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补鞋匠穷得绝望了，他不能靠手艺来维持生计,便跑到另一个城市去行医，他以为那里没有一个人认识他。在那里,他靠吹牛，卖一种可治百病的假药，骗取了人们的信任和好名声。有一次，他自己得了重病。那城里的官老爷想试验一下他的医术究竟怎样，便拿来一只杯子，倒满一杯水，谎称这水是补鞋匠治百病的药和毒汁混和起来的，命令他喝下，并允诺给一笔酬金。补鞋匠知道自己的药无解毒功效，害怕喝了死亡，便招出自己毫无医药知识，只是靠吹牛来卖假药，被人们盲目称赞而成名。官老爷召集市民大会，告诉大家说:“你们都愚笨至极，竟毫不怀疑地将自己的头托付给这样一个无用的人。在别的城市，大家连脚上穿的鞋都不愿意让他做。” The Cobbler Turned Doctor A cobbler unable to make a living by his trade and made desperate by poverty, began to practice medicine in a town in which he was not known. He sold a drug, pretending that it was an antidote to all poisons，and obtained a great name for himself by long-winded puffs and advertisements. When the Cobbler happened to fall sick himself of a serious illness, the Governor of the town determined to test his skill. For this purpose he called for a cup, and while filling it with water, pretended to mix poison with the Cobbler’s antidote, commanding him to drink it on the promise of a reward. The Cobbler, under the fear of death, confessed that he had no knowledge of medicine，and was only made famous by the stupid clamors of the crowd. The Governor then called a public assembly and addressed the citizens，“Of what folly have you been guilty? You have not hesitated to entrust your heads to a man, whom no one could employ to make even the shoes for their feet. ” |
