趣味故事阅读

1. The Peasant And The Apple-Tree

A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apple he grew.

One day, his friend gave the farmer a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it.

The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home he did not know where to plant it.

He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he planted

the tree in one of his field, his neighbors would come at night and steal some of the apples. If he

planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.

soil, the tree soon died.

Later the friend asked the farmer

the

stolen the fruit.

night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children would

A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apple he grew.

The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home he did not know where to plant it.

He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he planted

the tree in one of his field, his neighbors would come at night and steal some of the apples. If he

planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.

soil, the tree soon died.

Later the friend asked the farmer

the

stolen the fruit.

night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children would

have taken the fruit."

robbed everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed a good apple tree!

A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apple he grew. One day, his friend gave the farmer a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it. The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home he did not know where to plant it. He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he planted the tree in one of his field, his neighbors would come at night and steal some of the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit. Finally he planted the tree in his wood where no one could see it. But without sunlight and good soil, the tree soon died. Later the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a poor place."What's the difference?" the farmer said angrily. "If I had planted the tree near the road, strangers would have stolen the fruit. If I had planted the tree in one of my field, my neighbors would have come at night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children would have taken the fruit." "Yes," said the friend, "but at least someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only have robbed everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed a good apple tree!

一个贫穷的农夫有一个朋友，这个朋友因为种了奇妙的苹果而远近闻名。有一天，农夫的这个朋友送给他一棵小苹果树，让他带回家种上。农夫对这个礼物非常高兴，但当他回到家时，却不知道把它栽在什么地方。他担心如果他把苹果树栽在路边，陌生人就会偷树上的果子。他把苹果树栽在自己的一块地里，邻居们夜里就会来偷苹果。他把树栽在自己的房边，他的孩子们就会摘苹果。最后，他把树栽在他的树林里，没有人能看到它。但是没有阳光和肥沃的土壤，树很快就死了。后来，朋友问农夫他为什么把树栽在那样贫瘠的地方。“那有什么不一样?”农夫生气地说。苹果树说，“我把苹果树栽在路边，陌生人就会偷树上的苹果。我把树栽在自己的一块地里，邻居们夜里就会来偷苹果。我把树栽在自己的房边，我自己的孩子们就会摘苹果。”“是的，”他的朋友说，“但至少有人会喜欢这些。