Once there was a panhandler who sat on a street corner begging for spare change from passersby. Every day he sat on the curb2） with a ripped and tattered3）cardboard sign on which he had scrawled \"Help. Please.\"

He held out his sign to one and all， while at his feet lay a black bowler hat into which they might place a coin or a bill. If people were generous he was sometimes able to beg enough for a hearty4） meal within a few hours. But if people were stingy5） he might sit all day and receive almost nothing.

And so it went for the panhandler until one day a shiny white limousine6） pulled up to the intersection and stopped at the red light. \"Here's my big chance，\" thought the panhandler. So he stood up and walked toward the limousine holding his sign in one hand and his empty hat in the other.

In the mirrored glass of the limousine windows he saw his reflected gaunt7） unshaven face. It was smudged8） and dirty with the dust9） of the street. Slowly the window rolled down and his reflection was replaced by the broad smiling face of a grey-haired man.

\"Help me please，\" begged the panhandler.

\"And how may I do that？\" asked the man in the limousine.

\"Anything helps，\" said the panhandler.

\"Anything is rather vague. What is it you want？\"

The panhandler thought of the quarters and dollar bills he usually received and hoped for something more. \"How about ten dollars？\" he said. \"Come now10），\" smiled the man. \"When you came into this world you had aspirations and dreams. You must want more than that. What is it that you truly want？\"

The question set the panhandler back， but he thought quickly because he knew the traffic light was going to change and the opportunity would be lost. \"I want what you have，\" he answered.

The answer made the man in the limousine smile. As the traffic light turned from red to green the man said， \"I'll be back tomorrow to grant your request.\" Then with a wave of his hand the car pulled away and disappeared amidst the cars， taxis and buses on the roadway.

\"I doubt it，\" thought the panhandler to himself. He was used to vague promises by strangers that went unfulfilled. So he shuffled back to the curb and resumed his regular position， hoping that someone might be more generous than the smiling man in the limousine.

For the rest of that day and much of the following morning the panhandler begged help from the strangers who passed him by. Many looked at him with scorn or averted11） their gaze and hurried on. Some took pity on him and spared their change. A few with no money to share gave him a smile instead. With so many passersby the panhandler's thoughts of the man in the limousine soon faded away.

So he was very surprised when the gleaming white limousine returned. This time instead of rolling down the window the grey-haired man opened the door. \"Hello，\" he said as he stepped from the car.

\"I didn't think you'd come back，\" admitted the panhandler.

\"I recognized your plight12） and I want to help，\" said the man who wore a pure white business suit. \"I was once as you are now， begging for handouts and scarcely hoping for something more. Now I am a successful spiritual teacher and I want to give you a most special gift.\"

\"That would be great，\" said the panhandler.

\"This gift is so special that it will help you with all you desire，\" said the man as he leaned into the backseat of the limousine to retrieve it.

\"This is my lucky day，\" thought the panhandler as his mind raced with images of bags of money， mansions， yachts and private planes.

But the panhandler's smile sagged13） in disbelief as the spiritual teacher emerged from the backseat of the limousine. In his hands he held a wooden box. It was the size of a milk crate14） and it had a sturdy lid. The box was old and worn and covered in specks of paint that looked as though they'd flake off15） at the slightest touch.

The old man held the box with great reverence16）. \"This was mine when I fell as you do. It was the key to unlocking all of my happiness， freedom and success. I want you to have it that you may enjoy the very same.\"

\"Er， thanks，\" mumbled17） the panhandler as the man gently placed the worn and battered box in his hands.

\"Use it well，\" said the spiritual teacher as he climbed back into the limousine.

With another smile and a wave of his hand the old man disappeared behind the mirrored glass. The panhandler returned the smile and the wave as the white limousine pulled away and merged into the steady flow of vehicles on the road.

The panhandler looked at the box in his hands. It was heavier than he expected and quite well made. \"Some gift，\" he thought. \"Maybe it will bring me good luck like it did for the old man. Even if it doesn't at least I can sit on it instead of sitting on the curb.\"

So the panhandler sat on the box and went back to begging. That day proved to be a very good day. He collected more money than he had in a long time. He ate well that night and raised his glass in a toast to the spiritual teacher in the limousine.

But the next day proved dismal18） and the panhandler went hungry. \"Maybe this thing doesn't work，\" he thought.

