可怜的两个姑娘从早忙到晚,不停地纺线,连节日也没有休闲。姑娘已经累得筋疲力尽,可是老太婆仍然不让她们喘喘气。头天纺线直到深夜,第二天一大早就得起床。那时邻居们都尚在睡眠,如果不是那只讨厌的公鸡,老太婆也许还能晚起一回。只要公鸡一叫,老太婆立即起床,披上皮袄,戴上帽子,吹旺炉火,嘟嘟囔囔地来到姑娘们的屋里,把她们叫醒。先是用手推,后来用杖敲,把她们的好梦打的`无影无踪。可怜的姑娘皱眉、眯眼、还打着哈欠,不情愿地从温暖的床上爬起来。
第二天,鸡一叫,又是如此这番。两个姑娘抱怨公鸡:“啊,你这个魔鬼!你要是不打鸣,我们也许还能多睡一会,真恨不得一刀宰了你!”
有一次,她俩瞅准机会,毫不怜悯,把鸡***了,以为以后可以不用那么早起了。
然而事情完全出乎意料,公鸡的确不再啼叫催起床,但老太婆却生怕耽误时间。总是她们刚睡下几乎还没有合眼,便早早地把她们叫起,比那鸡鸣的时间更糟。两个姑娘这才明白:才脱龙潭,又入虎穴。
人生常常如此坎坷,本来满心希望把灾难解脱,没想到一波未平,一波又起。
一个天使说:“这几天你在干些什么?给你什么任务没有?”另一个回答说:“委派我去监护一个住在山谷里的坏人,他作恶多端,自甘堕落。我郑重告诉你,这是一件重要的任务,我干得很卖力。”
第一个天使说:“你的任务大省心了。我对罪犯了如指掌,也常去做他们的监护。可是如今却派我去监护一个善良的圣人,他就住在那边的林荫小屋里。我郑重告诉你,这是一件特别棘手的任务,十分微妙。”另一个天使说:“这仅是你的.假设而已。监护圣者怎么可能比监护罪人更困难呢?”
第一个说,“真太无礼了,居然说我是假设!我说的完全是事实,依我看,你才是在胡想呢。”两个天使先是斗嘴,继而动手,对骂之后,拳头、翅翼打成一团。
正打得不可开交时,天使长走过,他制止了这场争斗,说道:“为什么打架?究竟为了什么?知不知道监护天使在城门边打架是最失礼的?告诉我,你们在争什么?”
两个天使同时张口,每人都申述自己领受的任务更艰巨些,更应受赞誉。天使长摇摇头清醒了一下脑子,然后说:“我的朋友,我目前还无法判断你们谁更有权要求荣誉和报酬。但只要我手里还有权,也为了和平和更好地履行监护的职责,我把你们的职务对调一下,因为你们谁都坚持对方的工作比自己的更容易。好吧,现在高高兴兴去上任吧。”
两个天使就这样奉命上路了。但她们每一个都恨恨地回头看天使长,每个人心里都在说:“唉,这帮天使长!他们一天比一天让人难以活下去,对我们天使则更凶狠。”
天使长站在那里,再一次暗暗提醒自己:“我真应当多加小心,对我们的监护天使要严加管束。”
Two men were travelling together,one of whom never spoke the truth,whereas the other never told a lie:and they came in the course of their travels to the land of Apes The King of the Apes,hearing of their arrival,ordered them to be brought before him;and by way of impressing them with his magnificence,he received them sitting on a throne,while the Apes,his subjects,were ranged in long rows on either side of him When the Travellers came into his presence he asked them what they thought of him as a King.The lying Traveller said,“Sire,every one must see that you are a most noble and mighty monarch.”“And what do you think of my subjects?”continued the King“They,”said the Traveller,“are in every way wo——hy of their royal master.”TheApe was so delighted with his answer that he gave him a very handsome present.The other Traveller thought that ifhis companion was rewarded so splendidly for telling a lie,he himself would certainly receive a still greater reward for telling the truth;so,when the Ape turned to him and said,“And what,sir,is your opinion?”he replied,“I think you are a very fine Ape,and all your subjects are fine Apes too.”The King of the Apes was so enraged at his reply that he ordered him to be taken away and clawed to death.
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