朗读英语美文（187）国王与鞋匠
Once upon a time, there was a king who worried day and night about what tomorrow might bring.
很久以前，有一个国王，他整日担心明天会发生什么事，整日忧心忡忡。
He feared he would lose his power, his wife might not love him, his subjects would become disloyal.
他担心自己会失去王权，担心王后不再爱他，担心他的子民可能会对他不忠。
He could not sleep for all his worries about the future.
他整日担心未来，以至于不能入睡。
One day the king noticed a poor cobbler hard at work in the marketplace.
有一天，国王在集市上看到一个穷苦的修鞋匠，他正在努力工作。
The fellow wore ragged clothes and was thin as a blade of grass, but his smile was bright as the moon.
鞋匠穿得破破烂烂的，瘦得皮包骨，可是他脸上却挂着明媚如月光一般的笑容。
Surely this man must worry, how could he smile so brightly? The king decided to find out.
这个人肯定有很多烦恼，他怎么能笑得这么灿烂？国王决定一探究竟。
The next day the king dressed in rags and walked to the market just as the cobbler was finishing his work.
第二天，国王穿得破破烂烂，来到了集市，这时鞋匠刚刚干完活儿。
Secretly he followed the cobbler and watched him buy a loaf of bread before returning to his tumbledown hut.
国王悄悄跟在鞋匠后面，看到他买了一条面包，接着走回了一幢摇摇欲坠的小屋。
When the cobbler was inside, the king knocked upon the door.
鞋匠走进小屋后，国王敲了敲门。
When the cobbler answered, the king said, “Please sir, can you spare some food for a beggar?”
鞋匠来打开了门，国王说道，“亲爱的先生，你能给我这个乞丐一点食物吗？”
“Of course,” the cobbler said.
“当然，” 鞋匠说。
As they were eating, the king asked, “Why are you so happy?”
两人一起吃面包的时候，国王问道，“你为什么如此快乐？”
“Today I earned enough money fixing shoes to buy this loaf of bread!”
今天我修鞋子赚了不少钱，够买下这条面包啦。”
“But what if you don’t earn enough for food tomorrow?” the king asked.
“可是，如果你明天赚的钱不够买面包怎么办呢？”国王问道。
“I have faith,” the cobbler answered. “All will be well.”
我有信心，” 鞋匠说，“一切都会好起来的。”
This impressed the king, and when he left, he wondered what would happen if the cobbler could not earn his bread.
国王深受触动，他离开小屋之后，又开始好奇，如果鞋匠没有赚够钱，他会怎么做。
Surely then he would not have such faith.
到那时，他就不会信心这么足了吧。
The king decided to test the cobbler.
国王决定试试这个鞋匠。
The next morning in the marketplace, the cobbler saw a new sign in the marketplace.
第二天，在集市上，鞋匠发现集市上多了一张告示。
The king had decreed[dɪ’kriːd] no one was permitted to repair shoes.
原来是国王下令，不允许任何人修理鞋子。
From this day on, whenever someone’s shoes wore out, that person must buy a new pair.
从这一天开始，如果一个人的鞋子坏了，他就必须买一双新鞋。
The cobbler was puzzled, but he did not despair.
鞋匠感到十分疑惑，但他并没有绝望。
When he saw an old woman trying to pull a heavy bucket of water from the well, he walked over to help and carried her bucket home for her.
这时，鞋匠看到一个老妇人在井边取水，沉沉的水桶里装满了水。鞋匠走到老妇人身边，帮她提起水桶，一路把她送回了家。
“Thank you, son,” she said, and she rewarded him with a coin.
“谢谢你，好心人。”老妇人说，作为感激，她送了一枚钱币给鞋匠。
That evening the king once again dressed in rags and hurried to the cobbler’s hut.
这天晚上，国王又穿得破衣烂衫，急匆匆的来到了鞋匠的小屋。
“Surely he’ll be weeping tonight,” the king said, but through the window, he saw the cobbler sipping soup and smiling.
“今晚他准会哭鼻子，”国王自言自语的说，可是透过窗户，他却看到鞋匠正在喝汤，脸上洋溢着幸福的微笑。
The king knocked. “I came to see if you were all right,” he said,
国王敲了敲门，“我来看看你情况如何，”他对鞋匠说。
“for I saw the new decree. How on earth did you pay for this soup since you could not fix shoes?”
因为我看到了那条告示。既然你不能修鞋子，你是怎么喝上肉汤的呢？
“I carried water,” the cobbler said. “Please, come in and share my soup. You look hungry.”
我帮村民们提水，挣到了不少钱。”鞋匠说，“来吧，快进屋喝点汤，你看上去饿了。”
“But what will you do tomorrow?” the king asked. How could this man have such faith?
“可是你明天打算怎么办？”国王问道。这个人怎么会这么有信心？他心想。
“I have faith,” the cobbler said. “All will be well.”
我有信心，”鞋匠说，“一切都会好起来的。”
The king approached the cobbler and asked, “Do you know who I am?”
国王走到鞋匠身边，问道，“你知道我是谁吗？”
“Of course,” the cobbler said, “you are the king.”
当然，”鞋匠说，“你是国王陛下。”
The king shook his head and said, “I am the beggar who came to your door,” and then he told the cobbler of his tests.
国王摇摇头说道，“我只是到你门前来行乞的乞丐。”接着他把自己是怎么试练鞋匠的事情全都告诉了他。
“Your faith has driven away my fears about the future,” the king said, and he announced the cobbler would become his most trusted adviser.
“你对未来的信心赶走了我对未来的恐惧，”国王说道，然后他宣布说，要任命鞋匠为他最信赖的谋臣。