寓言故事 皮匠和银行家 The Cobbler and the Banker

　　The Cobbler and the Banker 皮匠和银行家

　　La Fontaine/拉.封丹

　　A cobbler passed his time in singing from morning till night; it was wonderful to see, wonderful to hear him; he was more contented in making shoes, than was any of the seven sages. His neighbor, on the contrary, who was rolling in wealth, sung but little, and slept less. He was a banker; when by chance he fell into a doze at day-break, the cobbler awoke him with his song. The banker complained sadly that Providence had not made sleep a saleable commodity, like edibles or drinkables. Having at length sent for the songster, he said to him,

　　"How much a year do you earn, Master Gregory?"

　　"How much a year, sir?" said the merry cobbler laughing, "I never reckon in that way, living as I do from one day to another; somehow I manage to reach the end of the year; each day brings its meal."

　　"Well then! How much a day do you earn, my friend?"

　　"Sometimes more, sometimes less; but the worst of it is, -and, without that our earnings would be very tolerable, -a number of days occur in the year on which we are forbidden to work; and the curate, moreover, is constantly adding some new saint to the list."

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