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非洲的卡麦拉国王是一个自负而严苛的人。所有的人都惧怕他。 一天，国王正坐在自己的宫殿里，周围是阿谀奉承的朝臣，还有很多前来拜见他的人。他突然觉得自己是至高无上的，然后大声宣布自己是世界的主人,所有的人都是他的仆人。 “你错了。”一个虚弱的声音说，"所有的人都是别人的仆人。” 声音过后，一片沉寂。在场的所有人的血液都凝固了。接着，国王大发雷霆，“谁说的？”他从宝座上站起来问，“谁敢说我是仆人?” "是我说的。”人群中一个声音说。人群散开，看到一个拄着拐杖的白发老人。 “你是谁？”国王问。 "我是布巴卡。”老人说，"我们的村子里没有水。我是来请求在那凿口井的。” "这么说你是个乞丐！’’国王吼道，大步走到老人面前，“却敢称呼我是仆人！” “我们都是互相帮助的。”布巴卡毫无畏惧地说，“我在黄昏之前就能证明给你看。’’ "那就证明吧。”国王说，"让我服侍你。如果你能证明的话，我就在你的村子里凿三口而不是一口井。但是如果你不能证明，就人头落地。” “在我们的村子，"老人说，"当我们接受挑战的时候，要摸一下对方的脚。让我摸一下你的脚。拿着我的拐杖。” 国王接过拐杖。老人弯下腰,摸了一下国王的脚。 "现在你可以还给我了。”老人直起身子说。国王把拐杖还给他。 "你还要更多的证据吗？”布巴卡问。 “证据？”国王疑惑地问。 "我让你拿拐杖的时候，你拿了；让你还给我的时候，你还了。’’老人说，“正如我所议，所有的好人都是别人的仆人。" 国王对布巴卡的智慧和勇气很赞赏，于是，不但让人在他的村子里凿了井，还把他留在身边当谋士。 Royal Servant The King of Kamera in Africa was a proud and stern man, feared by all his subjects. One day while sitting in his mud palace, surrounded by fawning courtiers and watched by a multitude of people who had come to see him, he was suddenly overcome by a sense of grandeur and loudly declared that he was master of the world and that all men were his servants. “You are mistaken,” said a frail voice. “All men are servants of one another. ’’ A deathly silence followed the remark. The blood froze in the veins of the people as¬sembled there. Then the king exploded in anger. “Who said that!” he demanded, rising from the royal stool. “Who dares suggest that I am a servant?” “I do,” said a voice in the crowd, and the people parted to reveal a white-haired old man, leaning heavily on a stout stick. “Who are you?” asked the king. “I am Boubakar，” said the man. “We have no water in our village. I have come to ask for a well to be dug there. ’’ “So you are a beggar!” roared the king, striding down to where the man stood. “Yet you have the temerity to call me a servant!” “We all serve one another,” said Boubakar, showing no fear, “and I will prove it to you before nightfall. “Do that,” said the monarch. “Force me to wait on you. If you can do that I will have not one but three wells dug in your village. But if you fail, you’ll lose your head!” “In our village,” said the old man, “when we accept a challenge, we touch the person’s feet. Let me touch your feet. Hold my stick. ” The king took the stick and the old man bent down and tou¬ched the monarch's feet. “Now you may give it back to me，’’ he said, straightening up. The king gave him back his stick. “Do you want any more proof?” asked Boubakar. “Proof?” asked the king, bewildered. “You held my stick when I asked you to and gave it back to me when I asked you for it,” said the old man. “As I said, all good men are servants of one another. ’’ The king was so pleased with Boubakar’s wit and daring that he not only had wells dug in his village but also retained him as an adviser. |
