从前，苏格兰有个国王，名字叫罗伯特·布鲁斯。他既机智又勇敢。英格兰国王像他开战，率领大军侵入苏格兰，要把他赶出国土。
他打了一次又一次战役。布鲁斯六次率领人数不多的英勇部队与敌人作战，可是六次都被打败了。最后，他的部队溃散了，他本人被迫躲在山里的一个农舍中。
一天，正当他躺着思索的时候，看见一只蜘蛛在他头上，准备织网。他注视着这只支柱慢慢地、小心翼翼地辛勤劳作。
她六次试图把她的丝线从一道横梁系到另一道横梁上去。但是六次都失败了。
“可怜的东西！”布鲁斯说道，“你也知道失败的滋味。”
但是蜘蛛并没有因为六次的失败而回信。她更加小心谨慎的准备第七次尝试。
当布鲁斯看见蜘蛛在柔弱的细丝上摆动的时候，他几乎忘记了自己的烦恼。她会再次失败吗？不会！这根丝被稳妥地呆到横梁上，而且牢牢地系在那儿了。
“我也要做第七次尝试！”布鲁斯喊了起来。
他站了起来，把他的士兵召集在一起，他把自己的计划告诉了他们，并派他们把振奋斗志的信息带给他那些灰心丧气的臣民。不久，他周围就组成了一支勇敢的苏格兰军队。另一场战斗打响了，英格兰国王被赶了出去。
从那天以后，凡是叫布鲁斯的人，没有一个伤害过蜘蛛，这个小小的生物给国王上的一课永远没有被忘记。
PS：好吧。这是很老套的故事。所以翻译起来倒是容易了不少了。
译文：
There was once a king of Scotland whose name was Robert Bruce.He was both brave and wise.The king of England was at war with him,and had led a great army into Srotland to drive him out of the land.
Battle afterbattle had been fought,Six times had Bruce led his brave little army against his enemies;and six times had his men been beaten.At last,his army was scattered,and he was forced to hide himself in a hut in the mountains.
One day,as he lay thinking,he saw a spider over his head, getting ready to weave her web.He watched her as she workedslowly and with great care.
Six times she tried to throw her thread from one beam to another,and six times fell short.
"Poor thing!"said Bruce."You,too,know what it is to fail."
But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failture.With still more care,she made ready to try for the seventh time.
Bruce almost forgort his own tioubles as he watched her swing herself out upon the thin line.Would she fail again?No!The thead was carried safely to the beam and fastened there."I,too,will try a seventh time!"cried Bruce.
He got up and called his men together.He told them of his plans,and sent them out with messages of cheer to his disheartened people.Soon there was an army of brave Scotchmen around him.Another battle was fought,and the king of England was driven out.
After that day,no one by the name of Bruce would ever hurt a spider.The lessom that the little creature had taught the king was never forgotten.