There is a small fountain in the town square. People throw coins into the water and make wishes. Annika passes it every day on her way to school.
小镇广场上有一座小喷泉。人们把硬币扔进水里许愿。安妮卡每天上学都会经过它。
In the afternoon, the water is full of shiny coins. Every morning, the fountain is empty.
下午，水里满是闪亮的硬币。每天早上，喷泉里却空空的。
"Who takes them?" she asks her brother.
“是谁拿走的？”她问哥哥。
"A thief," he says. "It is easy money."
“小偷，”他说，“这钱来得容易。”
Annika does not think so. A thief does not come every night. And why does the thief leave the water so clean?
安妮卡不这么想。小偷不会每天晚上都来，而且小偷为什么会把水弄得这么干净？
On Saturday, she gets up at five. She puts on a coat and takes a hot drink. She sits on a bench near the fountain and waits. The square is dark and quiet.
星期六，她五点钟就起了床。她穿上外套，带了一杯热饮，坐在喷泉附近的长椅上等着。广场又黑又安静。
At six, a woman in a green jacket walks up. She has a long net and a bucket. She puts the net into the water. She lifts the coins out one by one.
六点钟，一位穿绿夹克的女士走了过来。她拿着一个长长的网兜和一只桶。她把网兜伸进水里，把硬币一枚一枚地捞出来。
Annika walks over. "Excuse me. Why do you take the money?"
安妮卡走了过去。“打扰一下，您为什么要拿这些钱？”
The woman laughs. "It is for the animal shelter. I am a volunteer. The town says it is fine. There is a sign."
女士笑了。“这是给动物收容所的。我是志愿者。镇上同意了，那儿有块牌子。”
She points to a small sign on the edge. Dirt and old leaves cover the words.
她指着边上的一块小牌子。灰尘和枯叶盖住了上面的字。
"Nobody can read that," Annika says.
“没有人能看清那些字，”安妮卡说。
She takes a cloth from her bag and cleans the sign. Then she drops one of her own coins into the water.
她从包里拿出一块布，把牌子擦干净。然后她把自己的一枚硬币丢进了水里。
