古代寓言原是民间口头创作，文学体裁的一种。含有讽喻或明显教训意义的故事。它的结构简短。主人公可以是人，可以是动物，也可以是无生物。多借用比喻手法，使富有教训意义的主题或深刻的道理在简单的故事中体现，而还需要自己去理解，思考，这就是和西方寓言的不同之处。

《古代寓言·大善士》

昔有人得一鳖，欲烹而食之，不忍当杀生之名，乃炽火使釜自沸，横筱为桥，与鳖约曰：“能渡此则活汝。”

鳖知主人以计取之，勉力爬沙，仅能一渡。

主人曰：“汝能渡桥甚善，更为渡一遭。”

——《程史》

The Compassionate Man

A compassionate man once caught a turtle. He wanted to make it into soup, but unwilling to be accused of taking life, he boiled a panful of water and, placing a rod over the pan, said to the turtle, "If you can get across the pan, I will set you free."

The turtle was in no doubt as to the intentions of the man. But he did not want to die. So, summoning up all his will, he accomplished the impossible.

"Well done!" said the man. "But please try it again!"

Cheng Shi

（杨宪益、戴乃迭 译）

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