1. A new pair of shoes
篇一 測腳買鞋
Once a man needed a new pair of shoes. This man was very good at math. He knew that in order to get shoes that would fit perfectly it would be necessary to measure his shoe size with precision.
曾經有一個人，需要一雙新鞋子。這個人非常擅長數學。他知道，要想得到一雙最合腳的鞋子，就必須精確地測量自己的鞋碼。
The man knew how to measure very accurately. He also knew how to draw diagrams that were very accurate. So, before he went to the marketplace, he drew very detailed diagrams of his feet on a piece of paper. He carefully measured his feet, and he wrote the exact dimensions of each foot on the diagrams. Then before leaving the house, like a good mathematician, he rechecked his figures.
他知道如何做到非常準確的測量，以及如何繪制出非常精確的圖紙。于是，在去市場之前，他在一張紙上繪制出了自己雙腳的非常詳細的尺寸圖。他仔細測量了自己的雙腳，并把每只腳的確切尺寸標注在圖紙上。然后，在出門之前，就像一位優秀的數學家一樣，他又重新核對了一遍每個數值。
It was a very long way from the man's home to the market where he intended to buy the shoes. It was past mid-day when the man arrived at the market. When he reached a stall where shoes were being sold, the man realized that he had forgotten to bring the paper that he had so carefully written his measurements on. He turned around and walked all the way back home to get it.
他家到他打算買鞋的市場之間的路途非常遠。當他來到市場時已經是午后。他走到一個賣鞋子的攤位前，才恍然想起自己忘記把那張自己千辛萬苦才繪制好的圖紙帶在身上了。于是，他轉身，一口氣走回了家，去取圖紙。
It was nearly sunset when the man arrived back at the market. The market was closing, and the shoemaker had packed up all of his shoes to take them home.
他回到市場時已經幾近黃昏。市場正要打烊，鞋匠已經把所有鞋子都打好了包，準備帶回家。
"Foolish man," the shoemaker told the man when he was asked to unpack his wares to sell shoes to the man. "Why did you not just try on the shoes in my store? Why did you need to go home and get your diagrams?"
“你個笨蛋，”當他要求鞋匠打開包裹賣給他鞋子時，鞋匠質問他道，“你第一次來我店里時，為什么不直接試穿鞋子？為什么非得回家取圖紙？”
The man, ashamed, hung his head down. "I guess I believed there was only one way to solve my problem. I should have thought to check with others if they knew better solutions that might have worked as well, or even better than my own."
這個人羞愧地垂下頭說：“我想，我當時認為只有一種方法能解決我的問題。我本應該想到去問下其他人是否有同樣有效、甚至更好的解決辦法?！?/p>

2. Puppies for Sale
篇二 男孩與殘疾小狗
A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale." Signs like that have a way of attracting small children and sure enough, a little boy appeared by the store owner's sign. "For how much are you going to sell the puppies?" he asked. The store owner replied: "For anything between $30-$50."
店主在商店門口掛出了一張寫有“出售小狗”字樣的招牌。這樣的招牌一定會吸引孩子們的注意。果然，有一個小男孩出現在招牌旁?！澳业男」焚u多少錢？”小男孩問道。店主回答說：“30至50美元不等?！?br />The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "May I please look at them?" The store owner smiled and whistled, out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind.
小男孩將小手伸進衣兜里，掏出了一些零錢。“我有2美元37美分?！彼f。 “我可以看看它們嗎？”店主微笑著吹了聲口哨，從狗舍里走出一位女士，她沿著商店的過道走來，后面跟著五個毛茸茸的小家伙。其中一只小狗落在其他幾只后面很遠。
Immediately the little boy singled out the limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?" The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. "That is the little puppy that I want to buy." The store owner said: "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."
小男孩立刻把那只跛腳的小狗挑了出來，問道：“那只小狗怎么了？”店主解釋說：獸醫給這只小狗做過檢查，發現它沒有膝蓋骨。它將永遠這么一瘸一拐的，永遠無法恢復正常。小男孩興奮起來，說道：“我要買這只小狗。”店主說：“你是不會想買那只小狗的。如果你真的想要它，我就把它送給你。”
The little boy got quite upset. He looked into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger at him, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me. That dog is worth every bit of the full price, as much as all the other dogs. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have paid for him."
小男孩變得有點心煩意亂。他看著商店店主的眼睛，用手指著那只小狗，說道：“我不想讓您把它送給我。那只小狗應當值與其他小狗同樣的價錢。我打算，現在付給您2美元37美分，然后每個月再付給您50美分，直到我付清這只小狗的全部價錢?！?br />The store owner objected: "You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies."
店主反駁說：“孩子，你真的不會想買這只小狗的。它永遠不能像其他小狗一樣活蹦亂跳地陪你玩耍?！?br />In response, the little boy reached down and rolled up the left part of his pants to reveal a badly twisted, crippled leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so good myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"
聽到店主這樣的說辭后，小男孩彎下腰，卷起自己左側的褲腿，露出由一副大金屬支架支撐的嚴重扭曲殘疾的左腿。然后，他抬頭望著店主，輕聲回答說：“其實，我的腿腳也不太好，這只小狗需要一個懂它的主人！”