English Original
Two travellers, journeying through a forest, promised to help each other in any danger. They had not gone far when a bear rushed at them from the bushes. One man, a skilled climber, quickly scaled a nearby tree. The other, seeing he stood no chance alone, fell flat on his back and pretended to be dead.
The bear approached, sniffed at him, and thinking him dead, went back into the woods without harming him.
When the bear had gone, the first traveller climbed down from the tree and asked his companion, with a smile, "What did the bear say to you? I saw him put his mouth close to your ear."
"He told me," replied the other, "that you are a great coward. He advised me never to trust those who make fine promises but fail to stand by their friends in danger."
中文翻译
两位旅人结伴穿越森林，约定无论遇到何种危险都互相帮助。没走多远，一只熊从灌木丛中向他们冲来。其中一人擅长攀爬，迅速爬上了附近的一棵树。另一人见自己独自无法应对，便直接仰面躺倒，装死不动。
熊走近他，嗅了嗅，以为他已经死了，便返回林中，没有伤害他。
熊离开后，先爬上树的那位旅人从树上下来，笑着问他的同伴：“熊对你说了什么？我看见他把嘴凑到你耳边了。”
“他告诉我，” 同伴回答，“你是个十足的懦夫。他建议我，永远不要信任那些空许承诺、却在朋友危难时弃之不顾的人。”