英語美文朗讀 第187期:國王與鞋匠

Once upon a time, there was a king who worried day and night about what tomorrow might bring.

很久以前，有一個國王，他整日擔(dān)心明天會發(fā)生什么事，整日憂心忡忡。

He feared he would lose his power, his wife might not love him, his subjects would become disloyal.

他擔(dān)心自己會失去王權(quán)，擔(dān)心王后不再愛他，擔(dān)心他的子民可能會對他不忠。

He could not sleep for all his worries about the future.

他整日擔(dān)心未來，以至于不能入睡。

One day the king noticed a poor cobbler hard at work in the marketplace.

有一天，國王在集市上看到一個窮苦的修鞋匠，他正在努力工作。

The fellow wore ragged clothes and was thin as a blade of grass, but his smile was bright as the moon.

鞋匠穿得破破爛爛的，瘦得皮包骨，可是他臉上卻掛著明媚如月光一般的笑容。

Surely this man must worry, how could he smile so brightly? The king decided to find out.

這個人肯定有很多煩惱，他怎么能笑得這么燦爛？國王決定一探究竟。

The next day the king dressed in rags and walked to the market just as the cobbler was finishing his work.

第二天，國王穿得破破爛爛，來到了集市，這時鞋匠剛剛干完活兒。

Secretly he followed the cobbler and watched him buy a loaf of bread before returning to his tumbledown hut.

國王悄悄跟在鞋匠后面，看到他買了一條面包，接著走回了一幢搖搖欲墜的小屋。

When the cobbler was inside, the king knocked upon the door.

鞋匠走進小屋后，國王敲了敲門。

When the cobbler answered, the king said, "Please sir, can you spare some food for a beggar?"

鞋匠來打開了門，國王說道，“親愛的先生，你能給我這個乞丐一點食物嗎？”

"Of course," the cobbler said.

“當(dāng)然，” 鞋匠說。

As they were eating, the king asked, "Why are you so happy?"

兩人一起吃面包的時候，國王問道，“你為什么如此快樂？”

"Today I earned enough money fixing shoes to buy this loaf of bread!"

今天我修鞋子賺了不少錢，夠買下這條面包啦。”

"But what if you don't earn enough for food tomorrow?" the king asked.

“可是，如果你明天賺的錢不夠買面包怎么辦呢？”國王問道。

"I have faith," the cobbler answered. "All will be well."

我有信心，” 鞋匠說，“一切都會好起來的。”

 

 

This impressed the king, and when he left, he wondered what would happen if the cobbler could not earn his bread.

國王深受觸動，他離開小屋之后，又開始好奇，如果鞋匠沒有賺夠錢，他會怎么做。

Surely then he would not have such faith.

到那時，他就不會信心這么足了吧。

The king decided to test the cobbler.

國王決定試試這個鞋匠。

The next morning in the marketplace, the cobbler saw a new sign in the marketplace.

第二天，在集市上，鞋匠發(fā)現(xiàn)集市上多了一張告示。

The king had decreed[d?'kri?d] no one was permitted to repair shoes.

原來是國王下令，不允許任何人修理鞋子。

From this day on, whenever someone's shoes wore out, that person must buy a new pair.

從這一天開始，如果一個人的鞋子壞了，他就必須買一雙新鞋。

The cobbler was puzzled, but he did not despair.

鞋匠感到十分疑惑，但他并沒有絕望。

When he saw an old woman trying to pull a heavy bucket of water from the well, he walked over to help and carried her bucket home for her.

這時，鞋匠看到一個老婦人在井邊取水，沉沉的水桶里裝滿了水。鞋匠走到老婦人身邊，幫她提起水桶，一路把她送回了家。

"Thank you, son," she said, and she rewarded him with a coin.

“謝謝你，好心人。”老婦人說，作為感激，她送了一枚錢幣給鞋匠。

That evening the king once again dressed in rags and hurried to the cobbler's hut.

這天晚上，國王又穿得破衣爛衫，急匆匆的來到了鞋匠的小屋。

"Surely he'll be weeping tonight," the king said, but through the window, he saw the cobbler sipping soup and smiling.

“今晚他準(zhǔn)會哭鼻子，”國王自言自語的說，可是透過窗戶，他卻看到鞋匠正在喝湯，臉上洋溢著幸福的微笑。

The king knocked. "I came to see if you were all right," he said,

國王敲了敲門，“我來看看你情況如何，”他對鞋匠說。

"for I saw the new decree. How on earth did you pay for this soup since you could not fix shoes?"

因為我看到了那條告示。既然你不能修鞋子，你是怎么喝上肉湯的呢？

"I carried water," the cobbler said. "Please, come in and share my soup. You look hungry."

我?guī)痛迕駛兲崴?，掙到了不少錢。”鞋匠說，“來吧，快進屋喝點湯，你看上去餓了。”

"But what will you do tomorrow?" the king asked. How could this man have such faith?

“可是你明天打算怎么辦？”國王問道。這個人怎么會這么有信心？他心想。

"I have faith," the cobbler said. "All will be well."

我有信心，”鞋匠說，“一切都會好起來的。”

The king approached the cobbler and asked, "Do you know who I am?"

國王走到鞋匠身邊，問道，“你知道我是誰嗎？”

"Of course," the cobbler said, "you are the king."

當(dāng)然，”鞋匠說，“你是國王陛下。”

The king shook his head and said, "I am the beggar who came to your door," and then he told the cobbler of his tests.

國王搖搖頭說道，“我只是到你門前來行乞的乞丐。”接著他把自己是怎么試練鞋匠的事情全都告訴了他。

"Your faith has driven away my fears about the future," the king said, and he announced the cobbler would become his most trusted adviser.

“你對未來的信心趕走了我對未來的恐懼，”國王說道，然后他宣布說，要任命鞋匠為他最信賴的謀臣。

 

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