Lesson 21: The Fable of the Woodcutter
第二十一课：樵夫的寓言
Long ago, there was a good and honest woodcutter.
很久以前，有一位诚实善良的樵夫。
One day, when he was cutting wood beside a lake, he lost his axe in the water.
一天，他正在湖边砍树时，他的斧头掉进了水里。
The water was deep, and he could not get his axe back.
水很深，他的斧头找不回来。
He had only one axe, and he needed it to make his living. He sat down and began to cry.
他只有这把斧子，而且靠它生活。他坐下来，开始哭泣。
As he cried, a spirit appeared. She asked the man what was wrong.
当他哭的时候，有个天使出现了。她问樵夫怎么了？
She listened to the woodcutter and felt sorry for him. But what could she do to help?
她听樵夫说完，感到非常遗憾。但是她能做些什么来帮助他呢？
Suddenly she came up with a great idea.
突然，她想到了一个好主意。
The spirit dove into the lake and brought back a gold axe.
天使潜入了湖里，带回了一把金斧头。
"Is this the axe you lost?" asked the good spirit.
"这把斧头是你的吗？"好心的天使问道。
The man looked at the gold axe, knowing it wasn't his.
樵夫看着金斧头，知道不是自己的。
Because he was honest, he admitted to the spirit that it wasn't his axe.
因为他很诚实，并告诉了天使那把不是他的斧头。
So the spirit dove into the water again and brought back a silver axe.
所以天使再次潜入水里，带回了一把银斧头。
Once again, the man said that was not his axe.
这次，樵夫又说不是自己的斧头。
The spirit went down a third time and returned with the woodcutter's old axe.
天使第三次潜入水里，带回了樵夫的那把旧斧头。
"That is the right one!" said the woodcutter."
就是这把斧头！"樵夫说道。
The spirit was so happy with the woodcutter's honesty that she gave him the other two axes as presents.
樵夫如此诚实，让天使感到欣慰，于是，她把之前的两把斧头作为礼物一并送给了樵夫。
Honesty truly is the best policy.
诚为上策。
