那些給我智慧和勇氣的寓言故事75:瘸子之鄉

The Land of the Halt

瘸子之鄉

Many years since in a small territory, there was not one of the inhabitants who did not stutter when he spoke, and halt in walking; both these defects, moreover, were considered accomplishments.

很多年前，在一個很小的地方，住在那裏的所有居民都有口吃且瘸着腿走路，而這兩種缺陷居然還被視爲才能。

A stranger saw the evil, and thinking how they would admire his walking, went about without halting, after the usual manner Of our race.

一個外地人到了那裏，看到了這樣的缺陷，以爲那裏的居民會羨慕他的走姿。於是，他沒有跛腳，而是按照正常人的走姿走來走去。

Every one stopped to look at him, and all those who looked, laughed, and holding their sides to repress their merriment, shouted,

當地人都停下來看他，都哈哈大笑起來。最後，他們好不容易忍住笑喊道：

"Teach the strenger how to walk properly! " The stranger considered it his duty to cast the reproach from himself. "

“來教教這個外地人怎樣正確地走路吧” 這個外地人覺得自己有責任反駁他們：你們纔是瘸子，

You halt, he cried, "It is not I, you must accustom yourselves to leave off so awkward a habit!"

他高聲喊道：“不是我，你們必須改掉這種難看的走姿！”

This only increased the uproars, when they heard him speak; he did not even stammer; this was sufficient to disgrace him, and he was laughed at throughout the country.

這使當地人更加譁然大笑。因爲他們聽他說話居然還不口吃！這真讓人覺得丟臉啊。他所到之處，都會遭到別人的嘲笑。