3. A Magic Ring

    Once upon a time there lived a young farmer.  He worked very hard, but was very poor. One day, when he was far from home in the forest, an old woman looking like a peasant came up to him and said, "I know you work very hard, and all for nothing.  I shall give you a magic ring.  It will make you rich, and your work won't be in vain.  When you turn the ring on your finger and say what you wish to have, you'll have it at once.  But there is only one wish in the ring, so think carefully before you wish."

    The astonished farmer took the ring given him by the peasant woman, and went home.  In the evening he came to a big city.  There he went to a merchant and showed him the magic ring.

    When the merchant heard the astonishing story, he thought of a plan.  He invited the farmer to stay in his house for the night.  At night he came up to the sleeping peasant, took the ring carefully off the man's finger, and put on another ring, which looked exactly like the one he had taken off.

    In the morning, when the farmer had gone away, the merchant ran into his shop, shut the door, and said turning the ring on his finger, "I wish to have a hundred thousand pieces of gold."  And down they came, on his head, shoulders and arms, like a rain of gold.  The frightened merchant tried to get out of the shop, but in vain.  In a few minutes he was dead.

    When the farmer returned home, he showed the ring to his wife.  "Take a look at this ring," he said.  "It's a magic ring.  It will make us happy."

    The astonished woman could hardly say a word.  "Let's try.  Maybe the ring will bring us more land." she said at last.

    "We must be careful about our wish.  Don't forget there's only one thing that we may ask for." he explained.  "Let's better work hard for another year, and we'll have more land."  So they worked as hard as they could, and got enough money to buy the land they wished to have.

    Then the farmer's wife thought of asking for a cow and a horse.  They discussed the matter more than once.  "My good wife," said the farmer, "we shall get a horse and a cow without the ring."  They went on working hard for a whole year, and again bought the things they wished to have.

    "What happy people we are!" said the farmer.  "I don't understand you." answered his wife angrily.  "There's nothing in the world that we can't have, and still we spend days and nights working as hard as before, because you don't want to use your magic ring."

    Thirty, then forty years had gone by.  The farmer and his wife had grown old.  Their hair became as white as snow.  They were happy, and had everything they wanted.  Their ring was still there.  Although it was not a magic ring, it had made them happy.  For you see, my dear friends, a poor thing in good hands is better than a fine thing in bad hands.

3. 魔戒

    從前有個農夫，他很勤勞地工作，但還是很窮。有一天，他到離家很遠的森林，遇見一個看起來像佃農的老婦人。那位老婦人走到他面前，對他說：「我知道你很辛苦地工作，但是一無所獲。我送你一個有魔法的戒指，它將帶給你財富，你也就不會再一無所獲了。只要你轉動手指上的戒指，然後說出你的願望，那麼你的願望就會馬上實現。但是這個戒指只能實現一個願望，所以在許願之前，你一定要很仔細地想清楚。」

    這個驚愕的農夫就拿著佃農老婦人給他的戒指回家了。到了晚上，他來到一個大城市，就把那個戒指拿給一個商人看。

    商人聽過戒指的來歷後，心裡就開始盤算著。他邀請那個農夫留下來，在他家住一晚。當天晚上，商人就潛入農夫的臥室，很小心地從農夫的手間取下那枚戒指，然後再套上另外一枚很相似的戒指。

    到了早晨，當農夫離開後，商人就趕緊跑進他的店舖裡，把門關上。他轉動手指上的戒指，許願說：「我希望有十萬枚的金子！」說完後，金子就真的掉下來了。金子打在他的頭上，有的掉在他的肩膀和手臂上，像在下雨一樣，金子淅瀝嘩啦地從天而降。受到驚嚇的商人企圖跑出店舖，但還是徒勞無功。沒有幾分鐘，他就這樣活活地被金子打死了！

    農夫回到家後，他就把那個戒指拿給他的妻子看。並且對妻子說：「妳快來看看這個戒指，這可是一個有魔法的戒指喔！它將給我們帶來幸福的日子！」他的妻子驚訝得說不出話來。最後，她開口說話了：「快試試看！也許它會為我們帶來更多的田地。」

    農夫說：「我們要很仔細地想清楚，我們的願望是什麼。不要忘了，這個戒指只能許願一次。我們還是努力工作，明年就會獲得更多的田地了。」

    因此，他們就盡其可能地辛勤工作，也賺了一些錢，足夠他們去買所想擁有的土地。

    過不久，農夫的妻子想要有一頭牛和一匹馬，他們為這件事討論了很多次。農夫說：「親愛的老婆呀！我們不需要靠那枚戒指，也能賺到錢買牛、買馬啊！」於是，他們又辛勤地工作一整年，賺到足夠的錢，實現了他的妻子的願望。

    農夫對妻子說：「你看我們過得多快樂啊！」他的妻子生氣地回答：「我真是不明白，現在我們擁有世界上的任何東西，但是我們還是要像以前一樣，日夜不停地工作，就是因為你不願意使用這個魔戒。」

    三十年、四十年過去了，農夫和他的妻子也老了。他們的頭髮變成了雪白，但是仍然過得很快樂，也一一實現了自己的願望。那枚戒指依然放在身旁。雖然它不是原來的那枚魔戒，但是它帶給了這對夫妻快樂的日子。親愛的朋友啊！你們看，一件普通的東西在勤勞善良的人手中，也會成為財富；但是再好的東西落入心術不正的人手裡，也是毫無價值。