the Duration of Life

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　When God created the world and was about to determine the duration of life for all the creatures, the donkey came and asked, "Lord, how long am I to live?"

　　"Thirty years," answered God. "Is that all right with you?"

　　"Oh, Lord," replied the donkey, "that is a long time. Think of my tiresome existence carrying heavy loads from morning until night, dragging bags of grain to the mill so that others might eat bread, only to be cheered along and refreshed with kicks and blows! Spare me part of this long time."

　　So God had mercy and gave him eighteen years. the donkey went away satisfied, and the dog made his appearance.

　　"How long do you want to live?" said God to him. "Thirty years was too much for the donkey, but you will be satisfied with that long."

　　"Lord," answered the dog. "Is that your will? Just think how much I have to run. My feet will not hold out so long. And what can I do but growl and run from one corner to another after I have lost my voice for barking and my teeth for biting?"

　　God saw that he was right, and he took away twelve years. then came the monkey.

　　"Surely you would like to live thirty years," said the Lord to him. "You do not need to work like the donkey and the dog, and are always having fun."

　　"Oh, Lord," he answered, "so it appears, but it is different. When it rains porridge, I don't have a spoon. I am always supposed to be playing funny tricks and making faces so people will laugh, but when they give me an apple and I bite into it, it is always sour. How often is sorrow hidden behind a joke. I cannot put up with all that for thirty years!"

　　God had mercy and gave him ten years. Finally man made his appearance. Cheerful, healthy, and refreshed, he asked God to determine the duration of his life.

　　"You shall live thirty years," spoke the Lord. "Is that enough for you?"

　　"What a short time!" cried the man. "When I have built a house and a fire is burning on my own hearth, when I have planted trees that blossom and bear fruit, and am just beginning to enjoy life, then I am to die. Oh, Lord, extend my time."

　　"I will add the donkey's eighteen years," said God.

　　"That is not enough," replied the man.

　　"You shall also have the dog's twelve years."

　　"Still too little."

　　"Well, then," said God, "I will give you the monkey's ten years as well, but you shall receive no more."

　　the man went away, but he was not satisfied.

　　Thus man lives seventy years. the first thirty are his human years, and they quickly disappear. Here he is healthy and happy; he works with pleasure, and enjoys his existence. The donkey's eighteen years follow. Here one burden after the other is laid on him; he carries the grain that feeds others, and his faithful service is rewarded with kicks and blows. Then come the dog's twelve years, and he lies in the corner growling, no longer having teeth with which to bite. And when this time is past, the monkey's ten years conclude. Now man is weak headed and foolish; he does silly things and becomes a laughingstock for children.

上帝創(chuàng)造了這個世界，準(zhǔn)備給萬物的生命，這時驢子走了過來問道：“主啊，我將活多少年？”“三十年，”上帝回答道，“你滿意嗎？”“啊！主呀，”驢子答道，“那夠長了。想想我活得多苦呀！每天從早到晚背著沉重的負擔(dān)，把一袋的谷子拖進作坊，而其他人可以吃麵包，他們只知用打我、踢我來的方式鼓舞我、振作我。請把我從這漫長的痛苦歲月中解放出來吧。”上帝很同情它，就減了它十八年的壽命。驢子心中寬慰地走了。接著狗又來了。“你想活多久？”上帝問，“三十年對驢來說太長了，但你會滿意吧！”“主呀，”狗回答說，“這是你的意志嗎？想想我將怎樣狂奔，我的腳決不可能堅持那么久，當(dāng)我一旦不能叫了，除了從一個角落跑到另一個角落，我還能干甚么呢？”上帝見它說得對，減了它十二年壽命。接著猴子來了。“你一定愿意活三十年吧？”上帝對它說，“你不必像驢和狗那樣干活，卻可以享受生活。”“啊！主呀，”它回答，“過去也許是這樣，但現(xiàn)在已大不同了。如果天降小米粥，我可沒有勺兒。我總是干些發(fā)笑的勾當(dāng)，比如做做鬼臉逗人發(fā)笑。如果他們給我一個蘋果吃，我就大咬一口，不過它是酸的。悲哀常常藏在歡笑之后！三十年我可耐不住。”上帝仁慈，減了它十年。

　　最后人類出現(xiàn)了，他是那樣地開心、健康而又充滿生命力，他請上帝指定他的壽命。“你將活三十年，”上帝說，“夠長了嗎？”“太短了，”人說，“當(dāng)我剛建起我的房子、在自己的灶上燒火時，當(dāng)我辛勤栽培的樹木剛開花結(jié)果時，當(dāng)我正準(zhǔn)備享受生活時，我卻要死了！哦，主呀，請延長我的生命吧！”“加上驢子的十八年。”上帝說。“那還不夠。”人回答。“那再加上狗的十二年。”“還是太少了。”“那么，”上帝說，“我再給你猴子的十年，但不能再多了。”人走了，但還是不滿意。

　　這樣人活七十歲，起先三十年是他的本份，但瞬息即逝，這階段他健康、快樂，高興地工作，生活也充滿了歡樂。接下來是驢子的十八年，這時候，生活的負擔(dān)壓在肩上，他得辛勤地勞作養(yǎng)活他人，他這種忠實的服務(wù)換來的卻是拳打和腳踢。然后是狗的十二年，那時他失去了利齒，咬不動?xùn)|西，只能躺在墻腳忿忿不平地低吼。這痛苦日子過后，猴子般的生活結(jié)束了他最后的一生。這時，他傻頭傻腦，糊里糊涂，成了孩子們捉弄、嘲笑的對象。