从前，有一头驴子，他的主人还有一条哈巴狗。这条狗是个宠儿，收到了主人许多的爱抚和褒奖，以及最好的残羹剩饭。每天狗都跑去讨好主人，围着主人摇尾乞怜，跳起来舔他的手和脸。
所有这些驴子看在眼里，满腹牢*。尽管他吃得很好，但他有很多活要做；此外，主人对他爱搭不理。
话说这头嫉妒的驴子冒出一个愚蠢的念头，他觉得要赢得主人的宠爱，所有要做的就是模仿狗的行为。于是有一天他离开驴棚，咔哒咔哒急切地跑进了宅子。
看见主人坐在餐桌前，他欣喜若狂，大嚎一声，绕着桌子眼花缭乱地活蹦乱跳，把桌子也踢翻了。然后他把前蹄搭在主人膝盖上，吐出舌头来舔主人的脸，就像他看见狗所做的那样。然而他的重量压坏了椅子，驴子和主人一起滚翻在满地的碟子碴儿里。
主人对驴子的反常举动大惊失色，连忙呼救，很快就把仆人们喊了过来。他们看见笨拙的畜生让主人身处险境，就一拥而上，一顿雨点般的棍棒把他赶回了驴棚。他们把他留在那儿，为他的愚蠢默哀。除了一顿暴打，他什么也没捞着。
不要东施效颦。
不要试图违背天性来获取好感。
THE ASS AND THE LAP DOGThere was once an Ass whose Master also owned a Lap Dog. This Dog was a favorite and received many a pat and kind word from his Master, as well as choice bits from his plate. Every day the Dog would run to meet the Master, frisking playfully about and leaping up to lick his hands and face.
All this the Ass saw with much discontent. Though he was well fed, he had much work to do; besides, the Master hardly ever took any notice of him.
Now the jealous Ass got it into his silly head that all he had to do to win his Master's favor was to act like the Dog. So one day he left his stable and clattered eagerly into the house.
Finding his Master seated at the dinner table, he kicked up his heels and, with a loud bray, pranced giddily around the table, upsetting it as he did so. Then he planted his forefeet on his Master's knees and rolled out his tongue to lick the Master's face, as he had seen the Dog do. But his weight upset the chair, and Ass and man rolled over together in the pile of broken dishes from the table.
The Master was much alarmed at the strange behavior of the Ass, and calling for help, soon attracted the attention of the servants. When they saw the danger the Master was in from the clumsy beast, they set upon the Ass and drove him with kicks and blows back to the stable. There they left him to mourn the foolishness that had brought him nothing but a sound beating.
Behavior that is regarded as agreeable in one is very rude and impertinent in another.
Do not try to gain favor by acting in a way that is contrary to your own nature and character.
