然后他们就向云端飞去。
就在这时，一只乌鸦飞过。他对眼前这一奇怪景象感到很吃惊，于是大声说：
“这只乌龟一定是龟中之王”
“当然了——”乌龟开口道。
但就在他张开口说这句蠢话的一瞬间，他的嘴松开了棍子，于是他摔到了地上的一块岩石上，被撞得粉碎。
愚蠢的好奇心与虚荣往往招致不幸。
