來源:2cents博客
《亞瑟國王和丑女人》(英語原文見下)
年輕的亞瑟國王被鄰國君主“魔王”伏擊抓獲。魔王因亞瑟年輕有志不殺他,魔王對亞瑟說,只要你能答出一個非常難的問題,我可以饒你一命。他給亞瑟王一年的時間思考這個問題,如果時間到期還拿不出答案,亞瑟王就會被處死。
魔王的問題?
女人真正想要的是什麼?
這問題連最有見識的人都會困惑不解,何況年輕的亞瑟,對亞瑟這問題根本是無法回答的,但拖一年總比立刻被殺死要好得多,於是亞瑟接受了魔王的命題。
亞瑟回到自己的國家,立刻開始向每個人征求答案:公主、 祭司、 智者、甚至宮廷小丑 … 。他問了每一個人,但沒有人能給他一個滿意的答案。有人告訴他,只有一個人知道問題的答案,她叫“丑女人”,可是“丑女人”提供答案的價格非常高。
一直快要到過年的一天,亞瑟沒有別的辦法,於是他懷著憂郁的心情走進森林,找到了丑女人。丑女人告訴亞瑟她知道問題的答案,但亞瑟必須首先接受她的交換條件。
條件是她要和亞瑟的密友 -- 最有名的圓桌武士 -- 蘭斯洛特爵士結婚。
亞瑟王驚駭了,丑女人駝背、丑陋不堪、只有一只牙、身上散發水溝般難聞的氣味,而且經常發出猥褻的聲音。亞瑟從沒有見過如此可怕的怪物。
對亞瑟這個條件太苛刻了,他不能強迫好友蘭斯洛特娶這樣的一個女人,可是,蘭斯洛特聽到這條件後卻說,沒有什麼比拯救亞瑟的命和保留圓桌更重要,所以他很願意娶丑女人為妻。
條件被雙方接受了,丑女人於是回答了亞瑟的問題。她說:
女人真正想要的,是主宰自己的命運。
話一說出來,國度裡的每一個人立刻知道,這丑女人說出了真理,這是正確的答案。亞瑟王肯定會被免死。
就這樣,魔王還了亞瑟的自由,而蘭斯洛特和丑女人也結了婚。
新婚之夜到來,蘭斯洛特必須面對可怕的夜晚。他心懷恐懼,慢慢地走進新房。...
是怎樣的景象在等待著他呢?
等著他的是出乎意料的景象:一個他從沒見過的美麗少女正躺在婚床上!
驚呆的蘭斯洛特問,這到底是怎麼回事啊?
美女回答,“蘭斯洛特爵士,當我丑的時候你對我這麼好,今後我只一半時間顯出丑陋可怕的一面,另一半時間我將是個美麗的女人。爵士,你想要我白天還是夜晚美麗呢?”
這是多麼殘酷的問題呀!蘭斯洛特開始思考他的困境:選擇白天向朋友們炫耀美麗的妻子,夜晚屋子裡卻單獨面對又老又丑、幽靈般的女巫呢?還是選擇白天四周展現丑陋的老婆,而晚上與美麗的她共度甜蜜的時刻?
如果你是蘭斯洛特,你會怎樣選擇呢?
下面是蘭斯洛特爵士的選擇 …。
在看答案之前,你先來為自己選擇吧。
···
崇高的蘭斯洛特爵士做了選擇,他對美麗的新娘說,“既然你說‘女人最想要的是主宰自己的命運’,那就由你自己決定吧。”
聽到了這句話,丑女人回答,“蘭斯洛特,你真是個好人,從今以後,我將永遠只展現美麗的一面。”
朋友猜一猜,這個故事的寓意是什麼?
(答案明天公布。)
KING ARTHUR AND THE OLD AND UGLY WOMAN
Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring
kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and
ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very
difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if,
after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.
The question?
What do women really want?
Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young
Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted
the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.
He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princess, the priests, the
wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give
him a satisfactory answer.
Many people advised him to consult the old ugly woman, for only she would have the
answer. But the price would be high; as the woman was famous throughout the
kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.
The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the old woman.
She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first.
The old ugly woman wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of
the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!
Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth,
smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a
repugnant creature in all his life.
He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden; but
Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur.
He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the
preservation of the Round Table.
Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the woman answered Arthur's question thus:
What a woman really wants, she answered....is to be in charge of her own life.
Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the woman had uttered a great truth and
that Arthur's life would be spared.
And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot
and the ugly woman had a wonderful wedding.
The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific
experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him. The most beautiful
woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked
what had happened.
The young beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared ugly,
she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the
eautiful maiden the other half.
Which would he prefer? Beautiful during the day....or night?
Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off
to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old ugly woman?
Or, would he prefer having a hideous woman during the day, but by night, a beautiful
woman for him to enjoy wondrous intimate moments?
What would YOU do?
What Lancelot chose is below.
BUT....make YOUR choice before you scroll down below.
NOW…the answer:
Noble Lancelot said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself.
Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because
he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.
Now....what is the moral to this story?
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