A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apple he grew. One day, his friend gave the farmer a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it.
一个农夫没什么钱，可他有个朋友种苹果种得特别好，很出名。 有一天，朋友给了他一棵小苹果树，让他带回家种起来。
The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home he did not know where to plant it. He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he planted the tree in one of his fields, his neighbor would come at night and steal some of the apples.
农夫收到这个礼物很高兴，可是到家了却不知道把树种在哪儿才好。 他担心要是种在路边，路人会偷果子。种在地里又怕邻居晚上来偷。
If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit. Finally he planted the tree in his wood where no one could see it.
种在房子跟前吧，又怕孩子们摘果子。 最后他把树种在了林子里，这样一来就没人看得见了。
But without sunlight and good soil, the tree soon died. Later the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a poor place. “What's the difference?” the farmer said angrily.
可是小树见不着阳光，土壤也没营养，所以很快就死了。 后来，朋友问农夫为什么要把树种在那么糟糕的地方。“种在那儿怎么啦？”农夫生气地说，
“If I had planted the tree near the road, strangers would have stolen the fruit. If I had planted the tree in one of my fields, my neighbors would have come at night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children would have taken the fruit.”
“我当初要是种在路边，路人肯定就把果子偷了。要是种在自家地里，晚上邻居肯定会来偷我的苹果。要是种在房子跟前，我家的孩子们肯定就把果子摘了。”
“Yes,” said the friend, “but at least someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only have robbed everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed a good apple tree!”
“你说得没错，”朋友说，“可是那样至少有人能够享受果实的美味啊。现在可好，你不但剥夺了大家吃果子的权利，你还毁了一棵好端端的果树啊！”
分享不是吃亏，而是得到快乐的前提。
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