English Original
Once, a fox and a hare became friends to defend themselves against their joint enemy, the hunters. They swore an oath to share life and death, through thick and thin.
One day, while enjoying the beauty of the fields, a group of hunters arrived and shot the hare dead. The fox narrowly escaped. After the hunters left, the fox returned and wept over his friend's body.
An elderly gentleman passing by was surprised by the scene. Curiously, he asked the fox why she was weeping so bitterly.
The fox replied sorrowfully: "We are small animals, the prey of hunters. We pledged to stand together against our common enemy, sharing life and death. Now, my companion has been killed. His death today may mean mine tomorrow. We are true friends. How could I not weep?"
"Oh, I see," exclaimed the gentleman. "You have good reason to mourn such a partner."
The idiom "The fox is sad at the death of the hare" originates from this story, illustrating the feeling of sorrow one has for the death or misfortune of a companion.
中文翻译
从前，一只狐狸和一只野兔为了抵御它们共同的敌人——猎人，结为朋友。它们立下誓言：要同生死，共患难。
一天，它们正在田野里欣赏美景时，一群猎人突然到来，射死了野兔。狐狸侥幸逃脱。猎人离开后，狐狸回来，在朋友的尸体旁哭泣。
一位路过的长者见此情景，十分惊讶。他好奇地问狐狸为何如此悲伤地哭泣。
狐狸悲哀地答道：“我们是小动物，是猎人的猎物。我们曾发誓要共同对抗敌人，同生共死。如今，我的同伴已被杀死。他今日之死，可能意味着我明日之亡。我们是真正的朋友，我怎能不哭泣呢？”
“哦，我明白了，”长者感叹道，“你为这样的伙伴哀悼，确有道理。”
成语“兔死狐悲”便源自这个故事，用以比喻因同类的死亡或不幸而感到悲伤。