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从前，一个农夫和他的儿子到集市上去卖驴。为了不让驴到了市场上显得精疲力竭，他们把驴装在手推车里，推着上路了。人们看到这种奇怪的情况，高声说：“那人真是疯了。谁见过推着驴子赶集这种事！” 可怜的农夫不知该怎么办了，因为他越往前走议论声就越高，议论的人也越多。农夫经过铁匠铺的时候，铁匠跑过来嘲笑地问他要不要钉掌，因为铁匠看到他在干驴子该干的活儿。这时，农夫感到再也无法这样走下去了，于是，他就停了下来，使劲把驴子从车里拉出来，然后爬上驴背，他儿子则跟在后面。 这样一来议论的人更多了。刚从集市上回来的一群妇女看到这一幕责怪地说：“你这个人可真是的！你这么个大块头骑着驴，却让你儿子这么小个子的孩子跟在后面跑。你真应该为自己的行为而感到羞耻。” 人们你一言我一语地骂起了农夫，直到把他从驴背上骂下来才罢休。他真不知道该怎么做了。他摘下帽子，擦了擦额头。“咳！”他感叹道，“真没想到送驴上市场会这么难。” 接着他让儿子骑着驴，自己跟在旁边。这次一群男人又嗔怪起来：“瞧！那小孩骑着驴子舒服自在，倒让他那年迈的父亲步行！”“真丢脸！” 父子俩再一次停了下来。究竟怎么样才能让人们挑不出毛病呢？好吧，干脆他俩一起骑在驴上。 “多狠心的人呐！”路上的行人喊道。“两人骑一头小毛驴！”现在农夫已经没有耐心了。他狠狠地踢了驴一脚，说：“够了！从现在开始，我要按我自己的方式做事，再也不管别人怎么想了！” What Do Other People Think? Once upon a time a farmer and his son went to market to sell a donkey. However，they loaded the beast into the wheelbarrow, so that it would not reach market tired and worn out, and pushed it along the road. When people saw such a strange sight, they loudly remarked，“That man is mad! Whoever saw a donkey being taken to market in a wheelbarrow!，， The poor farmer became more and more confused, for the farther he went，the louder the comments became and the more people gossiped. It was the last straw when，as they passed the blacksmith’s forge，the smith jeeringly asked the farmer if he wanted shoeing, since he was doing the donkey work! So the farmer stopped，heaved the animal out of the wheelbarrow and climbed onto its back, while his son walked behind. But that made matters even worse! A group of women going home from the market instantly complained, “You cruel man! Fancy a great lump like you riding a donkey，while your poor little boy runs along behind! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” People heaped insult upon insult，till the unhappy farmer slid off the donkey. He simply did not know what to do next. He took off his cap and mopped his brow. “Whew!，，he exclaimed. “I never imagined it could be so difficult to take a donkey to market. ” Then he hoisted his little boy onto the donkey and walked along behind. This time, a cluster of men began to protest. “Look at that! There’s a young lad sitting pretty as you please, on top of a donkey，while his weary old father has to go on foot!”“It’s a disgrace. ” Once again, father and son came to a halt. How on earth could they stop people from criticizing everything they did? Well，in the end，they both got on the donkey. “What heartless folk!”exclaimed the passers-by. “Two riders on one little donkey!” But by now the farmer had lost his patience. He gave the donkey a terrible kick， saying，“Giddy up! From now on, I’ll do things my way, and pay no attention to what other people think!” |
