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A father was worried about his son，who was sixteen years old but had no courage at all. So the father decided to call on a Buddhist monk to train his boy.
The Buddhist monk said to the boy's father， “You should leave your son alone here. I'll make him into a real man within three months. However，you can't come to see him during this period.”
Three months later，the boy's father returned. The Buddhist monk arranged a boxing match between the boy and an experienced boxer. Each time the fighter struck the boy，he fell down，but at once the boy stood up; and each time a punch knocked him down，the boy stood up again. Several times later，the Buddhist monk asked， “What do you think of your child?”
“What a shame！” the boy's father said， “I never thought he would be so easily knocked down. I needn't have him left here any longer.”
“I 'm sorry that that's all you see. Don't you see that each time he falls down; he stands up again instead of crying? That's the kind of courage you wanted him to have.”
一位父亲很为儿子担心，虽然儿子已经16岁了，却一点勇气都没有。于是，父亲决定去拜访一位禅师，请他训练自己的儿子。
禅师对男孩的父亲说： “你应该把你儿子单独留在这里。不出3个月，我会让他成为一个真正的男子汉。不过，在这段时间，你不能来看他。”
3个月后，男孩的父亲又来见禅师。禅师安排这个男孩和一位经验丰富的拳师进行拳术比赛。拳师每次一出手，男孩都被击倒在地上，但男孩又马上站起来；每次被击倒，他就又站起来。几个回合后，禅师问道： “你认为你的孩子怎么样？”
“真丢人！” 男孩的父亲说， “我根本没想到他是这样的不堪一击。我不让他再留在这里了。”
“很遗憾，你只看到了这一点。难道你没看到他每次倒下后是重新站起来，而不是哭泣吗？这才是你想要他拥有的那种勇气。”
Boat Fare
摆渡费
There was once a boatman who earned his living by transporting passengers from one side of the riverbank to the other.
One particular day，while he was resting，a businessman came and asked impolitely， “Transport me to the opposite side of the river.”
“Yes，please come aboard，” answered the boatman.
“How much do you charge for the trip?” asked the businessman.
“Eight coins each way，” answered the boatman.
“Eight coins！” exclaimed the businessman. “That is too expensive！I will pay you six coins.”
The boatman then began the journey without saying a word. He rowed and rowed towards the opposite bank. When he was about to reach the other side，he stopped and said， “You may get down here.”
The businessman was shocked， “You expect me to get off here，right into the river?”
The boatman replied politely， “Six coins will only take you here，and eight coins will take you to the riverbank.”
The businessman then said， “Well then，take me back to where we came from.” He thought the boatman would think it troublesome to send him back and would just send him to the other side.
The boatman just replied， “Sure！” He then began to row back to where they began their journey. When they arrived，the boatman said， “Altogether twelve coins，six coins each way.”
The businessman then realised that the boatman was really serious about it. Then he said， “I am sorry，I will pay you the full fare. Please send me over to the other side now.”
The boatman began to row towards the opposite riverbank.
So how much did the businessman have to pay finally? Well，twelve coins plus eight coins，a total of twenty coins！
很久以前，有个摆渡的人，他用船把人们从岸的这边送到对岸，以此赚钱为生。
有一天，他正在休息时，一个商人过来很不客气地说： “把我送到对岸去！”
“知道了，请上船吧。” 艄公说。
“摆渡费是多少？” 商人说。
“单程八文钱。” 艄公答道。
“八文” ，商人嚷道： “太贵了，六文吧！”
艄公没有跟他争论，便摇着橹，慢慢地向对岸划去。当来到离对岸不远时，艄公停住船说： “请下船吧。”
商人惊讶地说： “在这儿下船？想让我掉河里吗？”
艄公礼貌地说： “六文钱就只能送到这儿了，八文钱可以送到对岸。”
商人说： “好吧，你把我送回刚才来的岸边吧。” 商人心想他这么一说，艄公会觉得再返回刚才那岸边太麻烦了，便会把他送到对岸。
艄公却说： “好的。” 然后他把船划回原来的岸边。这时，艄公说 “去六文，回六文，一共十二文。”
商人意识到艄公是认真的，便说： “是我不好，我会付所有摆渡费的，现在请把我送到对岸去吧！”
于是，艄公又送他到对岸去。
那么，商人一共要付多少摆渡费呢？十二文加八文，一共二十文钱。
单词注解
courage n. 勇气；胆量
transport v. 运送，运输
riverbank n. 河岸；河堤
particular a. 特别的，特殊的
troublesome a. 麻烦的
boatman n. 船夫
实用句型
Don't you see that each time he falls down; he stands up again instead of crying?
