The Lord and the Farmers

地主和农民

A wealthy lord was renovating his mansion.He had added another story to his home with large windows that overlooked the farmers' pastures on the eastern border of his land. Around the mansion, he then erected a great wall. He built an arch for the gate out of huge slabs of stone. The lord was overjoyed with the addition to his home.

一位富有的领主正在翻修他的豪宅。他把自己的家扩建了三米多，并装上一扇大窗户，可以俯瞰他土地东部边界上农民的牧场。在大宅的四周，他修建了一堵围墙。他用巨大的石板为大门建了一个拱门。地主因此次扩建而开心。

However, one day while he was sitting on the terrace, some farmers knocked at his door. He invited them in.Despite his hospitality, the farmers appeared to be in a foul mood.

然而，有一天，当他坐在阳台上时，一些农民来敲他的门。他邀请他们进来。尽管他很好客，农民们的情绪似乎很糟。

Why are you so upset? the lord asked.

地主说:“你为什么这样忧闷呢?”

One farmer replied, "That is actually the reason for our visit." He then handed the lord a petition.It alleged that the shadow cast by the mansion was harming their pastures. "Your mansion now casts a shadow over several hectares of our land," the farmer explained. "The turf in the shadow has died, and our cattle now have less grass to eat."

一位农民回答说:“这就是我们此行的真正原因。”然后他向地主地上请愿书。纸上写道，这座豪宅的阴影正在损害他们的牧场。“你的房子现在在我们几公顷的土地上投下了阴影，”农民解释说。“阴影里的草皮已经死了，我们的牛现在吃的草也少了。”

It is too late for me to revise my plans, the lord answered. "You will just have to live with the change."

地主说:“现在我后悔已经来不及了。“你们将不得不接受这种变化。”

His reply only heightened the farmers' anger. They left, but they assembled that night outside the mansion's gate. They planned to destroy the mansion.The lord's servants tried to defend the house, but the farmers outnumbered them.

他的回答只会加剧农民们的愤怒。他们离开了，但当晚他们在大门外集合。他们计划摧毁这座大厦。地主的仆人想要阻止，但农夫的数目太多。

The servants fled, and the farmers rushed into the mansion and set it on fire. Everyone got out of the house, and there were no casualties. However, the fire soon spread from the house to the adjoining pastures that belonged to the farmers.

仆人们逃跑了，农夫们冲进房子放火。所有人都离开了房子，没有人员伤亡。然而，大火很快就从房子蔓延到邻近的属于农民的牧场。

Both sides' properties were destroyed. The lord and the farmers were sorry for their actions. The lord promised to pay for the burned pastures, and the farmers promised to rebuild the mansion.They had learned that when you fight, both sides lose.

双方的财产都被摧毁了。地主和农夫们为各自的行为感到抱歉。地主答应支付烧毁牧场的费用，农民们也答应重建庄园。他们懂得了一旦争斗就会两败俱伤。

单词表

adjoining adj.邻接的

allege v. 宣称

arch n. 弓形

assemble v. 集合

casualty n. 伤亡人员

erect v. （使）竖立

foul adj.犯规的

hectare n. 公顷

heighten v. 提高

hospitality n. 好客

mansion n. 大厦

outnumber vt. 数目超过

overjoyed adj.狂喜的

pasture n. 草地

petition n. 请愿

renovate v. 更新

revise v. 修订

slab n. 厚板

terrace n. 平台

turf n. 草皮

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