許愿精靈

Once upon a time there lived a stone-cutter who went every day to a great rock in the side of a big mountain and cut out slabs for gravestones or for houses. He understood very well the kinds of stones wanted for the different purposes, and as he was a careful workman, he had plenty of customers. For a long time he was quite happy and content and asked for nothing better than what he had.

Now, in the mountain dwelt a spirit which now and then appeared to men and helped them in many ways to become rich and prosperous.The stone-cutter, however, had never seen this spirit and only shook his head with an unbelieving air when anyone spoke of it. But a time was coming when he learned to change his opinion.

從前有一位切石匠,他每天都會來到一座大山旁邊的巨石前,切割下一塊塊的石板用以制作石碑或建造房屋。他對不同目的該使用何種石材了如指掌,加上工作細致入微,他贏得了眾多顧客支持。因此很長一段時間以來,他感到非常快樂又心滿意足,除了現在擁有的一切,他并不奢求什么。

大山里住著一只精靈,它會不時出現在人們面前,通過各種方式讓他們富裕興旺起來。然而這位切石匠從未遇見過精靈,每次有人談及它時,他總是搖搖頭,一副懷疑的樣子。不過,一個偶然的機會將改變他的看法。

One day the stone-cutter carried a gravestone to the house of a rich man, and saw there all sorts of beautiful things of which he had never even dreamed. Suddenly his daily work seemed to grow harder and heavier, and he said to himself, “Oh, if only I were a rich man and could sleep in a bed with silken curtains and golden tassels, how happy I should be!”

And a voice answered him, “Your wish is heard; a rich man you shall be!”

At the sound of the voice the stone-cutter looked round but could see nobody. He thought it was all his fancy and picked up his tools and went home, for he did not feel inclined to do any more work that day. But when he reached the little house where he lived, he stood still with amazement, for instead of his wooden hut was a stately palace filled with splendid furniture, and most splendid of all was the bed, in every respect like the one he had envied. He was nearly beside himself with joy, and in his new life the old one was soon forgotten.

一天,切石匠給一個大戶人家運送石碑。他在那里看到了琳瑯滿目的漂亮物件,全都是他想都沒想過的東西。突然之間,他的日常工作顯得越發艱苦沉重,他自言自語道:“噢,如果我是一個有錢人,可以睡在掛有絲綢的床簾和金色流蘇的床上,那該有多幸福啊!”

一個聲音回答說:“你的愿望已傳達;你將成為一個有錢人!”

切石匠聞聲四處觀望,卻沒看見一個人影。他以為這只是自己的幻覺,收拾好工具便回家了,因為他沒什么心情繼續當天的活兒。但是,當他回到自己居住的小屋時,他驚嘆不已,呆立在那兒——眼前的不再是過去那間小木屋,而是一座富麗堂皇的宮殿,里面擺滿了華麗的家具,而最奢華的當屬那張床——它簡直與自己羨慕的那張床一模一樣。他欣喜若狂地過上新生活,很快就將過去的生活忘得一干二凈。