English Original
"Where do you like best to feed your flocks?" a man asked an old cowherd.
"Here, sir, where the grass is neither too rich nor too poor. Otherwise, it's no use."
"Why not?" the man inquired.
"Do you hear that melancholy cry from the meadow?" answered the shepherd. "That is the bittern. He was once a shepherd, as was the hoopoe. I'll tell you the story.
The bittern pastured his flocks on rich green meadows where flowers grew in abundance. His cows became wild and unmanageable. The hoopoe drove his cattle to high, barren hills where the wind plays with the sand. His cows grew thin and weak.
When evening came and the shepherds tried to drive their cows home, the bittern could not gather his. They were too high-spirited and ran away. He called, 'Come, cows, come!' but it was useless; they ignored him.
The hoopoe, however, could not even get his cows to stand, so faint and weak had they become. 'Up, up, up!' he screamed, but in vain. They remained lying on the sand.
That is what happens when one lacks moderation. And to this day, though they have no flocks to watch, the bittern still cries, 'Come, cows, come!' and the hoopoe, 'Up, up, up!'"
中文翻译
一个人问一位老牧牛人：“你最喜欢在哪里放牧你的牛群？”
“这里，先生，这里的草既不太肥美也不太贫瘠。否则，就没有用。”
“为什么？”那人问道。
“你听到从草地那边传来的忧郁叫声了吗？”牧羊人回答。“那是麻鹬。它曾经是个牧羊人，戴胜鸟也是。我给你讲讲这个故事。
麻鹬在花草繁茂的丰美绿草地上放牧他的牛群。他的牛变得狂野而难以驾驭。戴胜鸟则把他的牛赶到风沙肆虐的高而贫瘠的山丘上。他的牛变得瘦弱无力。
当夜晚来临，牧人们想把牛赶回家时，麻鹬无法把他的牛聚拢。它们太兴奋了，从他身边跑开。他喊着：‘过来，牛儿，过来！’但毫无用处；它们不理睬他。
然而，戴胜鸟甚至无法让他的牛站起来，它们已经变得如此虚弱无力。‘起来，起来，起来！’他尖叫着，但也是徒劳。它们仍然躺在沙地上。
这就是做事没有节制的后果。直到今天，尽管它们已无牛群可看管，麻鹬仍在叫喊：‘过来，牛儿，过来！’而戴胜鸟则在叫：‘起来，起来，起来！’”