31　THE WAY TO HAVE A GOOD GAME
玩游戏的方法

I

“There is to be no school this afternoon, mother.” said George Green. “Frank is coming to see me. We shall have a good game.”

Cousin Frank came and the boys ran out to play. It took them some time to find a game that both liked. At last George asked his cousin to play horse. Frank liked to play horse, but he wished to be the driver. George wanted to be the driver himself. So there was no horse and they could not play at all.

II

George’s mother had been watching the boys. Now she called them to her, and said, “Well, George, are you having a good game?”

“Not very good, mother,” he said. “Can’t you tell us some new game we shall both like?”

“I think I can tell you how to make a good game of the one you have tried.”

“How, mother?” asked George.

“Do tell us, aunt,” said Frank.

“What game have you tried, George?”

“Horse, mother; but we did not play it, for we both wanted to be the driver.”

“Then we will begin with horse,” said his mother. “Now, boys, you must do just what I say. I wish George to remember that he must do all he can to make Frank happy. Frank must remember to do everything to make George happy.”

Both boys said they would try to do this.

“Very well,” said Mrs. Green. “Now go and play horses.”

“But who will be the horse?” asked George. “I want to be the driver.”

“So do I,” said Frank.

“Remember your promise, boys,” said Mrs. Green. The boys thought a while, and then Frank said, “I will be the horse, George.”

“No, I will be the horse,” said George. “You may drive if you please.”

“You may take turns,” said his mother. “George will be the horse till you have gone six times round the garden walk. Then he may drive and Frank may be the horse.”

III

This pleased the boys, and off they ran at once to play. They had a pleasant game.

At last it was time for Frank to go home. Mrs. Green asked the boys if they had found out the way to have a good game.

“Yes, mother,” said George.

“Yes, aunt,” said Frank.

“Well, what is it?”

“We must not think all the time of what we wish to do. We must try to make others happy. Then we shall be happy ourselves.”

“That is it,” said Mrs. Green. “I hope you will remember it. And now good-bye, Frank. You must come again soon.”

Frank said good-bye to his aunt and cousin. He went home much pleased with his visit.

一

“妈妈，今天下午不用上课。”乔治·格林说，“富兰克会来找我，我们要一起玩游戏。”

他和富兰克是表兄弟，到了下午他们就跑出去玩了。首先他们花了点时间找出一个俩人都喜欢的游戏，乔治想玩骑马。

富兰克也喜欢骑马游戏，可他不想当马，而想当骑马的人，乔治也是如此。没有马，这个游戏就没法玩。

二

乔治的妈妈一直留心着他们俩。这时她把两个孩子叫过来，说：“乔治，你们在玩什么有趣的游戏？”

“没什么好游戏可玩，妈妈，”他说，“你能给我们想一个新游戏吗？”

“我觉得我能告诉你们怎么让刚才的那个游戏更有意思。”

“真的吗，妈妈？”乔治问。

“快告诉我们，阿姨。”富兰克说。

“你们刚才玩的是什么，乔治？”

“骑马，但我们还没正式开始，因为我们俩都想骑马，不想当马。”

“那我们就来骑马，”妈妈说，“孩子们，你们一定要照我说的做。乔治，你一定要尽量让富兰克满意；富兰克，你一定要努力让乔治高兴。”

两个孩子都说没问题。

“很好。”格林太太说，“现在去玩骑马吧。”

“但是谁来当马呢？”乔治问，“我想骑马。”

“我也是。”富兰克说。

“记得你们刚答应了我什么吗，孩子们？”格林太太说。他们想了想，富兰克说：“我来当马吧，乔治。”

“不，我来当马，”乔治说，“请你骑马吧。”

“你们可以轮着来啊，”妈妈说，“乔治先来当马，绕着花园走六圈后，就轮到富兰克当马，乔治骑马。”

三

他们俩听了这话以后，立刻跑出去玩了起来。他们都玩得很高兴。

后来富兰克该回家了。格林太太问他们是否找到了玩游戏的好方法。

“是的，妈妈。”乔治说。

“是的，阿姨。”富兰克说。

“这个方法是什么？”

“我们不能总想着自己要什么，也得想办法让别人高兴，这样自己才能高兴。”

“说得不错，”格林太太说，“希望你们都记住这一点。那么，再见了富兰克。下次再来玩啊。”

富兰克道别后回了家。他觉得这个下午过得很愉快。