The Cobbler and the Banker.doc

The Cobbler and the Banker (皮匠和银行家) A cobbler passed his time in singing from morning till night; it was wonderful to see, wonderful to hear him; he was more contented in making shoes, than was any of the seven sages. His neighbor, on the contrary, who was rolling in wealth, sung but little, and slept less. He was a banker; when by chance he fell into a doze at day-break, the cobbler awoke him with his song. The banker complained sadly that Providence had not made sleep a saleable commodity, like edibles or drinkables. Having at length sent for the songster, he said to him, How much a year do you earn, Master Gregory? 一个皮匠从早到晚在唱歌中度过。无论见到他本人或听见他的歌声都使人觉得很愉快。他对于制鞋工作比当上了希腊七圣还要满足。与此相反，他的邻居是个银行家，拥有万贯家财，却很少唱歌，晚上也睡得不好。他偶尔在黎明时分迷迷糊糊刚入睡，皮匠的歌声便把他吵醒了。银行家郁郁寡欢地抱怨上帝没有把睡眠也制成一种像食品或饮料那样可以买卖的商品。后来，银行家就叫人把这位歌手请来，问道：“格列戈里师傅，你一年赚多少钱？” How much a year, sir? said the merry cobbler laughing, I never reckon in that way, living as I do from one day to another; somehow I manage to reach the end of the year; each day brings its meal. “先生，你问我一年赚多少钱吗？”快乐的皮匠笑道：“我从来不算这笔帐，我是一天一天地过日子，总而言之坚持到年底，每天挣足三餐。” Well then! How much a day do you earn, my friend? “啊，朋友，那么你一天赚多少钱呢？” Sometimes more, sometimes less; but the worst of it is, -and, without that our earnings would be very tolerable, -a number of days occur in the year on which we are forbidden to work; and the curate, moreover, is constantly adding some new saint to the list. “有时多一点，有时少一点；不过最糟糕的是一年中总有些日子不准我们做买卖，否则我们的收入也还算不错的。而牧师又常常在圣徒名单上添新名字。” The banker, laughing at his simplicity, said, In the future I shall place you above want. Take this hundred crowns, preserve them carefully, and make use of them in time of need. 银行家被皮匠的直率逗笑了，他说：“我要你从今以后不愁没钱用。这一百枚钱你拿去，小心放好，需要时拿来用吧。” The cobbler fancied he beheld all the wealth which the earth had produced in the past century for the use of mankind. Returning home, he buried his money and his happiness at the same time. No more singing; he lost his voice, the moment he acquired that which is the source o