Hidden Rewards 暗藏的奖赏

Once when there was a famine1）， 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， timid2） Gretchen received a loaf scarcely3） 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.\"

从前有一次闹饥荒的时候，一位有钱的面包师派人把镇上最贫穷的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，以后每天的这个时候过来找我，直到日子好过一点为止。”

饥饿的孩子们急切地聚集到篮子周围，为面包争吵起来，因为每个人都希望拿到最大的那个。最后，她们甚至都没有谢谢那位好心的先生就离开了。

不过，格蕾琴——一个衣衫褴褛的小女孩——没有跟其他人争吵和抢夺，而是一直谦恭地站在远处。等那群无礼的孩子离开以后，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，孩子们还和之前一样无礼，可怜而又羞怯的格蕾琴拿到的面包几乎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，许多枚闪闪发亮的崭新银币从面包里掉了出来。

格蕾琴的妈妈大惊失色，她说：“这些钱肯定是不小心被放进面团里的，你立刻把钱给那位好心的先生送回去。快点，格蕾琴！快点！”

然而，当小女孩把妈妈的话转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面放了这些银币，是为了奖赏你。你要一直像现在这样知足、感恩，并且怀着平和的心态。现在回家吧，告诉你妈妈这些钱是属于你们自己的了。”

1.famine [ˈfæmɪn] n. 饥荒

2.timid [ˈtɪmɪd] adj. 胆怯的；羞怯的

3.scarcely [ˈskeəsli] adv. 几乎不