难道你没看到他每次倒下后是重新站起来，而不是哭泣吗？
he fell down，but at once the boy stood up.
男孩都被击倒在地上，但男孩又马上站起来。
智慧点津
Real courage is rather than facing the failure of challenge but to stand up after falling.
真正的勇气不在于敢于面对挑战的失败，而是在于跌倒后再站起来。
When we are too stingy，instead of saving a small sum of money，we may lose more in the long run.
当我们斤斤计较时，为了省下一点点钱，反而却吃了大亏。
The Austere Governor
一丝不苟的州长
A Governor visiting a state prison was implored by a convict to pardon him.
“What are you in for?” asked the Govemor.
“I held a high office，” the convict humbly replied， “and sold subordinate appointments.”
“Then I decline to interfere” said the Governor，with asperity， “a man who abuses his office by making it serve a private end and purvey a personal advantage is unfit to be free. By the way，Mr. Warden，” he added to the official beside him，as the convict slunk away， “in appointing you to this position，I was given to understand that your friends could make the Shikane county delegation to the next State convention solid for the present administration. Was I rightly informed?”
“You were，sir.”
“Very well，then，I will bid you good-bye. Please be so good as to appoint my nephew Chaplain.”
州长在视察一所州管监狱时，有个罪犯哀求州长宽恕他。
“你犯了什么事？” 州长问道。
“我曾经是个高级官员，” 犯人低声下气地回答， “因为向下级卖官。”
“那样的话，我绝不会管你的事情，” 州长严厉地说， “为达到个人目的、牟取私利而滥用职权的人不应该得到自由。顺便说一下，监狱长” ，当那个罪犯偷偷溜走时，他接着对身旁的这位官员说， “我在任命你担任这个职务时，得知你的朋友能让西科恩县参加下届州会议的代表团支持本届政府。我得到的消息准确吗？”
“是的，州长先生。”
“那么，很好，我该向你道别了。请别忘记任命我的侄子为牧师啊。”
The Purse of Gold
金钱包
A beggar found a leather purse that someone had dropped in the marketplace. Opening it，he discovered that it contained 100pieces of gold. Then he heard a merchant shout， “A reward！A reward to the one who finds my leather purse！”
Being an honest man，the beggar came forward and handed the purse to the merchant saying， “Here is your purse. May I have the reward now?”
“Reward?” scoffed the merchant，greedily counting his gold. “Why，the purse I dropped had 200pieces of gold in it. You've already stolen more than the reward！Go away or I'll tell the police.”
“I 'm an honest man，” said the beggar defiantly， “Let us take this matter to the court.”
In court the judge patiently listened to both sides of the story and said， “I believe you both. Justice is possible！Merchant，you stated that the purse you lost contained 200pieces of gold. Well，that's a considerable cost. But，the purse this beggar found had only 100pieces of gold. Therefore，it couldn't be the one you lost.”
And，with that，the judge gave the purse and all the gold to the beggar.
一个乞丐在集市捡到了一个别人遗失的皮钱包。他打开钱包一看，发现里面有100枚金币。这时，他听到一个商人大声叫喊： “有重谢啊！谁发现我的皮钱包有重谢啊！”
乞丐很诚实，走过去把钱包递给商人说： “这是你的钱包吧，我现在可以得到重谢了吗？”
“重谢？” 商人一边贪婪地数着金币，一边嘲讽地说： “啊，我丢失的钱包里有200枚金币，你偷走的金币比我要给你重谢的还要多。走开，不然我要叫警察了！”
“我是个诚实的人！” 乞丐反驳道， “我们到法庭评理去！”
法庭上，法官耐心地听完双方的陈述，然后说： “我相信你们两个人，法律是公正的！商人，你说你丢失的钱包里有200枚金币，这可是相当大的一笔钱。但是这个乞丐发现的钱包里只有100枚金币，因此，这个钱包不是你丢的那个。”
法官说完之后，就把钱包和所有的金币都判给了乞丐。
单词注解
implore v. 恳求，哀求
decline v. 谢绝；下降
delegation n. 代表团
bid n. 告别
leather n. 皮革
marketplace n. 集市
reward n. 奖赏
considerable a. 相当大（多）的
实用句型
……he added to the official beside him，as the convict slunk away……
当那个罪犯偷偷溜走时，他接着对身旁的这位官员说。
Justice is possible！
法律是公正的！
智慧点津
People always see the faults of others，and hardly realize that the behavior of others mirrors themselves.
