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中国古代一个有名的吝啬鬼临终前要把宝库钥匙交给一个人，这个人可以保证他的财产一分不少。于是他把自己的三个儿子叫到床边。 他先对大儿子说:"告诉我，我死后你打算怎么安葬我？” 大儿子认真地说:“父亲，我要为你举行一个隆重的葬礼，为你打造一口银棺，为你穿戴金线绣的寿衣。安葬完毕后，我还要以你的名义免费招待穷人吃喝三天。” “你这个傻瓜，"父亲喘着粗气：“银棺！金线寿衣！免费招待穷人吃喝三天！哦,我真不幸！养了这么个败家子! ”说着说着悲从中来，呜咽起来。 二儿子明白父亲不想花这么多钱办葬礼，说道："父亲，大哥有些浪费了，我看就办个简单朴素的葬礼，让和尚和道士来为你诵经祷告就行了，宴请穷人和其他事项就免了。” 父亲喘着粗气说：“请和尚和道士！啊，你这个笨蛋！你知道这些和尚和道士要吃多少东西？事后还要给他们金子! 你和哥哥都那么没用，站到一边，听你弟弟说。” 小儿子一直很讨厌父亲小气吝啬,对他刚才的话很反感, 说道:"父亲，你的葬礼我一分钱不花，实际上你死后我还会赚。 "你会怎么做，儿子? ”吝啬鬼两眼放光。 “你死后，我就用马车把你拉到北方的医学研究院，卖给出价最高的人。” "你才是父亲真正的儿子啊！”吝啬鬼赞许道，“你才是我的继承人。”接着便在枕头下面摸索宝库的钥匙。 "但是父亲! ”长子说道，"你听到他说的话了？他说要把你的身体卖给北方出价最高的地方!” 吝啬鬼严厉地对小儿子说：“绝对不许你这么做，北方人老赊账，把我拉到南方去。” A Well-known Miser A well-known Chinese miser lay dying and he wanted to hand over the keys of his treasure house to someone who would safeguard his wealth after he was gone. He had three sons to choose from, so he called them to his bedside. Turning to his eldest, he said, "Tell me, how will you conduct my funeral after I die?" "It will be a grand funeral, father," said his son, earnestly. “I will have a silver coffin made for you and dress you in robes embroidered in gold. Afterwards I will feed the poor for three days in your honor." "You're a fool，" rasped his father. "Silver coffin! Golden robes! You will feed the poor for three days! Oh, woe is me! What a wastrel I’ve raised!" And he began sobbing in distress. The second son realized that his father did not want much money to be spent on his funeral. So he said, "Elder brother has extravagant ideas, father. I will see to it that you have a simple and inexpensive funeral. Buddhist and Taoist priests will chant the prayers at your funeral. And there it will end. No feeding of the poor or anything of that sort. ” "Buddhist and Taoist priests!” gasped his father. "Oh, you nitwit, do you know how much those priests eat?! And you have to pay them in gold afterwards!! You are as useless as your elder brother. Move aside, let us hear what your younger brother has to say." The youngest son had always loathed his father’s niggardliness and now, disgusted with his behavior, said, “I will spend no money on your funeral, father. In fact, I will make money when you die." "And how will you do that, my son?” asked the miser, his eyes lighting up. “As soon as you’re dead I’ll dump your body in a cart and take it to the various medical schools in the Northern provinces and sell it to the highest bidder." "You’re a true son of your father!” said the miser, admiringly. "You shall be my heir. " And he began to grope under the pillows for the keys of his treasure house. "But father! ” said his elder son. “ Did you hear what he said? He said he would sell your body to the highest bidder in the Northern provinces!" “I absolutely forbid you to do that,” said the miser, looking sternly at his youngest son. "The northerners want everything on credit. Take me to the southern provinces. ’’ |
