英文短故事：The Merchant and The Money Lender

In a small town, there lived a merchant. He ran a small business. Unfortunately, he lost all his money in business. “I can’t stay like this. I have to do something. I will go to the next town and invest in another business," he thought to himself. 

 

So he made arrangement for his departure. He took all he had and prepared to leave. There was an iron weighing balance which he could not take along with him. So he took it to his friend the money lender. “Friend, I am going on business to the next town. Will you please keep this iron balance for me till I return?" requested the merchant. 

 

“Surely. Why not? May you prosper¹ more than before and return," wished the money lender. 

 

The merchant did very well in the next town and after a while had earned a good amount of money. He decided² to go back to his home town. He returned home a rich man. 

 

He went to his friend the money lender. “Hello friend, I am back. Can you please return my iron weighing balance? I will need it to resume³ my business here." It was a good weighing balance and the money lender was a selfish man. 

 

So he said, “I am very sorry my friend. I kept your iron balance in my store room, but the rats ate it up." 

 

The merchant knew that his friend the money lender was lying. He pretended to believe him and then asked, “My friend, I want to take a bath in the river. Will you send your little son with me? I want him to keep an eye on my clothes and my money bag." 

 

The money lender readily⁴ agreed and sent his little son along with the merchant. The merchant took the little boy and locked him up in a place in the outskirts⁵ of the town and went back to the money lender. 

 

He said, “I am very sorry my friend, while I was walking down to the river with your son, an eagle swooped⁶ down and carried him away." 

 

“You are lying," shouted the money lender angrily. “Return my son or I will take you to the judge." 

 

“Come, let us go," said the merchant. 

 

Hearing the merchant’s story about the eagle, the judge said, “Are you trying to fool me? How can an eagle fly away with a boy?" 

 

“If rats can eat an iron weighing balance, why can’t an eagle fly away with a boy?" asked the merchant. 

 

“Explain yourself," ordered the confused judge. After listening to the whole story, the judge could not help smiling. He turned to the dishonest money lender and said, “He paid you back with the same coin. Return his weighing balance to him and he will return your son to you."  

1 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 resume   

v.（中断后）继续，恢复；n.摘要，简历

参考例句：

• We'll stop now and resume at two o 'clock.我们现在停下来，到两点再干。
• My resume shows that I have the right qualifications for the job.我的简历表明我正符合这项工作的条件。

4 readily   

adv.欣然地，容易地，很快地，立即

参考例句：

• I promise all costs will be readily returned.我保证所有的费用会迅速偿还。
• Most plastics do not readily conduct heat or electricity.大多数塑料不易传热或导电。

5 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

6 swooped   

俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。
• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。