首页 -> 2006年第4期

朝三暮四

作者：童　童

　　There was an old man who kept a group of monkeys. Every day he fed each monkey four chestnuts （栗子）for breakfast and another four for supper.
　　从前有个老人养了一群猴子。他每天给每只猴子四颗栗子作早餐，四颗栗子作晚餐。
　　
　　Afterａwhile，the old man couldn’t afford(提供)it any more.So he asked the monkeys,“can I feed you only three chestnuts in the morning and four at night ?”
　　经过一段时间，老人再也负担不起了。于是他问猴子：“我早上给你们三颗栗子晚上给你们四颗栗子，可以吗？”
　　
　　The monkeys were not happy.They jumped up and down in anger.
　　猴子们听了很不高兴，它们生气地跳来跳去。
　　
　　“Then how ahout four chestnuts in the morning and three at night?”the old man asked.
　　“那早上四颗晚上三颗怎么样啊？”老人问道。
　　
　　The monkeys were so happy to get four chestnuts for breakfast.But they did not realise that they had been tricked(欺骗)to accept three chestnuts in the night.
　　猴子们见能得到四颗栗子作早餐都很高兴。但是它们没有意识到晚上只能得到三颗栗子，它们被欺骗了。