人们往往只能看到别人的错误，殊不知，自己的不良行为和别人的没有什么两样。
Blind greed will only lose more.
一味的贪婪只会失去更多。
The Owl and the Ass
猫头鹰和驴
A blind ass，which had undertaken a long journey，wandered from the road into a forest. As the night came on，our foolish fellow went so far into the thicket that it couldn't move either backward or forward; and even one who had eyes would have been unable to get out of that difficulty. But an owl，by good luck，happened to be in the neighbourhood，and offered to act as a guide to the ass.
We all know how well owls see at night. Hills，hillocks，precipices-all these our owl distinguished as if it had been daylight. By daybreak，it had made its way with the ass to the level road. Now，how could any one part with such a guide? So the ass entreated the owl not to desert it，and determined to visit the whole world in the owl's company. Our owl seated itself like a lord on the back of the ass，and the two friends began to continue their journey.
But did it prosper? No. The sun had scarcely begun to glow in the morning sky，when a greater than nocturnal darkness hid everything from the owl's eyes. But our owl is obstinate; it directs the ass at random.
“Take care！” it cries. “We shall tumble into a pool，if we go to the right.”
There was really no pool on the right; but on the left there was even worse.
“Keep more to the left-another pace to the left！”
And，the owl and the ass fell into the ravine together.
一头瞎眼的驴子在长途跋涉时迷了路，走进了森林。夜幕降临时，这头蠢驴钻进了灌木丛，进退不得。就是视力好的动物也没有办法摆脱这个困境。幸运的是，一只猫头鹰恰好在附近，它乐意为驴子当向导。
众所周知，猫头鹰在夜间视力很好，山丘啦、悬崖啦--它都能辨认出来，就像在白天一样。黎明时分，它已领着驴子来到了平地上。现在，谁愿意离开这么好的向导呢？于是驴子恳求猫头鹰不要撇下它，驴子决意与它结伴一同环游世界。猫头鹰像君主般端坐在驴背上，这两个好朋友继续它们的旅行。
但是，这能行得通吗？不能。清晨，太阳刚刚放射出光芒，猫头鹰眼前就出现了比夜幕还黑的黑暗，什么也看不见了。可是，它一意孤行，随意地指挥着驴子。
“小心，” 猫头鹰喊道， “要是往右走，我们会掉进池塘里去的。”
实际上，右边根本没有什么池塘，左边的情况反而更糟。
“再往左边一点儿，往左迈一步。”
结果，猫头鹰和驴一起掉进了深谷。
The Belly and Its Members
肚子和它的器官
In former days，when all a man's limbs did not work together as amicably as they do now，but each had a will and way of its own，the members generally began to find fault with the belly for spending an idle luxurious life，while they were wholly occupied in laboring for its support，and ministering to its wants and pleasure; so they entered into a conspiracy to cut off its supplies for the future; The hands were no longer to carry food to the mouth，nor the mouth to receive the food，nor the teeth to chew it.
They had not long persisted in this course of starving the belly into subjection，ere they all began，one by one，to fail and flag，and the whole body to pine away. Then the members were convinced that the belly also，cumbersome and useless as it seemed，had an important function of its own; that they could no more do without it than it could do without them; and that if they would have the constitution of the body in a healthy state，they must work together，each in his proper sphere，for the common good of all.
