中國寓言故事雙語版 第139期:半斤八兩
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
半斤八兩In the past, the grandson of a prime minister was a notorious spendthrift.
從前，有個宰相的孫子是有名的敗家子。
He squandered all the family property and couldn’t even afford his own meals, so he often borrowed rice from others.
他把家產都敗光了，連飯也吃不上，常常向別人家借米。
Once he borrowed another bag of carried it half- way and couldn’t go any further, so he rested by the roadside.
有一次，他又借到了一袋米，背到半路上背不動了，只好在路旁歇腳。At this moment, a poor man in rags happened to pass by. He called this poor man, set the pay and let the poor man carry the rice for him.
這時候，恰巧前面走來一個窮人，穿着破衣破褲。他就叫住窮人，講好了工錢後，讓窮人爲他背米。Unexpectedly, after carrying the rice for some distance, the poor man also panted and couldn’t walk any grandson complained:
不料，走了一段路程，窮人也氣喘吁吁，走不動了。他就埋怨說:“I am the grandson of a prime minister. It is natural that I can neither lift with my hands nor carry on my shoulder anything heavy.
“我是宰相的孫子，手不能提，肩不能挑，那是常事。
But you are from a poor family. Why are you also so useless?”
你是窮人出身，爲什麼也這樣不中用呢?”Unwilling to give in, the poor man glared and retorted:
那人不服氣，翻翻白眼說:“How can you blame me? I am not from a poor family. I am the grandson of a prime minister, too.”
“你怎麼能怪我，我並不是窮人出身，我也是宰相的孫子呢!”
