There was a sturdy ram1 with a pair of thick horns upright on its head.

It strutted2 about proudly and saw a fence built with bamboo and wood in front, which blocked its way. It cast a sidelong glance at the fence, lowered its neck and lunged at the fence, hoping to knock it down. The fence remained intact but the ram injured its own horns.

If it had not injured its horns, the ram would have persisted obstinately3 in butting4 against the fence, even against the spokes5 of a wheel until it bled with a fractured skull6.

As a result, with its horns caught in the fence, the ram could neither advance nor retreat but bleat7 helplessly.

一頭長(zhǎng)得非常雄壯的公羊的頭上,挺立著一對(duì)粗大的犄角。

公羊驕傲地踱著步,看見(jiàn)前面有一道竹木編成的籬笆擋住了它的去路。公羊斜著眼睛看看,便彎下脖子呼的一聲撞上去,想把籬笆撞倒。結(jié)果籬笆紋絲不動(dòng),它反把自己的犄角碰傷了。

假如公羊沒(méi)有碰傷犄角的話,那么它還會(huì)一個(gè)勁兒地撞下去,甚至向車輪的輻條上撞去,直到頭破血流為止。

結(jié)果呢?公羊的犄角被籬笆夾住,進(jìn)也不得,退也不得,只能“咩咩”不停地叫喚。