A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go.

有一条狗，一个屠夫扔给它了一块骨头，它就飞快地含着骨头往家里跑。

As he crossed a narrow footbridge, he happened to look down and saw himself reflected in the quiet water as if in a mirror.

当它经过一座狭窄的人行桥时，它无意间向下看了看，发现了自己在水里的倒影，那平静的水面就像一块镜子。

But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own.

但是这贪婪的狗儿，以为见到了一条真正的含着骨头的狗，而且水里的骨头还比自己的要大。

If he had stopped to think he would have known better.

如果它能停下来想一想，它就会明白并非如此。

But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore.

但是，它并没有这样做，而是丢下自己的骨头，扑向河里的那条狗，却发现只有挣扎着游向岸边来救自己一命。

At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a stupid Dog he had been.

最终，它成功地爬上了岸，并站在岸上伤感地想念着自己弄丢的那块好骨头，并意识到了自己真是一条愚蠢的狗。

It is very foolish to be greedy.

正所谓：贪多必失。（直译为：贪婪是非常愚蠢的。