The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Peter looked at their frightened faces.He saw the blacksmith with his hammer,the baker covered in flour,the women with their sleeves still rolled up from the washing.And then he burst out laughing."Ha ha ha!" he laughed,clutching his stomach."There is no wolf!I tricked you!I tricked you all!You should have seen your faces!"

彼得看着他们惊慌的脸。他看见了拿着大锤的铁匠，满身面粉的面包师，还有那些袖子还卷着没放下来的洗衣妇。然后他哈哈大笑起来。"哈哈哈！"他笑得肚子都疼了，"根本没有狼！我骗了你们！我把你们全骗了！你们真该看看自己的脸！"

The villagers stared at Peter in disbelief.Their fear turned to anger."You naughty boy!" said the baker."We ran all the way up here!We left our work!We thought you were in danger!"

村里人不敢相信地盯着彼得。他们的恐惧变成了愤怒。"你这顽皮的孩子！"面包师说，"我们大老远跑上来！我们丢下了手里的活儿！我们以为你遇到危险了！"

"It was just a joke," said Peter,still giggling."A little fun.Don't you have a sense of humour?"

"那不过是个玩笑嘛，"彼得还在咯咯笑，"开个小玩笑。你们没有幽默感吗？"

The blacksmith shook his head."There is nothing funny about crying for helpwhen you do not need it.If you cry wolfwhen there is no wolf,one day we will not believe youwhen there really is one." The villagers turnedand walked back down the hill,muttering to one another.Peter just laughedand sat back down on his rock.He did not understand what he had done wrong.

铁匠摇了摇头。"不需要帮忙的时候喊救命，这一点也不好笑。你要是没有狼的时候喊狼来了，有天真有狼了，我们就不会相信你了。"村里人转过身，嘟嘟囔囔地走下山去了。彼得只是笑着坐回了自己的石头上。他还没弄明白自己做错了什么。

A few days later,Peter was back on the hill.The sheep were grazing.The sun was shining.And Peter was bored again."That trick was so much fun," he thought."The way they all ran up the hill!The looks on their faces!I should do it again.Just one more time."

过了几天，彼得又回到了山上。羊在吃草，太阳在照耀。彼得又无聊了。"上次那个玩笑实在太好玩了，"他想，"他们全都跑上山来的样子！他们脸上的表情！我应该再来一次。就再来一次。"

So Peter stood up and shouted:"WOLF!WOLF!HELP!PLEASE HELP!A WOLF IS HERE!"

于是彼得站起来喊道："狼来了！狼来了！救命！快来救命！狼就在这儿！"

Again,the villagers heard his cries.Some of them hesitated."What if it is another trick?" asked the baker."What if it is real this time?" said the blacksmith."We must go.Just in case."

村民们又听到了他的喊声。有些人犹豫了。"会不会又在骗人？"面包师问道。"万一这次是真的呢？"铁匠说，"我们得去。以防万一。"

So once more,the villagers ran up the hill.They arrived breathlessand worried.And once more,there was no wolf.There was only Peter,laughing so hardthat tears were rolling down his cheeks."Oh,you foolish villagers!" he cried."I fooled you again!You always believe me!You are so easy to trick!"

于是村民们又一次跑上了山。他们气喘吁吁、忧心忡忡地赶到了。可是又一次，根本没有狼。只有彼得，笑得眼泪顺着脸颊直往下淌。"哦，你们这些傻村民！"他喊道，"我又骗了你们！你们总是相信我！你们也太好骗了！"

This time,the villagers did not shout at Peter.They did not scold him.They just looked at him with cold,hard eyesand walked away in silence.Peter's laughter slowly faded.He had expected them to be angry,but their silence was worse.It felt like a door closing.

这一次，村民没有朝彼得大喊大叫，也没有骂他。他们只是用冰冷坚硬的目光看了他一眼，沉默着走了回去。彼得的笑声慢慢地熄灭了。他本以为他们会发火，可他们的沉默比什么都更难受。那感觉像一扇门砰地关上了。

That evening,Peter's grandfather came to visit him.His grandfather was an old shepherdwho had tended sheep on the same hills for sixty years.His face was as weathered as the rocks,and his eyes were kind but serious."Peter," he said quietly,"I heard what happened today.And what happened a few days ago."

那天傍晚，彼得的爷爷来看他。爷爷是个老牧羊人，在同样的山上放了六十年的羊。他的脸像岩石一样饱经风霜，眼睛既慈祥又严肃。"彼得，"他轻轻地说，"我听说今天的事了，还有几天前的事。"

Peter looked down at his feet."I was only having fun,Grandpa.I didn't mean any harm."

彼得低头看着自己的脚。"我只是玩玩，爷爷。我又没想害谁。"