[幸福人的衬衣] 幸福人的衬衣阅读
时间：2018-12-28 03:23:36 来源：柠檬阅读网 本文已影响 人 
Aking had an only son that he thought the world of1. But this prince(王子) was always unhappy. He would spend days on end(连续地) at his window staring into space.
"What on earth do you lack?" asked the king. "What"s wrong with you?" "I don"t even know myself, Father."
"Are you in love?If there"s a particular girl you fancy(喜欢), tell me, and I"ll arrange for you to marry her, no matter whether she"s the daughter of the most powerful king on earth or the poorest peasant girl alive!" "No, Father, I"m not in love."
The king tried in every way imaginable2 to cheer him up, but theaters, balls, concerts, and singing were all useless, and day by day the rosy hue(颜色) drained3 from the prince" s face.
The king issued a decree (法令), and from every coner of the earth came the most learned (博学的) philosophers, doctors, and professors.The king showed them the prince and asked for their advice. The wise men withdrew to think, then returned to the king."Majesty (陛下), we have giventhematter close thoughtandwehave studied the stars. Here"s what you must do. Look for a happy man,a man who"s happy through and through4,and exchange your son"s shirt for his."
That same day the king sent ambassadors to all parts of the world in search of the happy man. A priest （神父）was taken to the king. "Are you happy?" asked the king. "Yes, indeed, Majesty."
"Fine. How would you like to be my bishop（主教）？" "Oh, Majesty, if only5 it were so!"
"Away with you!Get out of my sight！I"m seeking a man who"s happy just as he is, not one who"s trying to better（改善）his lot."
Thus the search resumed （重新开始）, and before long the king was told about a neighboring king, who everybody said was a truly happy man. He had a wife as good as she was beautiful and a whole slew （许多，大量）of children. He had conquered all his enemies,and his country was at peace.Again hopefully,the king immediately sent ambassadors to him to ask for his shirt.
The neighboring king received the ambassadors and said, "Yes, indeed, I have everything anybody could possibly want.But at the same time I worry because I"ll have to die one day and leave it all. I can"t sleep at night for worrying about that!" The ambassadors thought it wiser to go home without this man"s shirt.
At his wit" s end（智穷计尽）,the king went hunting. He fired at a hare（野兔） but only wounded it, and the hare scampered（奔跑）away on three legs.The king pursued it,leaving the hunting party far behind him.Out in the open field he heard a man singing a refrain （叠歌）.The king stopped in his tracks. "Whoever sings like that is bound to be happy!"The song led him into a vineyard (葡萄园),where he found a young man singing and pruning(修剪) the vines.
"Good day, Majesty," said the youth. "So early and already out in the country?"
"Bless you! Would you like me to take you to the capital? You will be my friend."
"Much obliged (十分感谢),Majesty,but I wouldn"t even consider it. I wouldn"t even change places with the Pope(教皇)." "Why not? Such a fine young man like you..."
"No, no, I tell you. I"m content with just what I have and want nothing more." "A happy man at last!" thought the king. "Listen, young man. Do me a favor."
"With all my heart, Majesty, if I can." "Wait just a minute," said the king, who, unable to contain his joy any longer, ran to get his retinue(随从). "Come with me! My son is saved! My son is saved!" And he took them to the young man. "My dear lad(小伙子)," he began. "I"ll give you whatever you want! But give me... give me..."
"What, Majesty?....My son is dying! Only you can save him. Come here!"
The king grabbed him and started unbuttoning the youth"s jacket. All of a sudden he stopped, and his arms fell to his sides.The happy man wore no shirt.
注释：
1．think the world of[口]常看重(或喜爱、钦佩)
2.imaginable adj.[与all，every，only等连用时，常放在被修饰的名词后]可想像的，想得到的
3．drain vt．消耗，渐渐耗尽
4．through and through完全，彻底
5．if only要是…多好
从前有个国王，他有个独生儿子，视若掌上明珠。可是，这个王子总是闷闷不乐，每天坐在窗口凝视苍天，消磨日子。
“你到底缺什么呢？”国王问道，“哪儿不舒服吗？”“爸爸，我自己也搞不清楚。”
“你恋爱了？如果你特别喜欢哪个姑娘的话，告诉我，我会为你操办，让你跟她结婚。不论她是最强大国家国王的公主，还是世上最贫寒的农家姑娘，我都可以办到！”“不，爸爸，我没在恋爱。”
国王想尽一切办法试图使儿子快活起来，可是，让他看戏，举办舞会、音乐会和演唱会都无济于事，而王子玫瑰色的脸庞却一天天在消瘦、干瘪。
国王发布了一份求贤公告；于是，一些最博学的哲学家、医生、教授从世界各地纷至沓来。国王让他们看了王子，征求他们的意见。这些富有智慧的学者看过王子以后，回去思考了一阵子，回来对国王说：“陛下，我们已深入细致地考虑了王子情况，还研究了星相，认为您眼下必须做这样一件事：找个幸福的人，一个完完全全幸福的人，把您儿子的衬衣跟他的调换一下。”
当天，国王就派使者到世界各地去搜寻幸福的人。一个神父被召来见国王。“你幸福吗？”国王问道。“是的，我确实很幸福，陛下。”
“很好，你做我的主教怎么样？”“啊，陛下，我求之不得！”
“滚开！你给我滚得远远的！我要找的是自身就感到幸福的人，而不是一个得寸进尺的人。”
于是，又重新开始搜寻。不久，国王听说有位邻国国王，人们都说他是个真正幸福的人。他有个贤惠、美丽的妻子，而且儿女满堂。他征服了全部敌手，国家康泰安宁。于是，国王又满怀希望，马上派使者去见邻国国王，请求他赠送一件他的衬衣。
这位邻国国王接见了使者，说：“不错，世上人们想要的东西，我的确都有了。不过，与此同时，我也满怀忧虑，因为总有一天，我不得不离开人世，撇下这一切。我正在为这些事情发愁，夜不能寐呢！”使者们考虑了一下，认为不带这位邻国国王的衬衣回去，才是更明智的。
国王智穷计尽，便去打猎。他开枪打一只野兔，但只打伤了它。这只野兔仅靠三条腿奔跑着。国王追赶着野兔，把他的随行人员远远地抛在了后面。在树林外面的旷野里，国王听到有个人在唱叠歌，便收住脚步。“这样唱歌的人一定是很幸福的！”歌声把他引到了一座葡萄园。在那儿，他发现一个小伙子唱着歌儿在修剪葡萄枝。
“您好哇，陛下，”小伙子说，“这么早就到乡下来啦?”“你好!我把你带到都城去怎么样?你将成为我的朋友。”
“多谢您了，陛下，这种事儿我根本不想，就算教皇跟我换个位子，我也不干。”“为什么不干呢？像你这样能干的小伙子……”
“不，不，跟您说吧，我对我现有的一切感到心满意足，别无他求了。”“终于找到了一个幸福的人!”国王心想。“喂，小伙子，帮帮我的忙吧。”
“只要我能做到的，陛下，尽力效劳。”“等一会。”国王高兴得心花怒放，连忙跑回去找到他的随行人员说：“跟我来!我的儿子有救了!我的儿子有救了!”他带着他们来到小伙子身边。“我的好小伙子，”他说，“无论你想要什么，我都会给你的，但你得给我……给我……”
“给您什么，陛下?”“我的儿子快要死了!只有你才能救他。快过来吧！”
国王拽住他，开始解开小伙子的上衣扣子。突然，他停住了，双臂垂了下来。这个幸福的人没穿衬衣。
