Old Sultan is a faithful dog who has served his master for many years. Now he is old the master thinks there is no need to keep him any more. Fortunately his friend the wolf has a plan to save him.
老苏丹是一只忠心耿耿的狗，多年来一直为主人效力。如今它年迈体衰，主人觉得没必要再养着它了。幸运的是，它的朋友狼想出了一个救它的办法。
A farmer once had a faithful dog called Sultan, who had grown old, and lost all his teeth, so that he could no longer bite. One day the farmer was standing with his wife before the house door, and said, “Tomorrow I intend to shoot Old Sultan, he is no longer of any use.”
从前，有个农夫养了一只名叫苏丹的忠诚老狗。苏丹已经年迈，牙齿都掉光了，再也咬不动东西。一天，农夫和妻子站在屋门前，农夫说：“明天我打算把老苏丹射死，它已经没什么用处了。”
His wife, who felt pity for the faithful beast, answered, “He has served us so long, and been so faithful, that we might well keep him.”
他的妻子很同情这只忠心的畜生，回答道：“它为我们服务了这么久，一直忠心耿耿，我们真该留下它。”
“Eh! What?” Said the man. “You are not very sharp. He has not a tooth left in his mouth, and no thief is afraid of him; now he may be off. If he has served us, he has had good feeding for it.”
“哼！你说什么？” 农夫说，“你可真糊涂。它嘴里一颗牙都不剩了，小偷都不怕它，现在可以让它走了。就算它为我们效过力，也吃得够好了。”
The poor dog, who was lying stretched out in the sun not far off, had heard everything, and was sorry that the morrow was to be his last day. He had a good friend, the wolf, and he crept out in the evening into the forest to him, and complained of the fate that awaited him. “Listen well,” said the wolf, "and don’t be sad. I will help you out of your trouble. I have thought of something. Tomorrow, early in the morning, your master is going with his wife to make hay, and they will take their little child with them, for no one will be left behind in the house. As usual, during work time, they will lay the child under the hedge in the shade; you lie there too, just as if you wished to guard it. Then I will come out of the wood, and carry off the child. You must rush swiftly after me. I will let it fall, and you will take it back to its parents, who will think that you have saved it, and will be far too grateful to do you any harm - quite the opposite; you will be dear to their hearts, and they will never let you lack for anything again.”
可怜的老狗就躺在不远处晒太阳，把这一切都听在了耳里，想到明天就是自己的死期，它满心悲伤。它有个好朋友——狼。傍晚时分，老狗悄悄溜进森林，去找狼，倾诉了等待自己的悲惨命运。“听好了，”狼说，“别难过。我会帮你摆脱困境的，我已经想出办法了。明天一大早，你主人会和他妻子去割草，还会带上他们的小娃娃，因为家里不会留人。像往常干活的时候一样，他们会把孩子放在树篱下的阴凉处。你也躺在那儿，就好像要守护孩子似的。然后我会从树林里冲出来，把孩子叼走。你必须赶紧追我。我会把孩子丢下，你再把孩子送回到他父母身边。他们会觉得是你救了孩子，感激之情都来不及，又怎会伤害你呢——恰恰相反，他们会打心底里疼爱你，从此绝不会让你缺少任何东西。”
The plan pleased the dog, and it was carried out just as it was arranged. The father screamed when he saw the wolf running across the field with his child, but when Old Sultan brought it back, then he was full of joy, and stroked him and said, “Not a hair of yours shall be hurt, you shall eat my bread free as long as you live.” To his wife he said, “Go home at once and make Old Sultan some soggy bread that he will not have to bite, and bring the pillow out of my bed, I will give it to him to lie upon.” From that time on, Old Sultan was as well off as he could wish to be.
这个计划让老狗很满意，一切也正如计划那般进行。父亲看到狼叼着孩子跑过田野时，不禁尖叫起来，但当老苏丹把孩子带回来时，他满心欢喜，一边抚摸着老苏丹，一边说道：“你的一根毫毛都不会受损，只要你活着，就能一直免费吃我的面包。” 他又对妻子说：“马上回家给老苏丹做些软面包，这样它就不用费劲咬了，再把我床上的枕头拿出来，我要给它躺。” 从那以后，老苏丹过上了它梦寐以求的好日子。
Soon afterwards the wolf visited him, and was pleased that everything had succeeded so well. “But, listen well,” said he, “you will just wink an eye when I carry off one of your master’s fat sheep.”
没过多久，狼来看望老苏丹，一切进展如此顺利，它也很高兴。“不过，听好了，” 狼说，“下次我叼走你主人一只肥羊的时候，你就睁只眼闭只眼吧。”
“Do not reckon upon that,” answered the dog. “I will remain true to my master; I cannot agree to that.” The wolf, who thought that this could not be spoken in earnest, came creeping about in the night and was going to take away the sheep. But faithful old Sultan barked, and the farmer chased after the wolf with a big stick. The wolf had to pack off, but he cried out to the dog, “Wait a bit, you scoundrel, you shall pay for this.”
“别打这个主意，” 老狗回答道，“我会对主人忠心耿耿，我不能答应你。” 狼以为老狗只是说说而已，并非当真。夜里，狼悄悄摸来，打算偷走一只羊。但忠诚的老苏丹大声吠叫起来，农夫拿着一根大棍子追打狼。狼只好落荒而逃，它对着老狗喊道：“你等着，你这个坏蛋，你会为此付出代价的。”
The next morning the wolf sent the wild boar to challenge the dog to come out into the forest so that they might settle the affair. Old Sultan could find no one to stand by him but a cat with only three legs, and as they went out together the poor cat limped along, and at the same time stretched out her tail into the air with pain.
第二天早上，狼派野猪去挑战老狗，让它到森林里来，好解决这件事。老苏丹找不到别的帮手，只有一只三条腿的猫愿意陪它。它们一起出发，可怜的猫一瘸一拐地走着，同时疼得把尾巴高高翘在空中。
The wolf and his friend were already on the spot appointed, but when they saw their enemy coming they thought that he was bringing a sabre with him, for they mistook the outstretched tail of the cat for one. When the poor beast hopped on its three legs, they could only think every time that it was picking up a stone to throw at them. So they were both afraid; the wild boar crept into the under-wood and the wolf jumped up a tree.
狼和它的同伴早已在约定地点等候。然而，当它们看到敌人赶来时，误以为老狗带来了一把军刀，因为它们把猫伸着的尾巴错看成了军刀。那只可怜的猫用三条腿一蹦一跳地走着，每跳一下，它们都以为猫在捡石头要扔向它们。于是，它们俩都害怕起来，野猪赶紧钻进了灌木丛，狼则跳到了树上。
The dog and the cat, when they came up, wondered that there was no one to be seen. The wild boar, however, had not been able to hide himself altogether; and one of his ears was still to be seen. Whilst the cat was looking carefully about, the boar moved his ear. The cat, who thought it was a mouse moving there, jumped upon it and bit it hard. The boar made a fearful noise and ran away, crying out, “The guilty one is up in the tree!” The dog and cat looked up and saw the wolf, who was ashamed of having proved himself to be so afraid, and made friends with the dog.
狗和猫赶到后，奇怪怎么不见对手的踪影。不过，野猪并没有完全藏好，它的一只耳朵还露在外面。猫正仔细查看时，野猪动了动耳朵。猫以为是只老鼠在动，便扑上去狠狠咬了一口。野猪发出一声可怕的嚎叫，一边逃窜一边大喊：“罪魁祸首在树上呢！” 狗和猫抬头一看，发现了狼。狼因自己表现得如此胆小而羞愧不已，最后和狗重归于好。
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