The Stolen Smells

王桂馨

There is a poor student living in a small town. He has very little money and has to live in a small room near a restaurant. His room is near the kitchen. The restaurant owner is a very selfish man. No one likes him. But he is a good cook and many people come to his restaurant.

One day， when the owner is walking quietly in his kitchen， he hears the poor student talking to his friend.

“You arent very happy， I think， because you are living in a poor room like this.” His friend says.

“Oh， no，” says the student， “I am busy with my studies and I am not interested in my room.”

“But you have no money to buy nice things to eat.”

“Yes， its true. I eat only rice. But the smells from the kitchen make the rice nice indeed，” says the student.

The restaurant owner is angry. The student is stealing the smells from the kitchen！ He decides to take him to court.

After the selfish owner tells this thing. The judge says， “The student is wrong.” The restaurant owner is happy and the poor student is very afraid. What can he do？ He has only a little money.

The judge asks the student if he has money. The student takes five coins and gives them to the judge.

“Let the coins fall into your left hand，” says the judge. The court is very quiet and everyone hears the sound of the coins when they fall into the students left hand.

“Well，” says the judge to the restaurant owner， “Do you hear his money？ Thats the pay for your smells.”

有一個穷学生住在一个小镇上。他没有多少钱，只好住在一个饭店附近的小房间里。他的房间靠近厨房。饭店的主人是个十分自私的人，没有人喜欢他。但是他是一个好厨师，所以许多人都来他的饭店用餐。

有一天，当店主在厨房里静静踱步时，听到穷学生在和他的朋友交谈。

“我觉得你不快乐，”朋友说，“因为你住在这样一个简陋的房间里。”

“哦，不，”学生说，“我忙于学习，对住房并不感兴趣。”

“但是你没有钱买好吃的东西呀。”

学生说：“这倒是事实，我只吃米饭，但从厨房飘来的菜香，真地也使我的饭变香了。”

店主很生气，这个学生在偷盗气味！他决定送学生去法院。

当这个自私的店主讲完这件事后，法官说：“这位学生错了。”店主很高兴，穷学生很害怕，他能做什么呢？他只有一点点钱。

法官问学生是否有钱，学生拿出五个硬币，递给了法官。

法官说：“让硬币落入你的左手。”法庭很静，当硬币落进学生左手时，每个人都听到了硬币撞击的声音。

“好了，”法官对店主说，“你听到钱的声音了吗？那就是气味的报酬。”