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史密斯先生喜欢听故事，但听完以后，他总是喜欢加一句：“那不可能是真的！” 一天他正站在家门口，看到村子里的校长正往这边走。他叫住他，请他讲个故事。 “有一个条件，”教师说，"我讲完之后,你不能说‘那不可能是真的’。如果你说了，我就可以拿走你家的一袋粮食。” "我同意。”斯密斯说。 “我给你讲一个中国很久以前的王爷的故事。”教师说，“一天，王爷乘轿去见皇帝。路上，他听到有只鸟在叫‘噗——噗’。他向外看时,鸟把粪便排到他身上，弄脏了官袍。" "王爷命仆人回去取新的衣服。取来之后，他脱下脏衣服,扔掉，换上新衣服。然后继续往前走。过了一会，鸟又开始叫。王爷向外看时，鸟粪又弄脏了他的剑。他命仆人回去拿把新剑。剑取来之后，王爷把弄脏的剑给仆人，自己用新的。” “王爷决定,鸟再叫，他也不向外看了。但他还是没忍住，这次鸟粪落在了他的头上。” "王爷命人去取一个新的头。仆人取来之后，他用剑把自己的头砍下来……” "哦，但那是不可能的啊！”史密斯先生脱口而出。 "是的，的确不可能。”老师得意地说，“但你说了不该说的话，并且你同意以一袋粮食作为惩罚。” “我说过的？”史密斯先生狡猾地说。‘‘那不可能是真的。” Not True Mr. Smith loved to listen to stories, but at the end of the tale he would invariably ex¬claim, “that can’t be true!” One day he was standing at the gate of his house when he saw the village school¬master going by. He called out to him and begged the Village schoolmaster to tell him a story. “On one condition,” said the teacher. “When I finish, you should not say ‘That can't be true. ’ If you say that, I’ll be entitled to a sack of grain from your house. ’’ “Agreed,” said Mr. Smith. “I’ll tell you the story of a great lord who lived in China a long time ago，’’ said the teacher. “One day this aristocrat got into his palanquin to go to the governor's palace. On the way he heard a bird crying ‘preeep preeeeep.” When he peered out the bird soiled his robe with its droppings. “The lord sent his servant back for a new robe and when he had brought it he took off the soiled robe, threw it away and put on the new one. Then they resumed the jour¬ney. A little later the bird called out again and when the lord peered out it soiled his sword with its droppings. The nobleman sent his servant back for a new sword and when he had brought it, gave the soiled one to the servant and kept the new one. ” “The lord made up his mind not to look out if the bird cried out again, but when it did he could not resist looking out and this time the bird dropped its load directly on his head. ’’ “The lord sent his servant to bring him a new head and when he had brought it, cut off his own with his sword,..” “Oh, but that can’t be true!” blurted Mr. Smith. “No, it can't.” agreed the teacher, triumphantly, “but you’ve uttered the prohibited phrase and you agreed to forfeit a sack of rice as penalty!” “Did I?” said Mr. Smith, slyly. “That can’t be true.” |
