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有一位老兵穷困潦倒，找不到一条谋生之道。一天,他来到一家农场，男主人去了市场。农夫和他的妻子都愚蠢透顶，不相上下。 去市场之前，农夫曾叮嘱妻子："这里有10英镑金币，在我回来以前一定要看好。"他走了以后，农妇自言自语道：“我要将这10英镑放在一个小偷肯定找不到的地方。”于是她把钱放进破抹布里包好，放到了起居室的烟囱上。 杰克•汉纳福德，也就是这位老兵，来到房前敲了敲门。 “谁啊？"农妇问。 “杰克•汉纳福德。” “你从哪里来？” "天堂。" “噢，上帝啊！那么你可能在那里见到我前夫了吧？"她指的是她死去的前任丈夫。 "是的，我见到他了。" “他在那里过得怎么样？"农妇问道。 "生活一般。他在那里以修鞋为生，每天只能吃到卷心菜。” “噢，天啊！"农妇叫道，“他没让你给我捎个口信吗？” "捎了，”杰克•汉纳福德说，"他说他没有一丁点的皮革，衣袋里也空得见底，所以他让你给他送去几先令，好让他买一些皮货。” "我会给他的！主啊，救救这个可怜的灵魂吧！”农妇爬上了起居室的烟肉，取下破抹布包，把里面的10英镑全给了老兵，嘱咐他一定要把这些钱全部交给她的前夫。 一拿到钱,杰克拔腿就走，离开了农妇家。 农夫回到家里向妻子要钱，妻子告诉了他刚才发生的一切。农夫大发雷霆，发誓说自己从来没遇到过像他妻子这样愚蠢至极的人。 农夫立刻跨上马，拍马而去，追赶汉纳福德。老兵听到身后的马路上传来了“喟喟”的马蹄声，就知道是农夫追来了。于是,他躺到地上,眼望天空，一只手遮住眼睛， 另一只手直直地指向天空。 "你躺在那儿干什么呢？”农夫收住马，问他。 *'噢，我的上帝！"杰克惊叫道，“我看到了一个奇观。" “什么奇观？" “刚才有一个人径直走到了天上，却如同在平地上走路。” “现在你还能看到他吗？” “能啊!” "在哪里？" “你下马躺在地上就能看到了。” "那请你帮我牵一下马。” 杰克求之不得，从农夫手中牵过马。 “我还是看不到那个人啊。”农夫说。 “用手遮住眼睛，很快你就能看到一个人从你这儿飞走了。” 农夫照杰克说的去做了，他当然看到一个人飞走了，因为杰克跃上了马背，骑马飞驰而去。农夫丢了马，沮丧地走回了家。 “你是个比我还蠢的大傻瓜！”妻子这样奚落农夫。 Jack Hannaford There was an old soldier who did not know where to go to find a living. One day, he came to a farm, from which the good man had gone away to market. The farmer and his wife were both foolish enough, and it is hard to say which of the two was more foolish. Now before the farmer goes to market he says to his wife, “Here is ten pounds all in gold, take care of it till I come home.” After he left, the wife said to herself, “I will keep the pounds quite safe from thieves. ’’ So she tied it up in a rag, and put the rag up the parlour chimney. Jack Hannaford, the old soldier, came and rapped at the door. “Who is there?” asked the wife. “Jack Hannaford.” “Where do you come from?" “Paradise.” “Lord a’ mercy! And maybe you’ve seen my old man there,” alluding to her former husband. “Yes, I have.” “And how was he a-doing?” asked the goody. “But middling. He cobbles old shoes, and he has nothing but cabbage for victuals.” “Deary me!” exclaimed the woman. “Didn’t.he send a message to me?” “Yes, he did,” replied Jack Hannaford. “He said that he was out of leather, and his pockets were empty, so you were to send him a few shillings to buy a fresh stock of leather.” “He shall have them，bless his poor soul!” And away went the wife to the parlour chimney, pulled the rag, and gave the ten pounds to the soldier, telling him to give the whole sum to her old man. After receiving the money, Jack went off as fast as he could walk. Presently the farmer came home and asked for his money. The wife told him the truth. The farmer was very angry, and he swore that he had never met with such a fool as his wife. The farmer mounted his horse and rode off after Jack Hannaford. The old soldier heard the horse's hoofs clattering on the road behind him, so he knew it must be the farmer pursuing him. He lay down on the ground, and shading his eyes with one hand, looked up into the sky, and pointed heavenwards with the other hand. “What are you about there?” asked the farmer, pulling up. “Lord save you!” exclaimed Jack, “I’ve seen a rare sight.” “What was that?” “A man going straight up into the sky, as if he were walking on a road.” “Can you see him still?” “Yes, I can.，’ “Where?” “Get off your horse and lie down.” “If you will hold the horse.” Jack did so readily. “I cannot see him,” said the farmer. “Shade your eyes with your hand，and you'll soon see a man flying away from you. ’’ Sure enough he did so, for Jack leaped on the horse, and rode away with it. The farmer walked home without his horse. “You are a bigger fool than I am!” said the wife. |
