In a famine1-stricken city, a wealthy and kind baker gathered a few poorest children together, took out a basket of bread and said to them: "Each one of you can take one bread from the basket. You can come and take one bread from here before the famine is over." Soon the hungry children rushed forward like a swarm2 of bees. They squeezed3 around the basket to get the biggest bread. But after they grabbed4 their bread, they left without expressing any thanks to the kind baker except one little girl called Eva who did not struggle to strive5 for the bread, and just stood modestly a step away to take the smallest bread in the basket until the others left. She did not leave in a hurry until she had kissed the baker's hand to express her thanks.

The next day, the baker put another basket of bread in front of the boys. They rushed to the bread away madly, leaving the poor, humble little girl only the bread half as big as that the day before. When she returned home, her mother cut the bread in half, many new shining silver coins fell out. Her mother cried in surprise: "Return the money as soon as possible, the baker must have kneaded them in the bread carelessly. Eva, please return them quickly." When Eva told the baker the truth, the baker said benevolently: "No, my child, there is nothing wrong, because I had put the coins in the bread to award you. Hope you can keep a heart of tranquility6, peace and gratitude forever as now. Go home to tell you mother that the money belongs to you." She ran home excitedly to tell her mother the good news. That is the award which she got for her heart of gratitude.

在一個(gè)鬧饑荒的城市，一個(gè)家庭殷實(shí)而且心地善良的面包師把城里最窮的幾十個(gè)孩子聚集到一塊，然后拿出一個(gè)盛有面包的籃子，對(duì)他們說(shuō)：“這個(gè)籃子里的面包你們一人一個(gè)。在上帝帶來(lái)好光景以前，你們每天都可以來(lái)拿一個(gè)面包?！彼查g，這些饑餓的孩子仿佛一窩蜂一樣涌了上來(lái)，他們圍著籃子推來(lái)擠去大聲叫嚷著，誰(shuí)都想拿到最大的面包。當(dāng)他們每人都拿到了面包后，竟然沒(méi)有一個(gè)人向這位好心的面包師說(shuō)聲謝謝，就走了。但是有一個(gè)叫依娃的小女孩卻例外，她既沒(méi)有同大家一起吵鬧，也沒(méi)有與其他人爭(zhēng)搶。她只是謙讓地站在一步以外，等別的孩子都拿到以后，才把剩在籃子里最小的一個(gè)面包拿起來(lái)。她并沒(méi)有急于離去，她向面包師表示了感謝，并親吻了面包師的手之后才向家走去。

第二天，面包師又把盛面包的籃子放到了孩子們的面前，其他孩子依舊如昨日一樣瘋搶著，羞怯、可憐的依娃只得到一個(gè)比頭一天還小一半的面包。當(dāng)她回家以后，媽媽切開面包，許多嶄新、發(fā)亮的銀幣掉了下來(lái)。媽媽驚奇地叫道：“立即把錢送回去，一定是揉面的時(shí)候不小心揉進(jìn)去的。趕快去，依娃，趕快去!”當(dāng)依娃把媽媽的話告訴面包師的時(shí)候，面包師面露慈愛地說(shuō)：“不，我的孩子，這沒(méi)有錯(cuò)。是我把銀幣放進(jìn)小面包里的，我要獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)你。愿你永遠(yuǎn)保持現(xiàn)在這樣一顆平靜、安詳和感恩的心?；丶胰グ桑嬖V你媽媽這些錢是你的了。”她激動(dòng)地跑回了家，告訴了媽媽這個(gè)令人興奮的消息，這是她的感恩之心得到的回報(bào)。

注釋

①famine n．饑荒

②swarm n．蜂群，一大群

③squeeze v．壓榨，擠

④grab v．搶奪，攫取，奪取

⑤strive v．努力

⑥tranquility n．安靜