一棵冷杉树用轻蔑的口吻对着荆棘夸口道：“你这可怜的东西，一点用处也没有。你看看我，我可是对万物都有益处，尤其是当人类要盖房子的时候，没有我根本就不行。”但是荆棘回答：“是啊！那的确很好。不过，等到他们拿着斧头和锯来把你砍倒时，你就会希望自己是荆棘，而不是冷杉树了。”
【冷杉与荆棘的寓意】
冷杉与荆棘这篇寓言故事告诉我们：宁可贫穷而无人问津，也不要富贵而责任缠身。
【冷杉与荆棘英文版】
THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE
A Fir-tree was boasting to a Bramble，and said，somewhat contemptuously,“You poor creature，you are of no use whatever Now,look at me：I am useful for all sorts of things.particularly when men build houses；they can’t do without me then”But the Bramble replied，“Ah.that’S all very well：but you wait till they come with axes and saws to cut you down，and then you’ll wish you were a Bramble and not a Fir.”
Better poverty without a care than wealth with its manyobligations.