皮匠和银行家(2/3)

The banker, laughing at his simplicity, said, "In the future I shall place you above want. Take this hundred crowns, preserve them carefully, and make use of them in time of need." The cobbler fancied he beheld all the wealth which the earth had produced in the past century for the use of mankind. Returning home, he buried his money and his happiness at the same time. No more singing. He lost his voice, the moment he acquired that which is the source of so much grief. Sleep quitted his dwelling, and cares, suspicions, and false alarms took its place. All day, his eye wandered in the direction of the treasure, and at night, if some stray cat made a noise, the cat was robbing him. At length the poor man ran to the house of his rich neighbor, "Give me back," said he, "sleep and my voice, and take your 100 crowns."

银行家被皮匠的纯朴逗笑了，他说：“我要你从今以后不愁没钱用。这一百枚钱你拿去，小心放好，需要时拿来用吧。” 皮匠觉得自己手里拿着的钱是过去几百年来大地为人类所需而制造出来的全部财富。他回到家中，埋好硬币，同时也埋藏了他的欢乐。他不再唱歌了，钱成为痛苦的根源，从他得到它的那一刻起，他的歌声就消失了。睡眠弃他而去，取而代之的是担心、怀疑、虚惊。白天，他的目光一直朝埋藏硬币的方向望；夜间，如果有只迷途的猫弄出一点声响，他就以为是有人来抢他的钱。最后，这个可怜的皮匠跑到他那富有的邻居家里说：“把你的一百枚钱拿回去，还我的睡眠和歌声来。”