The Wishes

When the Great Mogul held empire, there were certain little sprites who used to undertake all sorts of tasks helpful to mankind. They would do housework, stable-work, and even gardening. But if one interfered with them, all would be spoilt.

在莫卧儿大帝统治的时代，有一些小精灵，专门承担各种有益于人类的差事。他们会做家务，照料马厩，甚至打理花园。可是一旦有人干涉他们，一切就都会被搅乱。

One of these friendly sprites cultivated the garden of a worthy family living near the Ganges. His duties were performed deftly and noiselessly. He loved not only his master and mistress, but the garden also. Possibly the zephyrs, who are said to be friends of the sprites, helped him in his tasks. At any rate he did his very best, and never ceased in his efforts to load his hosts with every pleasure. To prove his zeal he would have stayed with these people for ever, in spite of the natural propensity of his kind for waywardness.

这些友善的精灵之中，有一个负责照料恒河附近一户体面人家的花园。他的差事做得既灵巧又悄无声息。他不仅爱他的主人和女主人，也爱这座花园。据说与精灵们交好的和风，或许也帮了他不少忙。总之，他竭尽全力，从不间断地努力给他的主人一家带来种种欢乐。为了证明自己的忠心，尽管他们这一族天生喜好变幻无常，他本愿意永远留在这户人家。

But his mischievous fellow-sprites fell to plotting. They induced the chief of their band to remove him to another field of labour. This the chief promised and, either by caprice or by policy, finally brought about. Orders came that the devoted worker should set out for the uttermost part of Norway, there to take charge of a house which at all times of the year was covered with snow. So from being an Indian, the poor thing became a Laplander.

可是他那些调皮的同伴们却开始密谋。他们怂恿精灵的首领把他调去别处当差。首领答应了此事，无论是出于一时兴起还是深思熟虑，最终还是这么做了。命令传来，这位尽职的仆人得动身前往挪威最偏远的地方，去照管一栋一年到头都被积雪覆盖的房子。于是，这个可怜的家伙从一个印度精灵变成了一个拉普兰精灵。

"I am forced to leave you," he said to his hosts, "but for what fault of mine this has come to pass I cannot tell. I only know that go I must, and in a very little while too; a month perhaps, or maybe only a week. Make the most of the interval. Fortunately, I can fulfil three wishes for you; but not more than three."

“我被迫要离开你们了，”他对主人一家说道，“可我究竟犯了什么错才落得如此下场，我说不上来。我只知道我必须走，而且用不了多久了；也许一个月，也许只有一个星期。好好把握这段时间吧。幸运的是，我可以为你们实现三个愿望；但不能超过三个。”

To mankind there is nothing very out-of-the-way in merely wishing. These good people decided that their first wish should be for abundance, and straightway. Abundance, by the double-handful, poured gold into their coffers; wheat into their granaries; wine into their cellars. Repletion was everywhere. But, alas, what cares of direction, what account keeping; what time and anxiety this affluence involved!

对人类来说，仅仅是许愿这件事本身并没有什么了不起的。这对好心的夫妇决定，他们的第一个愿望应当立刻求得富足。富足便双手满满地降临了，金子涌进他们的钱柜；小麦涌进他们的谷仓；美酒涌进他们的酒窖。到处都是满满当当。可是，唉，这份富裕带来的却是何等的操心、何等繁琐的账目、耗费了多少时间和精力啊！

Thieves plotted against them. Great lords borrowed from them. The prince taxed them. They were, in fact, reduced to misery by this excess of good fortune. At last they could endure it no longer. "Take back this awful overplus of wealth," they cried. "Even the poor are happy in comparison with us, and poverty is more covetable than such riches. Away, then, with these treasures! And thou, sweet Moderation, mother of all peace, sister of repose, come to us again!" With these words, which made their second wish, lo! Moderation returned and they received her with open arms, once again enjoying peace.

小偷盯上了他们。大贵族向他们借贷。王公向他们征税。事实上，这份过度的好运反倒把他们逼得穷困潦倒。终于，他们再也无法忍受了。“把这可怕的过剩财富收回去吧，”他们喊道。“比起我们，就连穷人也是快乐的，贫穷都比这样的财富更值得羡慕。去吧，这些财宝，都拿走吧！而你，甜美的节制啊，你是一切安宁的母亲，安逸的姐妹，请再次回到我们身边吧！”随着这番话，也就是他们的第二个愿望，瞧！节制回来了，他们张开双臂迎接她，重新享受到了安宁。

Thus at the end of these two wishes they were exactly where they were in the first place, and so it is with all who are given to wishing, and wasting in dreams the time they had better have spent in doing. But being philosophical people they laughed, and the sprite laughed with them. To profit by his generosity when he had left them, they hazarded their third wish and asked for wisdom. Wisdom is a treasure which never embarrasses.

就这样，在许下这两个愿望之后，他们又恰好回到了最初的起点，凡是喜好许愿、把本该用于实干的时间浪费在幻想之中的人，都是这般结局。不过他们是通情达理的人，于是他们笑了，那精灵也跟着他们一起笑了起来。为了在他离去之前受益于他的慷慨，他们冒险许下了第三个愿望，求得智慧。智慧是一件永远不会让人为难的财富。