以前，人的四肢并不是像现在这样友好地合作。它们有各自的意志和行事方式。人体的其他器官指责肚子过着悠闲、奢侈的生活，而它们则为它终日忙碌着，给它吃给它喝，让它快乐。后来，它们密谋要切断对肚子的供应。手不再把食物送到嘴里，嘴不再接受东西，牙齿也不再咀嚼了。
它们本想让肚子挨饿，从而使它屈服，可是，没过多久它们就坚持不住了。它们个个感到疲倦乏力，整个身体也消瘦下来了。此时，这些器官才认为，肚子虽然看似笨拙、无用，实际上却有其重要的作用；它们离不开肚子，而肚子也同样离不开它们；如果想让身体保持健康，它们就得为了共同的利益精诚合作，各司其职。
单词注解
thicket n. 丛林
distinguish v. 区分，辨别
obstinate a. 固执的
amicably a. 友善地
cumbersome a. 笨重的
实用句型
A blind ass，which had undertaken a long journey，wandered from the road into a forest.
一头瞎眼的驴子在长途跋涉时迷了路，走进了森林。
We shall tumble into a pool.
我们会掉进池塘里去的。
So they entered into a conspiracy to cut off its supplies for the future.
它们密谋要切断对肚子的供应。
智慧点津
Not always properly guide，could not trust your leader superstitiously.
没有永远正确的向导，不能迷信领导。
We must work together，each in his proper sphere，for the common good of all.
我们应该为了共同的利益，精诚合作，各司其职。
The Number One Scholar and the Beggar
状元和乞丐
One day one of God's messengers descended to the world and happened to meet an eminent monk who was telling fortunes for two boys. The monk pointed at one of the boys saying “Number One Scholar” ，and at another one “Beggar”.
Twenty years later，the messenger came down to the world again. When he saw the previous two boys，he was puzzled about the outcome: the original “Number One Scholar” now became a beggar while the original “Beggar” turned into a Number One Scholar instead.
So the messenger went to ask God.
God answered， “I endow everyone with talent，which only decides one third of his destiny while the rest lies in how he grasps it.”
Life is just like this.
一天，上帝的一个使者来到了人间，他遇到了一位高僧，这位高僧正在为两个孩子占卜前程。高僧指着其中一个孩子说 “状元” ，然后指着另一个孩子说 “乞丐” 。
20年后，上帝的使者又来到了人间，看到了先前的那两个孩子，结果让他百思不得其解：当初的 “状元” 如今成了乞丐，而当初的 “乞丐” 反而成了状元。
于是，使者去问上帝。
上帝说： “我赋予每个人的天分只决定他命运的三分之一，其余的则在于他如何去把握。”
人生就是这样。
The Cat and the Bell
猫和铃铛
There were many mice in a house. The man of the house got a cat. The cat killed many of the mice.
Then the oldest mouse said， “All mice must come to my hole tonight，and we will think what we can do about this cat.”
All the mice came. Many mice spoke，but none knew what to do. At last a young mouse stood up and said， “We must put a bell on the cat. Then，when the cat comes near，we shall hear the bell and run away and hide. So the cat will not catch any more mice.”
Then the old mouse asked， “Who will put the bell on the cat?” No mouse answered.
He waited，but still no one answered.
At last he said， “It is not hard to say things; but it is harder to do them.”
房子里有许多老鼠。房主找来一只猫，这只猫吃掉了很多老鼠。
这时，最老的一只老鼠说: “今天晚上，所有的老鼠必须到我的洞里来，我们要想点办法，来对付这只猫。”
所有的老鼠都来了。很多老鼠都发言了，但是，谁也不知道该怎么办。最后，有一只年轻的老鼠站起来说: “我们必须在猫的身上挂一个铃铛，这样一来，当猫走近时，我们听到铃声，就可以躲起来了，猫就再也抓不到老鼠了。”
这时，一只年老的老鼠说: “谁去给猫挂铃铛呢？” 没有一只老鼠回答。
它等了一会儿，仍然没人回答。
最后，它说: “说起来容易，但做起来难啊。”
单词注解
messenger n. 使者
eminent a. 杰出的
destiny n. 命运
实用句型
One day one of God's messengers descended to the world and happened to meet an eminent monk who was telling fortunes for two boys。
一天，上帝的一个使者来到了人间，他遇到了一位高僧，这位高僧正在为两个孩子占卜前程。
God answered， “I endow everyone with talent，which only decides one third of his destiny while the rest lies in how he grasps it.”
上帝说： “我赋予每个人的天分只决定他命运的三分之一，其余的则在于他如何去把握。”
智慧点津
Every man is the architect of his own fortune.
每一个人都是自身幸福的建筑师。
It is not hard to say things; but it is harder to do them.
说起来容易，做起来难。
The Proud Oyster