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从前有个国王，他非常喜欢千里马。他愿意用一千块黄金来买匹千里马。可是三年过去了，仍未如愿以偿。 有个侍从得知此事，对国王表示乐意为他效劳。国王点头答应了。 三个月过后，侍从终于找到一匹千里马，可是马已经死了。侍从花了五百块黄金买下死马的头，带回来给国王。 国王雷霆大怒，吼道：“我要的是活的千里马！你为什么要浪费五百块黄金买匹死马？” 侍从回答说：“如果人们知道，大王连匹死的千里马都愿意花大笔黄金买下，就会相信大王您是真的喜欢千里马。过不了多久，他们便会带着千里马蜂拥而至，来参见大王了。” 事实的确如此，还不到一年，国王就得到了三匹千里马。 Paying a Handsome Price for a Swift Steed There was once a King who had a great love for swift steeds. He was willing to pay a thousand pieces of gold for a swift steed. All the same, after three years, he was still waiting. When an attendant heard about it, he offered his services. The King nodded in approval. After three months, the attendant finally found a swift steed, but it was dead，He paid five hundred pieces of gold for the head which he brought back to the King. The King flew into a rage. "I want a live swift steed! ” he thundered. "Why on earth did you waste five hundred pieces of gold on a dead one?” “If people know that you're willing to pay a handsome price even for a dead swift steed,” replied the attendant, “they will believe that you really love swift steeds. Very soon they will flock to you with their swift steeds." Indeed, before the year was over, the King had acquired three swift steeds. |
