A Useful Pilot　管用的领头羊

There is a trained sheep kept on board a steamer plying in California.It goes out on the gang-plank,when a flock is to be loaded,to show that the approach is safe,and to act as pilot to the flock,which readily follows it on to the boat.The sheep,when in a flock,are all alike timid,and it is difficult to find a leader among them,each being afraid to go first;but when one goes,they all follow after,so that this clever sheep is very valuable.The only other way to get a flock on board a ship is to catch one and drag it on board;but this is not such a good way as having the clever“Pilot.”

在往返于加利福尼亚的一艘汽船上，有一只训练有素的羊。每次要装运羊群的时候，这头羊就肩负起领头羊的作用，率先踏上跳板，以示此行安全，尽可仿效，羊群随即跟着它上船。一群羊在一起的时候，个个怯懦，谁也不愿意打前站，所以，很难在它们中间找到一只领头羊。但是，一旦有一只羊挺身而出，其他的羊也都会尾随其后，正因如此，这只聪明的羊弥足珍贵。除此之外，还有一个办法能让羊群上船，就是逮住一只羊把它拽上船；但是，这个方法不如养只聪明的“领头羊”高明。