杨庆春

There was once a shepherd who had a daughter whose great beauty attracted a lot of  young men.

One day， the shepherd asked his daughter， “My dear daughter， tell me， what kind of man do you want to be your husband？” His daughter said，“My dear father， my future husband can be poor but also a wealthy man.” “How could that be？ Poor and rich are two opposite things！” said her father. “Dear father， a poor person also has his wealth. ”said his daughter.

The shepherd then announced that his daughter was ready for marriage.

從前，有个牧羊人，他有一个非常美丽的女儿，她的美貌吸引了许多年轻小伙子。

一天，牧羊人问女儿：“亲爱的孩子，告诉我，你想要什么样的人做你的丈夫呢？”女儿回答说：“亲爱的父亲，我将来的丈夫是个既贫穷又富有的人。” “这怎么可能呢？贫穷和富有是相对的啊！”牧羊人说。女儿说：“亲爱的父亲，贫穷的人也有他自己的财富。”

然后，牧羊人就发出了招婿的通告。

One day， there were many eligible men gathered outside the shepherd’s home. He came out and said，“All right， gentlemen， those who think they are eligible， please come forward and tell me your qualifications！” A few well-dressed gentlemen came forward followed by their servants and loads of gifts carried by camels. “We are rich men. We have gold and silver mines， silk， fur and red carpets. Please choose one of us.” The shepherd’s daughter just smiled. Then came five young men with some jewelry boxes. “These golden boxes contain rare jewelry. You will be the most wealthy person if you choose one of us to be your husband.” “All of you are not my idea of an ideal husband，” said the disappointed lady.

一天，许多符合条件的求婚男子聚集在牧羊人的房子外面。牧羊人走出来，对大家说：“好，各位认为自己有资格来求婚的人士，请上前来说说自己的条件吧！”几个衣着华丽的小伙子走上前来，他们的仆人牵着满载礼品的骆驼跟在后面。“我们都是有钱人。我们拥有金山、银山、丝绸、皮毛和红毯。请从我们当中选一个吧。”牧羊人的女儿只是报以微笑。接着，五位手捧珠宝盒子的小伙子走上前来。“这些金盒子里装满了稀世珍宝，如果你选择我们其中之一作为丈夫，你将成为最富有的人。”“你们都不是我心目中的理想丈夫。”牧羊人的女儿失望地说。

One by one young men came forward but they were rejected by her. The shepherd began to worry. Suddenly， a plainly dressed young man appeared. The shepherd asked，“Young man， you look so poor. What can you offer my daughter？” “My wealth is always with me and it is my hands，” the young man said， “I am a good tailor. I am also a good carpenter. I can make tables and chairs within an hour. Moreover， I can also put up a tent for you all！” The lady smiled. The young man continued， “l can cook too. I can cook delicious meals. However， I do not have any property， servants or jewelry. But， with my pair of hands， I do have a whole life of wealth！” “That’s great！” shouted the shepherd’s daughter excitedly. “You are more wealthy than any of them because you have a pair of precious hands. You are my idea of an ideal husband！”

小伙子们一个个走上前来求婚，但都被她拒绝了。牧羊人开始着急起来。突然，有个衣着朴素的年轻人走了过来。牧羊人问：“年轻人，你看上去很穷。那么，你有什么宝物要献给我女儿吗？”“我的财富一向随身携带，它就是我的双手，”年轻人说，“我是一个技艺精湛的裁缝师，我还是一个熟练的木匠。我能在一个小时内，给你们制作一套桌椅。而且，我还能给你们搭一个帐篷。”牧羊人的女儿笑了。青年继续说：“我还会烹饪，我能做出最美味的饭菜。然而，我既没有什么财产，也没有仆人，更没有什么金银珠宝。但我有一双手，有了这双手，我就拥有了一生用之不尽的财富！”“大好了！”牧羊人的女儿激动地高声喊道，“你比他们中任何人都富有！因为你有一双宝贵的手，你正是我心目中的理想丈夫！”