The Father and His Son
Father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarrelling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils of disunion; and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They each tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it.
一个仙人在山里走,看见一棵老树,驱干高大,枝叶茂盛。旁边一个伐木工人,把斧头靠着树根,却并不砍它。仙人问:“这棵树总有几百岁了吧?为什么不砍它?”
“没有什么用!既不能造屋,又不能造船。”伐木工人回答。
“这棵树因为质地差,不中用,所以能享长寿。”仙人感慨地说,“可叹世人,勤勤恳恳,忙忙碌碌,耗尽精力,丧尽天年,真是可怜,可笑!还不及这棵树浑浑噩噩,得享长寿哩!”
“好仙人,这样的长寿,我并不愿意哩!”老树回答说,“我的同伴一棵棵被人砍去,有的`做了栋梁,巍巍大屋,住着人。有的做了桥梁,横跨江河,渡着人。有的做了车轮,千里万里地奔跑着。
它们带给人们的安宁、方便、美丽、快乐,却是无穷无尽的。
象我这样,即使活上一万年,到头来,还是要死的。但,临死的时候,如果自己回想:一生中白白享受了阳光的照射,雨露的滋润,却对这世界,竟没有一丝一毫的用处,真要羞愧得难以形容哩!”
仙人对于老树的这番议论,目瞪IZl呆,想不出半句答辩的话。
老树又对伐木工人说:“大哥,行行好,把我砍下来当柴烧也可以。当人们烧着木柴的时候,那辉煌的光……那炽烈的热……在光和热里我会含着笑死去……”
“你当作柴烧,倒是好的。”伐木人举起了斧头。
仙人呢,含羞带愧地走了。他觉悟到自己也不过是一个长生不老却没有发出一丝光、热来的废物罢了。
纸、墨、笔、砚为了一个共同的事业,走到一起来了。瞧这哥们四个,白的白,黑的黑;硬的硬,软的软;方的方,长的长。长相各异,脾气不同,咋就走到一起来了?
为了一个共同的事业。
纸是宣纸,墨是徽墨,笔来自浙江,砚来自广东,隔山隔水,非亲非故,咋就走到一起来了?
为了一个共同的事业。
因为他们团结,所以被人们并称为“宝”。
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