The Milkmaid And Her Pail

挤奶少女和奶桶

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

A Milkmaid had been out to milk the cows and was returning from the field with the shining milk pail balanced nicely on her head. As she walked along, her pretty head was busy with plans for the days to come.

有个挤奶少女外出去奶牛场挤牛奶了，回来的时候，那满满一桶牛奶稳稳地平衡在她的头上。在她回去的路上，她那精明的头脑里不停地盘算着接下来的计划。

"This good, rich milk," she mused, "will give me plenty of cream to churn. The butter I make I will take to market, and with the money I get for it I will buy a lot of eggs for hatching. How nice it will be when they are all hatched and the yard is full of fine young chicks. Then when May day comes I will sell them, and with the money I'll buy a lovely new dress to wear to the fair. All the young men will look at me. They will come and try to make love to me,—but I shall very quickly send them about their business!"

“如此品相良好、富含脂肪的牛奶，”她自言自语道，“会让我搅拌出很多的奶油。做出来的奶油拿去市场上卖的话，我会用卖来的钱再去买很多鸡蛋来孵化。当所有的鸡蛋都孵化出来后、满院子都是健康的小鸡仔，这想想都让人激动。然后，当五一节到来的时候，我会将它们卖掉，再用这些钱买一件漂亮的新衣服，再穿着它去参加游园会。那个时候，所有的男人都会目不转睛地盯着我，还会来试着向我表达爱意，不过，我会迅速把他们都打发走！

As she thought of how she would settle that matter, she tossed her head scornfully, and down fell the pail of milk to the ground. And all the milk flowed out, and with it vanished butter and eggs and chicks and new dress and all the milkmaid's pride.

正当她盘算着如何把那些追求者打发走的时候，她不屑地一甩头，那满桶的牛奶就掉到了地上，流的满地都是，与之一同消失的，还有那些奶油、鸡蛋、小鸡仔、新裙子，以及她的傲慢。

Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.

寓意：大功未成，莫先行赏。（直译为：蛋未孵先别数小鸡。）