学进去

Once there was a famine (饥荒) in the town. A rich and kind cook gave some bread to the poorest children. He said to them, “In this basket, there is some bread for you. Each of you can have a piece of bread every day until the hard days end.”

The hungry children ran to the basket quickly. They shouted and fought for the bread because each wished to have the largest one. At last they went away, not thanking the good man. But Shirley, a poorly-dressed little girl, did not join them. She stood quietly around there. When the other children left, she took the smallest one left in the basket, kissed the cook’s hand and went home.

The next day the children were as noisy as before. Poor shy Shirley still took the smallest bread. When she got home, her mother cut the bread open. Many pieces of silver (银) fell out of it. Her mother was very surprised and said, “Take the money back to the good man at once. Be quick, Shirley! Be quick!”

But when the little girl gave the cook her mother’s message, he said, “No, no, my child. It was true. I put silver into the smallest one to reward (奖励) you because you are kind and honest (诚实的). Go home, and the money is yours now.”