中國寓言故事雙語版 第80期:千金買骨
Shortly after King Zhao of the State of Yan came to the throne, he went to visit Guo Kui, an able and virtuous scholar, and asked for his advice on how to govern the state and make it strong, and how to avenge his father and wipe off the shame of the state.
燕國國君燕昭王即位後不久，去拜訪賢士郭魄先生，向他請教如何治國圖強，爲先王報仇，爲國雪恥。
Guo Kui told him the story of "Buying Bones with 1,000 Pieces of Gold".
郭魄給燕昭王講了一個“千金買骨”的故事。
In ancient times, there was a king very fond of horses that could cover 1,000 1i a day.
古時候，有一位國君，他非常喜歡千里馬。
He sent many people, sought many means and spent lots of money to buy such horses.
他派了很多人，想了不少辦法，花了許多錢去買馬。
Yet three years had passed, and no such horses were available.
可是，三年過去了，千里馬仍然沒有買到。
One day, a guard volunteered to help and said to the king: "I am willing to buy a thousand-li steed for Your Majesty."
一天，一個衛士自告奮勇，對國君說:“我願意爲大王買馬。”
The king was pleasantly surprised.
國君又驚又喜。
He asked:"You? Can you make it?"
他問道：“你能行嗎?”
"Your Majesty, you can rest assured," replied the guard.
“請大王放心!”
The king complied with his request and let him go on his mission.
國君答應了他的請求，讓他去了。
The guard sought for the horse wholeheartedly.
衛士一心一意尋找千里馬。
He spent three months, and after much effort found out the whereabouts of such a horse.
花了三個月的時間，好不容易打聽到了一匹千里馬的下落。
But when he hastened there, the horse had already died.
但是，等他趕到那兒的時候，這匹千里馬已經死了。
Without the least hesitation, he bought the bones of the horse with 500 pieces of gold, and returned to report to the king.
衛士毫不猶豫，花了五百金買下了這副千里馬的骨頭，回來報告國君。
On seeing the horse bones the guard had actually bought, the king flew into a rage.
國君一看買回來的竟是馬骨，氣得暴跳如雷，罵道:
"You! What I want is a live horse, but you have bought the bones of a dead horse. What is the use?
“你!我要的是活馬，可是，你買回來的卻是死馬骨頭，有什麼用?
You have wasted 500 pieces of gold. What punishment do you think you deserve?"
白白糟蹋了五百金，該當何罪?”
The guard replied calmly:"Your Majesty, this is to let the general public know that Your Majesty is willing to pay a high price for even a dead thousand-li horse, let alone a live one.
衛士不慌不忙地回答說:“大王，我是爲了讓老百姓知道，大王連死的千里馬也肯花大價錢買，何況活的千里馬呢?
All the people in the world will know that Your Majesty wishes to buy a thousand-li horse sincerely.
天下的人都會知道，大王是真心誠意要買千里馬。
Your Majesty, don't be angry. Just wait and the horse you want will come very soon."
大王，您不要生氣，您等着吧!不久，您要的千里馬一定會來的。”
As the guard had expected, the king bought three thousand-li horses within one year.
果然，不出衛士所料，一年不到，國君就買到了三匹千里馬。
