英语智慧背囊 02-皮匠和银行家
 音频下载[点击右键另存为][00:02.07]The Cobbler and the banker皮匠和银行家[00:04.97]A cobbler passed his time in singing from morning till night; [00:09.30]it was wonderful to see, wonderful to hear him; [00:13.37]he was more contented in shoes than anyone else. [00:17.58]His neighbor, on the contrary, was rolling in wealth, [00:21.04] sung but little and slept less. [00:24.00] He was a banker; [00:25.68]when by chance he fell into a doze at day break, [00:28.96] the cobbler awoke him with his song. [00:31.37]The banker complained sadly that Providence had not made sleep a saleable commodity, [00:37.51]like edibles or drinkables. [00:39.58]Having at length sent for the songster, [00:42.32] he said to him, “How much a year do you earn, Master Gregory?” [00:46.91] “How much a year, sir?” [00:49.21]said the merry cobbler laughing, [00:51.27]“I have reckoned in that way, [00:53.25]living as I do from one day to another; [00:56.00]somehow I manage to reach the end of the year; [00:59.00]each day brings its meal.” [01:01.25] “Well then! How much a day do you earn, my friend? ” [01:05.74] “Sometimes more, sometimes less; [01:08.47]but the worst of it is, [01:09.75]—and, without that our earnings would be very tolerable— [01:13.33]a number of days occur in the year on which we are forbidden to work.” [01:17.97]The banker, laughing at his simplicity,said, [01:21.21]“In the future I shall place you above want. [01:24.25]Take this hundred crowns, preserve them carefully, [01:27.65]and make use of them in time of need. ” [01:30.54] The cobbler fancied he saw all the wealth [01:34.00]which the earth had produced in the past century for the use of mankind. [01:38.20] Returning home, he buried his money and his happiness at the same time, [01:43.44]No more singing; [01:45.17]he lost his voice, [01:46.75]the moment he acquired that which is the source of so much grief. [01:51.02]Sleep quitted his dwelling; [01:53.65]and cares, suspicions, and false alarms took its place. [01:57.69] All day, his eye wandered in the direction of his treasure; [02:01.85] and at night, if some stray cat made a noise, [02:05.14]he would thought the cat was robbing him. [02:07.75]At length the poor man ran to the house of his rich neighbor; [02:12.25]“Give me back” he said, [02:14.44]“sleep and my voice, [02:16.12] and take your hundred crowns.” |
