正文
Many years ago, three soldiers, hungry and weary（疲倦的） of battle, came upon a small village.
许多年前，三个士兵战斗归来。他们又饿又累，来到了一个小村庄里。
The villagers, suffering a meager（贫乏的） harvest and the many years of war, quickly hid what little they had to eat and met the three at the village square， wringing their hands and bemoaning the lack of anything to eat.
由于饱受歉收和多年战乱之苦，村民们马上就把家里仅有的一点吃食都藏了起来，然后来到村里的广场上接待那三个士兵。他们都搓着双手，哀叹着家里没东西可吃。
The soldiers spoke quietly among themselves and the first soldier then turned to the village elders. “Your tired fields have left you nothing to share, so we will share what little we have：the secret of how to make soup from stones.”
士兵们轻声地商量一会儿后，第一个士兵跟村里的长者们说：“既然你们土地贫瘠，不能给我们吃的，那就让我们来和你们分享我们的一点经验：用石头做汤的秘密。”
Naturally the villagers were intrigued（好奇的） and soon a fire was put to the town’s greatest kettle（锅） as the soldiers dropped in three smooth stones. “Now this will be a fine soup,” said the second soldier, “but a pinch of salt and some parsley（香菜） would make it wonderful！”
村民们自然很好奇。很快，他们就生起了火，架起了全村最大的一口锅。士兵们把三颗光滑的石子丢到了锅里。“肯定能煮出一锅好汤！”第二个士兵说道，“不过里面要是再加把盐和一些欧芹就更好了！”
Up jumped a villager, crying, “What luck！I’ve just remembered where some’s been left！” And off she ran, returning with an apronful（满满一围裙的） of parsley（香菜） and a turnip（萝卜）.
一个村民跳了起来，叫道：“太巧啦！我刚想起来我们家里还剩着一些呢！”说完，她就跑开了，回来的时候用围裙装了欧芹和一个大萝卜。
As the kettle boiled on, the memory of the village improved：soon barley（大麦）, carrots, beef and cream had found their way into the great pot.
锅里的水渐渐沸腾，村民们的记性也越来越好。很快，人们找来了大麦、胡萝卜、牛肉，还有奶油，把它们统统放进了这口大锅里。
They ate and danced and sang well into the night, refreshed by the feast and their new-found friends. In the morning the three soldiers awoke to find the entire village standing before them.
村民们喝着石头汤，唱歌跳舞直到深夜。美妙的盛宴和新交的朋友让每个人都精神焕发。第二天早晨，当三个士兵醒来时，他们发现全村的人都站在他们面前。
At their feet lay a satchel（背包） of the village’s best breads and cheese. “You have given us the greatest of gifts：the secret of how to make soup from stones,” said an elder, “and we shall never forget.”
士兵们的脚边还放着一个装着村里最好的面包和奶酪的袋子。“你们把最珍贵的礼物送给了我们：用石头做汤的秘密。”一位长者对士兵们说，“这一点我们永远不会忘记。”
The third soldier turned to the crowd, and said, “There is no secret, but this is certain：it is only by sharing that we may make a feast.” And off the soldiers wandered, down the road.
第三个士兵对村民们说：“这其实算不得什么秘密，但有一点是肯定的：只有一起分享，我们才可能举办一次宴会。”说完，士兵们就继续上路了。
分享能使每个人都得到满足和快乐。
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