一小碗白米饭

向红

This is the story of a miser1 who lived in a large mansion2. One day， something changed his life forever.

这是一个关于生活在一座豪宅里的守财奴的故事。有一天，发生了一件永远改变他生活的事。

The miser lived alone in an old house， except for a few servants and a dog without name. The old man slept， ate， and spent his days counting his gold. Gold was what he liked best in the world， and never shared or spent.

这个守财奴独自生活在一座旧房子里，除了一些仆人就是一只没有名字的狗。这位老人在豪宅中睡觉、吃饭，每天靠着数钱度日。金子是他在世界上最喜欢的东西，所以他从不和别人分享或花出去。

Everyone knew him as the most avaricious3 man who ever existed.

每个人都认为他是世上最贪婪的人。

He never invited anyone home and never gave a gift to others. He rode a large carriage4 with the dog and a servant5 to collect the taxes of the poor who worked the land from him once a year.

他从来不邀请任何人回家做客，也不给任何人送礼物。他每年都在狗和一个仆人的陪同下出门一次，坐着一辆大马车去收取佃户的税款。

One day while returning home in the evening with the bag full of taxes gold， the carriage was robbed. The miser screamed for help， but in vain6. The robbers took off his clothes， forced him， took him and the dog away from the village， and left them far away without food or drink.

有一天晚上，他在成功收到税款并带着满满一袋金子回家的途中，（乘坐的）马车被人抢劫了。守财奴尖叫着寻求帮助，但徒劳无功。强盗脱掉他的衣服，挟持他和那只狗远离了这个村庄，然后把他们扔在一个没有食物和水的地方。

The man was very upset and began yelling at the dog， because it did not attack the robbers. The man was crying and thinking about the stolen gold.

这个男人非常沮丧，对着狗大吼大叫，怨它为什么没有袭击劫匪。他边哭边想着那些被偷走的金子。

The next day， the man awoke to cold， hunger and pain， and the dog was in search of a village. They walked and finally reached a road. There was not a person， and the miser was hungry and sad. Suddenly， the dog barked and started running. They came across a small house. When he saw white smoke coming out the chimney7， he was so excited. Suddenly， however， he hesitated8 because he thought no one will help a ragged. He was about to turn around when he heard a pleasant voice asking： “Who is it？”

第二天早上，男人在寒冷、饑饿和痛苦中醒来，而狗正在寻找村庄。他们一直走，终于走到一条路上。这里一个人也没有，守财奴又饿又难过。突然，狗叫了起来，并向前方跑去。他们发现了一个小屋。当看到烟囱里冒出白烟时，他兴奋极了。但是突然，他有点犹豫，毕竟没人愿意帮助一个衣衫褴褛的人。当他正准备转身离开的时候，听到一个动听的声音问道：“是谁呀？”

The miser replied， “Sorry to bother you， but Im lost and hungry. Could you give me some food for me and my dog？ And a warm place to sleep？”

守财奴答道：“抱歉打扰您了，我迷路了，现在很饿。您能给我和我的狗一点食物吗？能给我们一个暖和的地方睡觉吗？”

“Of course！” a friendly voice answered. “Come.”

“当然可以！”一个友好的声音回答。“来吧！”

Entered the house， there was only a few pieces of furniture and the windows had no curtains. The old lit a fire. Beside him， a brown dog wagged his tail and smiled. The old man stood up and laughed heartily， saying to the dog， “Archie， I brought you a new friend！”

进入小屋后，他们发现屋里只有几件家具，窗户也没有窗帘。老人生起了炉火，在他身边一只棕色的狗摇着尾巴微笑着。老人站起来开怀大笑，他对那只狗说：“阿奇，我给你带来了一个新朋友！”

Then， turning to the miser， smiled and said： “Come and sit down. Welcome to my dinner！” The old man found two small bowls on a shelf and said， “Well have to share this rice， because its all I have. And your dog will share food from Archie.”

然后他对守财奴笑着说道：“过来坐吧！欢迎和我共进晚餐！”他在架子上找到两个小碗，说道：“我们只能一起分享这一碗米饭了，因为我就只有这个了，你的狗和阿奇分享食物。”

The old man threw some rice in a large bowl of Archie for both dogs and divided what remained between him and the miser. How could this man be so happy even being so poor？ Despite a lot of money， the miser had never felt so happy as this old man， but now felt guilt and shamed for what he had done all these years.

老人朝阿奇的大碗里扔了一些米饭给这两只狗吃，并把剩下的食物分了一半给守财奴。为什么这个老人这么穷却还这么开心呢？尽管拥有很多金钱，但守财奴却从来没有像这个老人一样高兴。但此时，他为自己这些年来的所作所为感到内疚和羞愧。

Hunger brought him back to the present， and ate rice greedily， thinking that never tasted anything so delicious. The miser told the old man how he got robbed after dinner. The old man heard carefully and told him， “Your story saddens me. You have so much and yet， your life is so empty and lonely.” The old man offered the miser his place in front of the fireplace， gave him good night， and lay down to sleep.

饑饿把他带回现实，他狼吞虎咽地吃着白米饭，觉得从来没有吃过这么好吃的东西。饭后他向老人讲述自己是如何被抢劫的。老人仔细听着，然后告诉他：“你的故事让我很伤心。尽管你拥有这么多，但你的生活是如此空虚和孤独。”老人把壁炉前的位置让给了守财奴，对他说了晚安，然后躺下入睡。

The miser was so moved by the generosity9 of the old man and he wondered what had happened and tears ran down his face. So he decided to repay the man.

守财奴被老人的慷慨所感动，回想着过去发生的事情，泪水顺着他的脸流下来。于是，他决定报答这个老人。

The next morning， when he awoke， he invited the old man and the dog came to live with him in the mansion. The old man accepted it happily and then they left the small house together.

第二天早上，当他醒来时，他就邀请这位老人和狗一起住到他的豪宅里去，老人高兴地接受了这个邀请。然后，他们一起离开了小屋。

From that day， the miser has changed. He and the old man became friends and lived happily with Archie and Merry， the name he gave to his dog. He used taxes to improve the living conditions of the local people. Twice a year， he invited the neighbors and kids for parties.

从那天起，守财奴变了。他和老人成了朋友，两人与阿奇和梅丽（他给自己的狗取的名字）幸福地生活在了一起。从此以后，守财奴用他收的税款来改善当地居民的生活条件，一年两次邀请邻居和孩子们参加聚会。

The selfishness10 damages everything and everybody. A smart person knows that the path to true happiness is the sharing of what has， however slightly.

自私自利会毁掉一切美好的人和事。聪明人应该知道，真正的幸福就是学会分享所拥有的东西，无论多么微小。

Notes

1. miser   n. 守财奴;吝啬鬼

2. mansion   n. 大厦;宅邸

3. avaricious adj. 贪婪的;贪得无厌的

4. carriage n. 运输;运费;四轮马车;举止;客车厢

5. servant  n. 仆人，佣人;公务员;雇工

6. in vain adj. 徒劳的;自负的;无结果的;无用的

7. chimney  n. 烟囱

8. hesitate  vi. 踌躇，犹豫;不愿

9. generosity   n. 慷慨，大方;宽宏大量

10. selfishness   n. 自私自利;自我中心;任性