双语故事:罗伯特．布鲁斯与蜘蛛

【英文原文】

Robert Bruce was king of Scotland in the early 14th century. He fought in many battles with the English to make them allow Scotland to be independent. Sometimes he won, but at other times the English won and he had to hide. On one of these times, according to an old story, he was hiding in Ireland and had almost given up hope of beating the English. He had tried and failed six times. Then he happened to notice a spider over his bed trying to fix its web on a beam in the ceiling. Six times the spider tried and failed. But the spider tried a seventh time and succeeded. Bruce decided that he too should try a seventh time. He went back to Scotland and led another army against the English. This time he was successful, and the English had to recognize Scottish independence.