It happened that the cat met the fox in a forest, and as she thought to herself: ‘He is clever and full of experience, and much esteemed in the world,’ she spoke to him in a friendly way. ‘Good day, dear Mr Fox, how are you? How is all with you? How are you getting on in these hard times?’ The fox, full of all kinds of arrogance, looked at the cat from head to foot, and for a long time did not know whether he would give any answer or not. At last he said: ‘Oh, you wretched beard-cleaner, you piebald fool, you hungry mouse-hunter, what can you be thinking of? Have you the cheek to ask how I am getting on? What have you learnt? How many arts do you understand?’ ‘I understand but one,’ replied the cat, modestly. ‘What art is that?’ asked the fox. ‘When the hounds are following me, I can spring into a tree and save myself.’ ‘Is that all?’ said the fox. ‘I am master of a hundred arts, and have into the bargain a sackful of cunning. You make me sorry for you; come with me, I will teach you how people get away from the hounds.’ Just then came a hunter with four dogs. The cat sprang nimbly up a tree, and sat down at the top of it, where the branches and foliage quite concealed her. ‘Open your sack, Mr Fox, open your sack,’ cried the cat to him, but the dogs had already seized him, and were holding him fast. ‘Ah, Mr Fox,’ cried the cat. ‘You with your hundred arts are left in the lurch! Had you been able to climb like me, you would not have lost your life.’
话说一只猫在森林里遇见了狐狸。心想：‘它既聪明又经验丰富，在世上备受尊敬。’于是便友好地同它打招呼：‘早上好，亲爱的狐狸先生，您好吗？一切可好？在这艰难的日子里过得怎么样？’狐狸浑身上下透着傲慢，从头到脚打量着猫，许久不知是否该回答。最后它说：‘哦，你这可怜巴巴的胡须清洁工、花斑傻瓜、饿肚子的捕鼠者，你在想什么？竟敢问我的近况？你学会了什么？懂多少种本领？’‘我只有一种，’猫谦虚地回答。‘是什么本领？’狐狸问。‘当猎犬追我时，我能一跃上树，保全自己。’‘就这吗？’狐狸说，‘我精通一百种本领，此外还有一袋子的狡诈。你让我为你感到难过；跟我来吧，我教你怎样摆脱猎犬。’就在这时，一个猎人带着四条狗来了。猫敏捷地跳上一棵树，坐在树顶，枝叶将它完全遮住了。‘打开你的袋子吧，狐狸先生，打开你的袋子！’猫喊道。但猎狗已经扑向狐狸，死死咬住它不放。‘啊，狐狸先生，’猫叫道，‘你那一百种本领到头来却帮不了你！要是你能像我一样爬树，就不会丧命了。’