Fortunately the next day proved better and he regained hope. So the panhandler lugged19） the box to the street corner the next day and the next. Day in and day out he carried the box to and from the curb as the pattern repeated itself. Some days he enjoyed prosperity and other times he went without.

And so it went for the panhandler， who sat year after year begging upon that special box until all the paint had flaked off and the lid was worn smooth from his sitting on it.

Finally the panhandler died. When he passed into the realms beyond this life he again met the spiritual teacher.

\"I remember you，\" said the teacher. \"You're the one I gave the box.\"

\"Yeah，\" said the panhandler. \"And I'm here to tell you that it didn't work. I was a beggar before I met you and I was beggar afterwards. My life never changed.\"

\"How did you use the box？\" asked the teacher.

\"I sat on it，\" answered the panhandler.

\"Sat on it？\" said the teacher. \"Dear One， what you needed to do was to look inside.\"

從前，有一個乞丐坐在一個街角乞討，求過路人給他點零錢。每天他都坐在馬路邊上，舉著塊四邊被撕得破破爛爛的硬紙板牌子，上面是他潦草的字跡：幫幫我，求求您了。

他朝每一個過路人伸出手里的牌子，而一個黑色的圓頂禮帽就擺在他的腳邊，過路人或許會往里面擱一個硬幣或一張紙幣。如果人們夠大方，他有時用不了幾個小時就能討到夠他美餐一頓的錢。但如果人們太小氣，他可能坐上一整天卻幾乎一無所獲。

乞丐就這么一天天地過，直到有一天，一輛 锃亮的白色豪華轎車在十字路口停下來等紅燈。“我的大好機會來了。”乞丐心想。于是他站起身，朝那輛豪華轎車走去，一只手舉著他的牌子，另一只手拿著他的空帽子。

從豪華轎車如鏡般的車窗玻璃中，他看到了自己憔悴枯瘦、胡子拉碴的臉。這張臉被大街上的塵土弄得臟兮兮的。車窗慢慢地搖了下來，他的影像不見了，取而代之的是一個頭發(fā)灰白的男人的燦爛笑臉。

“請幫幫我吧?！逼蜇て蚯笳f。

“我該怎么幫你呢？”豪華轎車里的那個人問道。

“任何東西都能幫到我?！逼蜇ふf。

“任何東西太模糊了。你想要的是什么？”

乞丐想到了他經常收到的那些25美分的硬幣和1元紙幣，他想要面值大一點的?！笆涝趺礃?？”他說?！安粫?，”那個人笑著說，“當你來到這個世界時，你是有志向和夢想的。你想要的肯定不止這個。你真正想要的是什么？”

聽到這個問題乞丐愣了一下，但他很快想了一下，因為他知道交通燈馬上要變了，他會失去這次機會。“我想要你擁有的東西?！彼卮鹫f。

聽到這個回答，豪華轎車里的人笑了。這時紅燈變成了綠燈，那個人說：“我明天會回來滿足你的要求?！苯又麚]了揮手，車開走了，消失在馬路上行駛的汽車、出租車、公交車之中。

“我才不信呢?！逼蜇ば南?。他習慣了那些陌生人從未兌現(xiàn)的含糊其辭的承諾。于是他拖著腳走回馬路邊，繼續(xù)待在他的老位置上，期望有個人可能會比豪華轎車里那個笑面男人出手更大方一些。

那天剩下的時間以及第二天上午的大部分時間里，乞丐向從他身旁經過的許多陌生人乞討。很多人用鄙夷的目光看他，或把目光從他身上移開并快步離開。有一些人同情他，給了他一些零錢。有幾個人沒錢給他，就給了他一個微笑。熙熙攘攘的路人讓乞丐很快就把那個豪華轎車里的男人拋在了腦后。

因此，當那輛锃亮的白色豪華轎車回來時，他非常驚訝。這一次，那個頭發(fā)灰白的男人沒有搖下車窗，而是打開了車門?！澳愫谩！彼~步走下車時說。

“我沒想過你會回來?！逼蜇こ姓J說。

“我看得出來你處境困難，我想幫幫你?！边@個身著一套純白色西裝的男人說?！拔以浺埠湍悻F(xiàn)在一樣，乞求別人的施舍，幾乎從不奢求更多。現(xiàn)在我是一個成功的精神導師，我想給你一件最特殊的禮物?！?/p>

