1. A new pair of shoes
篇一 测脚买鞋
Once a man needed a new pair of shoes. This man was very good at math. He knew that in order to get shoes that would fit perfectly it would be necessary to measure his shoe size with precision.
曾经有一个人，需要一双新鞋子。这个人非常擅长数学。他知道，要想得到一双最合脚的鞋子，就必须精确地测量自己的鞋码。
The man knew how to measure very accurately. He also knew how to draw diagrams that were very accurate. So, before he went to the marketplace, he drew very detailed diagrams of his feet on a piece of paper. He carefully measured his feet, and he wrote the exact dimensions of each foot on the diagrams. Then before leaving the house, like a good mathematician, he rechecked his figures.
他知道如何做到非常准确的测量，以及如何绘制出非常精确的图纸。于是，在去市场之前，他在一张纸上绘制出了自己双脚的非常详细的尺寸图。他仔细测量了自己的双脚，并把每只脚的确切尺寸标注在图纸上。然后，在出门之前，就像一位优秀的数学家一样，他又重新核对了一遍每个数值。
It was a very long way from the man's home to the market where he intended to buy the shoes. It was past mid-day when the man arrived at the market. When he reached a stall where shoes were being sold, the man realized that he had forgotten to bring the paper that he had so carefully written his measurements on. He turned around and walked all the way back home to get it.
他家到他打算买鞋的市场之间的路途非常远。当他来到市场时已经是午后。他走到一个卖鞋子的摊位前，才恍然想起自己忘记把那张自己千辛万苦才绘制好的图纸带在身上了。于是，他转身，一口气走回了家，去取图纸。
It was nearly sunset when the man arrived back at the market. The market was closing, and the shoemaker had packed up all of his shoes to take them home.
他回到市场时已经几近黄昏。市场正要打烊，鞋匠已经把所有鞋子都打好了包，准备带回家。
"Foolish man," the shoemaker told the man when he was asked to unpack his wares to sell shoes to the man. "Why did you not just try on the shoes in my store? Why did you need to go home and get your diagrams?"
“你个笨蛋，”当他要求鞋匠打开包裹卖给他鞋子时，鞋匠质问他道，“你第一次来我店里时，为什么不直接试穿鞋子？为什么非得回家取图纸？”
The man, ashamed, hung his head down. "I guess I believed there was only one way to solve my problem. I should have thought to check with others if they knew better solutions that might have worked as well, or even better than my own."
这个人羞愧地垂下头说：“我想，我当时认为只有一种方法能解决我的问题。我本应该想到去问下其他人是否有同样有效、甚至更好的解决办法。”

2. Puppies for Sale
篇二 男孩与残疾小狗
A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale." Signs like that have a way of attracting small children and sure enough, a little boy appeared by the store owner's sign. "For how much are you going to sell the puppies?" he asked. The store owner replied: "For anything between $30-$50."
店主在商店门口挂出了一张写有“出售小狗”字样的招牌。这样的招牌一定会吸引孩子们的注意。果然，有一个小男孩出现在招牌旁。“您家的小狗卖多少钱？”小男孩问道。店主回答说：“30至50美元不等。”
The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "May I please look at them?" The store owner smiled and whistled, out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind.
小男孩将小手伸进衣兜里，掏出了一些零钱。“我有2美元37美分。”他说。 “我可以看看它们吗？”店主微笑着吹了声口哨，从狗舍里走出一位女士，她沿着商店的过道走来，后面跟着五个毛茸茸的小家伙。其中一只小狗落在其他几只后面很远。
Immediately the little boy singled out the limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?" The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. "That is the little puppy that I want to buy." The store owner said: "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."
小男孩立刻把那只跛脚的小狗挑了出来，问道：“那只小狗怎么了？”店主解释说：兽医给这只小狗做过检查，发现它没有膝盖骨。它将永远这么一瘸一拐的，永远无法恢复正常。小男孩兴奋起来，说道：“我要买这只小狗。”店主说：“你是不会想买那只小狗的。如果你真的想要它，我就把它送给你。”
The little boy got quite upset. He looked into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger at him, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me. That dog is worth every bit of the full price, as much as all the other dogs. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have paid for him."
小男孩变得有点心烦意乱。他看着商店店主的眼睛，用手指着那只小狗，说道：“我不想让您把它送给我。那只小狗应当值与其他小狗同样的价钱。我打算，现在付给您2美元37美分，然后每个月再付给您50美分，直到我付清这只小狗的全部价钱。”
The store owner objected: "You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies."
店主反驳说：“孩子，你真的不会想买这只小狗的。它永远不能像其他小狗一样活蹦乱跳地陪你玩耍。”
In response, the little boy reached down and rolled up the left part of his pants to reveal a badly twisted, crippled leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so good myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"
听到店主这样的说辞后，小男孩弯下腰，卷起自己左侧的裤腿，露出由一副大金属支架支撑的严重扭曲残疾的左腿。然后，他抬头望着店主，轻声回答说：“其实，我的腿脚也不太好，这只小狗需要一个懂它的主人！”