美文：Hidden Rewards

美文：Hidden Rewards  隐藏的奖励
　　Once when there was a famine， a rich baker sent for twenty of the poorest children in the town， and said to them， "In this basket there is a loaf for each of you. Take it， and come back to me every day at this hour till better times come."

　　The hungry children gathered eagerly about the basket， and quarreled for the bread， because each wished to have the largest loaf. At last they went away without even thanking the good gentleman.

　　But Gretchen， a poorly-dressed little girl， did not quarrel or struggle with the rest， but remained standing modestly in the distance. When the ill-behaved children had left， she took the smallest loaf， which alone was left in the basket， kissed the gentleman's hand， and went home.

　　The next day the children were as ill-behaved as before， and poor， timid Gretchen received a loaf scarcely half the size of the one she got the first day. When she came home， and her mother cut the loaf open， many new， shining pieces of silver fell out of it.

　　Her mother was very much alarmed， and said， "Take the money back to the good gentleman at once， for it must have got into the dough by accident. Be quick， Gretchen！ Be quick！"

　　But when the little girl gave the rich man her mother's message， he said， "No， no， my child， it was no mistake. I had the silver pieces put into the smallest loaf to reward you. Always be as contented， peaceable， and grateful as you now are. Go home now， and tell your mother that the money is your own."

　　早年有一次打饥荒的时分，一位有钱的面包师派人把镇上最赤贫的20个孩子叫来，对他们说：“这个篮子里的面包你们一人一个。把面包拿走，今后每天的这个时分过来找我，直到日子好过一点停止。”

　　饥饿的孩子们急迫地集合到篮子周围，为面包争持起来，由于每个人都期望拿到最大的那个。最终，她们乃至都没有谢谢那位好意的先生就脱离了。

　　不过，格蕾琴——一个衣冠楚楚的小女子——没有跟其他人争持和争夺，而是一向谦恭地站在远处。等那群无礼的孩子脱离今后，她拿起篮中仅剩的那个最小的面包，吻了那位先生的手，然后回家了。

　　第二天，孩子们还和之前相同无礼，不幸而又羞怯的格蕾琴拿到的面包简直还没有第一天的一半大。等格蕾琴回到家，她的妈妈切开面包时，许多枚闪闪发亮的簇新银币从面包里掉了出来。

　　格蕾琴的妈妈心惊胆战，她说：“这些钱肯定是不小心被放进面团里的，你马上把钱给那位好意的先生送回去。快点，格蕾琴！快点！”

　　但是，当小女子把妈妈的话传达给那位有钱的先生时，他却说：“不，不，孩子，我没有弄错。我在最小的那个面包里边放了这些银币，是为了奖励你。你要一向像现在这样知足、感恩，而且怀着平缓的心态。现在回家吧，告知你妈妈这些钱是归于你们自己的了。”