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有一个商人，远渡重洋去经商。临走前，他把家中的铁条，托付给一个他自认可信任的朋友看管。 这些铁条有数百磅重，若拿去卖，可卖不少钱。他的朋友对他说：“放心去办你的事吧！我一定会小心保管这些铁条的。” 商人听了，就安心上路了。 不过，商人这次的海外经商，并不那么顺利，所赚的钱也只够抵消经费。于是他提早回国。一路上他想，这次空手而回不要紧，至少家里还存放很多铁条，不至于一无所有。 商人的朋友忽然见他提早回国，神色显得极不自然，说道：“你看我，可真是世上运气最坏的看管人了！我遇到怪事啦！” 商人不安地问：“我的铁条发生了什么事吗？” “老鼠！”朋友说得很激动，“是一只老鼠潜入储藏室吃完所有的铁条！快跟我去看！” 商人赶快跟上去，发现储藏室是空的。良久，商人才对朋友说：“唉！遇到这种问题，我们两人都很难过。喜欢吃铁条的老鼠一定找到比干酪更美味的食 品，算啦！朋友，这不是你的错，要怪就怪那只爱吃铁条的老鼠！ ” 朋友这时也偷偷松了一口气。为了减轻心头的压力，他邀请商人明晚到他家吃饭。商人答应了。 商人在回家途中，遇见那朋友的其中一个年幼的孩子。他把孩子带回去，把他安置于屋子顶楼的一间小房间里，里面安全又舒适，而且还有好多的玩具。 到了第二晚，他装得若无其事地上朋友的家去做客。这时，他的朋友看起来闷闷不乐。 不久，他朋友终于忍不住哭了出来，说：“我不知如何是好啊！我的一个孩子不见了，托人到城里四处寻找了一整天，还是不见他的踪影。我真担心他遇上了坏人。” 商人说：“哦！听你这样说，我忽然想起了一件怪事，你可能永远失去这个儿子了。你知道吗？昨晚我看见一只猫头鹰用脚爪提着一个小孩飞过。如果不幸那就是你的小孩，那你是永远救不了他了。” “一只猫头鹰？”朋友大叫，“你怎可告诉我这么一个荒谬的故事！一只猫头鹰不过几磅重，它怎能抓起一个五十磅重的小孩呢？” 商人这才淡定地说：“这个世界真的是越来越不可思议了。如果一只老鼠可以吃完数百磅的铁条，那么一只猫头鹰抓起一个小孩就不是什么奇事了！” 那朋友自知理亏，向商人承认自己的过错。他说：“请你告诉我孩子的行踪吧！我以后不重犯了。” 商人站起来，态度严肃地说：“除非你告诉我铁条藏在何处，否则我不告诉你孩子的行踪。还有，下次你在背信弃义之前，最好先问问自己是不是一个很杰出的说谎家！” 朋友听了，感到非常羞愧。 故事哲理： 古人说，“人无信不立”，“信”就是遵守承诺，这是人与 人相处的根本。不遵守承诺，立即便失去他人的信赖。 The Merchant and His Friend Once there was a merchant who planned to go abroad on business. Before departing, he entrusted all his iron bars to a friend whom he thought was reliable. Those hundreds of pounds of iron bars were worth a fortune on the market. His friend said, “Don’t worry, my friend. I，ll take care of them for you.” The merchant was able to leave with great peace of mind. Somehow, the overseas business trip this time around was not as successful. The money earned was barely enough to cover his expenses. So the merchant had to return earlier, empty-handed. En route, he thought he was not as unlucky after all because he still had scores of iron bars at home. His friend was very uncomfortable at the merchant's unexpected return. He said, “I must be the most ill-fated man in the world! Something strange has happened to me!” The merchant asked anxiously, “Has anything hap-pened to my iron bars?” “It’s the mouse!” his friend explained. “A mouse sneaked into my storeroom and ate up all the iron bars! Come this way!” The merchant quickly followed him and found the storeroom empty. The merchant sighed and said, “This mouse who feeds on iron must have found something more delicious than cheese. Forget it, my friend! This is not your fault. It’s that iron-hungry mouse that should take the blame.” • The dishonest friend heaved a sigh of relief. He invited the merchant for dinner at his house the fol-lowing night. The merchant readily accepted. On the way home, the merchant met the youngest son of his friend. He took the child home and put him up in a small compartment under the roof. The room was safe, cosy and filled with lots of toys. The next evening, the merchant went to his friend’s house for dinner, pretending that nothing had happened. As expected，his friend looked worried and soon broke into tears. “I don’t know what to do! One of my sons is missing. I’ve sent someone to search for him all over the town, but they still can’t locate him. I fear some-thing bad might have happened to him.” The merchant said, “I remember something now. Last night I saw an owl flying over my place with a boy in its claws. He might just be your unlucky son, and I don’t think you can do anything to save his life.” “An owl?” the friend shouted. “How ridiculous! An owl weighs only a few pounds. How could it take a fifty- pound boy along?” The merchant answered calmly, “This world has become more absurd than you can imagine. If a mouse could eat up a few hundred pounds of iron bars, then it’s not impossible for an owl to snatch a boy, is it?” His friend bowed his head in shame and pleaded, “Please forgive me for trying to trick you and tell me where my boy is!” The merchant said firmly, “I won’t tell you where your boy is unless you show me where you have hidden my iron bars. One more thing, next time before you steal anything, make sure you can lie better than that!” He who Betrays a friend's trust cannot expect compassion in return. |
