周丹

“Today someone stole my favorite pencil box. He also had my lunch money. I couldnt tell Mom and Dad because they would feel very bad and might think I lost it.” Rohan was upset and complained to his friend.

His friend said， “I am sure they will believe you， Rohan. Dont worry. They might buy you another one if you tell them what happened. I am sorry someone stole it. If only Pandora hadnt opened the box！”

Rohan gave a puzzled1 look to his friend.

“Let me tell you a Greek mythical2 story. Long time ago， Zeus the Greek God ordered Hephaestus to make him a beautiful daughter made out of clay3. Hephaestus created a beautiful girl called Pandora. When she grew older， Zeus sent Pandora to earth to marry a simple man Epimetheus， who was lonely. Now Zeus was mad at Prometheus who was Epimetheuss brother. To punish Prometheus， Zeus locked all the evil4 and diseases in a box and gave it to Pandora. He gave the key to Epimetheus and made him promise that it would never be opened. Zeus thought that Epimetheuss curiosity5 would get the better of him and either he or his brother will open the box.

“Pandora was a curious6 girl. She begged Epimetheus to give her the key so she could open the box. However， Epimetheus knew better and tried to convince Pandora to obey her fathers order. When Epimetheus had slept， Pandora stole the key and opened the box.

“Out of the box flew all the evil， jealousy7， deceit8. Before Pandora realized what she had done， it was too late and the world got all the bad things flew out. When Epimetheus woke up， he found Pandora sobbing9 who told him what happened. It is believed that Pandora unleashed10 all the evil things in the world because of her curiosity.”

“That is so bad！Why did she open the box？ If she hadnt I would still have my pencil box，” Rohan said disappointedly.

Rohans friend laughed and said， “She opened the box again to show her husband what she had done and out flew a small angel. Before she could shut the box it came to them and said ‘I am hope. So if we have evil things like lie， deceit and jealousy， we also have hope， Rohan. With that hope tell your parents the truth， they will believe you.”

Rohan smiled， hugged his friend and thanked him for the story. The next day he told his father what had happened and his father bought him a new pencil box.

“今天有人偷了我最喜歡的铅笔盒，还有我的午餐钱。我不能告诉爸爸妈妈，因为他们会生气，可能会认为是我弄丢的。”罗翰很沮丧，向他的朋友抱怨道。

他的朋友说：“我相信他们会相信你的，罗翰。别担心，如果你告诉他们发生了什么事，他们可能会再给你买一个。很遗憾有人偷了它，如果潘多拉没有打开盒子就好了！”

罗翰不解地看了看他的朋友。

“让我给你讲一个希腊神话故事。很久以前，希腊的神宙斯命令赫菲斯托斯用粘土为他做出一个漂亮的女儿。赫菲斯托斯创造了一个美丽的女孩叫潘多拉。当潘多拉长大后，宙斯把她送到大地上，嫁给了一个孤独的单身男人伊比米修斯。宙斯对伊比米修斯的哥哥普罗米修斯很生气。为了惩罚普罗米修斯，宙斯把所有的邪恶和疾病都锁在一个盒子里，交给了潘多拉。他把钥匙给了伊比米修斯，让他保证永远不会打开它。宙斯认为伊比米修斯的好奇心会占上风，他或者他的哥哥会打开这个盒子。

“潘多拉是个很好奇的女孩。她求伊比米修斯把钥匙给她，好让她打开盒子。然而伊比米修斯知道得更清楚，并试图说服潘多拉服从她父亲的命令。在伊比米修斯睡着的时候，潘多拉偷走了钥匙，打开了盒子。

“所有的邪恶、嫉妒、欺骗都从盒子里飞了出来。在潘多拉意识到她做了些什么时，一切都已经晚了，世界上所有的坏事都飞了出来。当伊比米修斯醒来时，他发现潘多拉在哭泣，她告诉他发生了什么事。人们认为潘多拉因为她的好奇心而放出了世界上所有邪恶的东西。”

“太糟糕了！她为什么打开盒子？如果她没有打开的话，我的铅笔盒就会还在。”罗翰失落地说。

罗翰的朋友大笑着说：“她再次打开盒子，让丈夫看看她做了些什么，然后一个小天使飞了出来。她还没来得及关上盒子，它就走到他们面前说：‘我是希望。所以，如果我们有谎言、欺骗、嫉妒等邪恶的东西，我们也有希望，罗翰。带着这种希望，告诉你父母真相吧。他们会相信你的。”

罗翰笑了笑，拥抱了他的朋友，并感谢他讲的故事。第二天，他告诉父亲发生了什么事，而他父亲给他买了一个新的铅笔盒。

（英语原文选自：mocomi.com）

1. puzzled [■] adj. 困惑的;茫然的

2. mythical [■] adj. 神话的;虚构的

3. clay [■] n. 粘土;泥土

4. evil [■] adj. 邪恶的

5. curiosity [■] n. 好奇，好奇心

6. curious [■] adj. 好奇的，有求知欲的

7. jealousy [■] n. 嫉妒;猜忌

8. deceit [■] n. 欺騙;谎言

9. sob [■] v. 啜泣，呜咽

10. unleash [■] v. 发泄，释放