English Original
A man once caught a weasel that was always sneaking about the house. Just as he was about to drown it in a tub of water, the weasel begged hard for its life.
"Surely you haven't the heart to put me to death?" it pleaded. "Think how useful I have been in clearing your house of the mice and lizards which used to infest it. Show your gratitude by sparing my life."
"You have not been altogether useless, I grant you," said the man. "But who killed the fowls? Who stole the meat? No, no! You do much more harm than good, and die you shall."
中文翻译
从前，有个人抓住了一只总是在房子里偷偷摸摸的黄鼠狼。正当他准备用一盆水淹死它时，黄鼠狼苦苦哀求饶命。
"你一定不忍心杀了我吧？"它恳求道，"想想我的功劳吧，我帮你清除了家里肆虐的老鼠和蜥蜴。为了表示你的感激，就饶我一命吧。"
"我承认，你并非完全无用，"男人说，"但是，是谁杀了鸡？又是谁偷了肉？不，不！你做的坏事远多于好事，你必须死。"