第67页

    他又伸出手，紧紧抓住那个麻风病人苍白的双脚，对他说：“我对你施过三次恩惠。请叫我的母亲答应我一声吧。”可是麻风病人也一声不吭。

    And he sobbed again and said: "Mother, my suffering is greater than I can bear. Give me thy forgiveness, and let me go back to the forest." And the beggar-woman put her hand on his head, and said to him, "Rise," and the leper put his hand on his head, and said to him, "Rise," also.

    他又哭了起来，说：“母亲，我的痛苦远非我承受得起的。您就宽恕我，让我回到森林里去吧。”这时讨饭的女人把手放在他头上，对他说：“起来吧。”麻风病人也把手放在他头上，对他说：“起来吧。”

    And he rose up from his feet, and looked at them, and lo! they were a King and a Queen.

    他站起身来，望着他们。瞧！原来他们正是国王和王后。

    And the Queen said to him, "This is thy father whom thou hast succoured." And the King said, "This is thy mother whose feet thou hast washed with thy tears." And they fell on his neck and kissed him, and brought him into the palace and clothed him in fair raiment, and set the crown upon his head, and the sceptre in his hand, and over the city that stood by the river he ruled, and was its lord. Much justice and mercy did he show to all, and the evil Magician he banished, and to the Woodcutter and his wife he sent many rich gifts, and to their children he gave high honour. Nor would he suffer any to be cruel to bird or beast, but taught love and loving-kindness and charity, and to the poor he gave bread, and to the naked he gave raiment, and there was peace and plenty in the land.

    王后对他说：“这是你的父亲，你曾经救济过他。”国王说：“这是你的母亲，你曾用泪水洗过她的双脚。”接着他们搂住他的脖子，亲吻他，把他带进宫，让他穿上漂亮的衣服，戴上皇冠，握上权杖。从此他统治着坐落于河边的这座城市，成为它的主人。他极其公正、仁慈地对待所有人。他赶走了那个邪恶的魔术师，又送了丰厚的礼物给樵夫和他的妻子，还赐予他们的子女无上的荣耀。他禁止任何人虐待鸟兽，用爱心、仁慈、宽恕教导子民。他为食不果腹的穷人送去面包，为衣不蔽体的人送去衣服。在这片土地上呈现出一派和平昌盛的气象。

    Yet ruled he not long, so great had been his suffering, and so bitter the fire of his testing, for after the space of three years he died. And he who came after him ruled evilly.

    然而他统治的时间太短了，他遭受了巨大的痛苦，经历了辛酸磨难的考验，三年过后，他就去世了。而他的后继者却是一个暴君。

    End.

    结束。