香港大學法律學院院長陳文敏教授在明報寫的文章「小狗下井 」，這幾天引起網友討論。
陳教授原文摘要如下：
最近在女兒的中文課外閱讀補充練習中看到這樣一個故事：
「小狗一天經過一口井，好奇地在井口往下望，但一不小心竟掉進井底，幸而井底的水很淺，才不致遇溺，但當時四下無人，小狗心想雖然不致溺斃，但這裡沒有食物，早晚可能會餓死。正在躊躇之際，小鹿正經過井口，看到小狗在井底，便問他在做甚麼，小狗念頭一轉，說井底的水很清澈，小鹿也下來喝一口吧。小鹿於是便撲通一下的跳進井中，井水果然清澈怡人，喝過井水後，小鹿便問小狗： 「噢！現在我們怎樣返回地面？」小狗說： 「你用前腿趴在牆上，讓我抓著你的角跳上井口，然後我再拉你上去。」小鹿於是站起來，趴前腿在牆上，小狗一而躍上，從小鹿背上抓著小鹿的角便跳出井口，小鹿跟著向小狗說： 「你現在拉我上去吧！」小狗笑說： 「我這麼細小，怎夠力氣拉你上來，你跳下來時實在太魯莽，沒經三思，現在我也沒辦法了。」跟著小狗便哼著歌兒離去，留下小鹿在井底。」
故事末段問小朋友認為這個故事的教訓是甚麼？不知讀者會怎樣想？但答案竟然是做事不要魯莽，凡事該三思而行。故事中小鹿受人欺騙致身陷井底，小狗為求自保，先騙小鹿下井，再騙小鹿讓他跳出井口，跟著騙小鹿會拉小鹿出井口。 騙人的小狗不受責怪，故事不是教訓孩子不該為求一己之利去損害別人，而竟是倒過來罵受騙的人該精明一點......編製這些兒童故事時，請撫心自問，我們究竟想有怎樣的下一代？
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這個故事，很可能是這篇通識課文的作者，參考 伊索寓言的The Fox and the Goat 改寫而成。
以下是伊索寓言原文兩個網上英譯版本：
1. A FOX one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend. The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape. "If," said he, "you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards." The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, "You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape."
Look before you leap.
2. By an unlucky chance a Fox fell into a deep well from which he could not get out. A Goat passed by shortly afterwards, and asked the Fox what he was doing down there. "Oh, have you not heard?" said the Fox; "there is going to be a great drought, so I jumped down here in order to be sure to have water by me. Why don't you come down too?" The Goat thought well of this advice, and jumped down into the well. But the Fox immediately jumped on her back, and by putting his foot on her long horns managed to jump up to the edge of the well. "Good-bye, friend," said the Fox, "remember next time:
Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties.
第二版本，和我手上的1909年P. F. Colliers 初版，1969年Harvard Classics 的 Folk-lore and Fable 再版相同。
我認為，伊索寓言並不是寫給兒童看的故事，當中有不少是看破世情，用成人的觀點，借動物的口來諷刺這個爾虞我詐的世界。那些寓言的「教訓」十分蒼涼，不適合猶如白紙一樣的童心。正如有些網友指出，這個故事有教壞人之嫌。
大家自己作個判斷。
網友荒言的相關文章 ：「改編」
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感謝 子貓物語 提供以上資料
子貓物語的網誌: http://chrisleung1954.blogspot.hk/
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