“那就太好了?！逼蜇ふf。

“這件禮物非常特殊，它會幫你得到你想要的一切?！边@個男人一邊說一邊俯身鉆進豪華轎車的后座去取禮物。

“今天真是我的幸運日?！逼蜇ば南?，成袋的鈔票、大房子、游艇、私人飛機的畫面在他的腦海里快速閃過。

但是，當這位精神導師從豪華轎車的后座里出來時，乞丐覺得難以置信，臉上的笑意慢慢不見了。精神導師的手里拿著一個木頭盒子。這個盒子有一個牛奶箱那么大，還有一個結實的蓋子，盒子又舊又破，表層的油漆斑斑駁駁，看上去好像輕輕一碰就會剝落似的。

老者畢恭畢敬地捧著盒子?！斑@個盒子是我當年在像你現(xiàn)在這么落魄時用過的。它是開啟我所有幸福、自由和成功的鑰匙。我現(xiàn)在想把這個盒子送給你，好讓你也有可能享受到和我完全一樣的東西?！?/p>

“呃，謝了。”乞丐咕噥著說，此時老者將那個又破又舊的盒子輕輕地放在了他的手中。

“好好利用它?！边@位精神導師邊說邊坐回了豪華轎車里。

老者再次沖他一笑，揮了揮手，接著就消失在了如鏡般的玻璃車窗后。乞丐也回以微笑和揮手，看著那輛白色豪華轎車開走，融入了路上川流不息的車流中。

乞丐瞅著他手里的盒子。盒子比他預想的還要重些，做工也相當不錯?！耙菜闶莻€禮物，”他想，“或許它會給我?guī)砗眠\，就像它給那老者帶來的好運一樣。即便它不能給我?guī)砗眠\，至少我還能坐在上面，就不用坐在馬路牙子上了。”

于是乞丐坐在盒子上，接著回去乞討。結果那一天他非常走運，討來的錢比他很長一段時間內弄到的都要多。那天晚上他美美地吃了一頓，并舉起酒杯向那位坐在豪華轎車里的精神導師致謝。

但第二天收入慘淡，乞丐又挨餓了?！翱赡苓@個東西不管用吧?！彼?。

幸運的是，第三天情況又有所好轉，他重拾希望。于是乞丐第四天和第五天又都把盒子拖到了街角。日復一日，他帶著盒子去馬路邊，又帶著盒子回家，而這種時好時壞的收入模式也在重復上演。有些日子他賺得盆滿缽滿，另一些時候又分文無收。

乞丐的日子就這么一天天地過下去，他年復一年地坐在那個特殊的盒子上乞討，直到盒子上所有的油漆都剝落了，蓋子也因為他一直坐在上面而磨光滑了。

最后乞丐死了。當他穿越今生進入另外一個世界時他又一次遇到了那位精神導師。

“我記得你，”導師說，“我把盒子給了你?！?/p>

“是的，”乞丐說，“我來這兒就是要告訴你，那個盒子沒什么用。遇見你之前我是個乞丐，之后我還是個乞丐。我的生活從沒有改變過。”

“你是怎么用那個盒子的？”導師問。

“我坐在上面啊?！逼蜇せ卮?。

“坐在上面？”導師說，“兄弟，你需要做的是往盒子里面看一看啊?！?/p>

1. panhandler [?p?nh?ndl?（r）] n. 街頭行乞者

2. curb [k??b] n. 路邊，路緣

3. tattered [?t?t?d] adj. 破爛的

4. hearty [?hɑ?ti] adj. （飯菜）豐盛的

5. stingy [?st?nd?i] adj. 吝嗇的

6. limousine [?l?m?zi?n] n. 豪華轎車

7. gaunt [ɡ??nt] adj. 憔悴的；瘦削的

8. smudge [sm?d?] vt. 弄臟

9. dust [d?st] n. 沙塵

10. come now： 不會吧

11. avert [??v??t] vt. 轉移（目光、思想、注意力等）

12. plight [pla?t] n. 困境

13. sag [s?ɡ] vi. 減弱

14. crate [kre?t] n. 板條箱

15. flake off： 剝落

16. reverence

[?rev?r?ns] n. 尊敬

17. mumble [?m?mbl] vt. 含糊地說

18. dismal [?d?zm?l] adj. 十分糟糕的

19. lug [l?ɡ] vt. 用力拉（或拖）