孙广趁教育教学工作室

        A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learnabout the secret of happiness from thewisest man in the world. The boy wandered through the desert for 40 days, and finally found a beautiful castle on top of a mountain.It was there that the wise man lived.
　　After entering the main room of the castle, the boy found that the wise man was busy talking with everyone, and he had to wait for two hours before it was his turn to meet the wise man.
　　Two hours later, the wise man met the boy and listened attentively to his explanation of why he had come here, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to explain the secret of happiness.He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.
　　“Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,” said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. “As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.”
　　The boy began going up and down the stairs of the palace,keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the room where the wise man was.
　　“Well,” asked the wise man, “did you see the Persian tapestries(波斯挂毯) that are hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it took the master gardener ten years to create?Did you notice the beautiful parchments(羊皮纸) in my library?”
　　The boy was embarrassed,and confessed(坦白) that he had observed nothing.His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had asked himto do.
　　“Then go back and observe the marvels(奇迹) of my world,” said the wise man. “You cannot trust a man if you don’t knowhis house.”
　　Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace, this time observing all of the works of art on the ceilings (天花板) and the walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around him, the beauty of the flowers, and the taste of the delicious food. After returning to the wise man, he described in detail everything he had seen.
　　“But where are the drops of oil?” asked the wise man.Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy sawthat the oil was gone.
　　“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,” said the wise man. “The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”