:英汉双语故事:丛林中的守财奴的故事

　　The servant walked quietly up the ladder with the hangman, but on the last rung he turned around and said to the judge, "Grant me just one request before I die."

　　"Yes," said the judge, "if you do not ask for your life."

　　"I do not ask for life," answered the servant, "but let me play my fiddle one last time."

　　The Jew cried out miserably, "For God's sake, do not allow it! Do not allow it!"

　　But the judge said, "Why should I not grant him this short pleasure? It has been promised to him, and he shall have it." In any event, he could not have refused because of the gift that had been bestowed on the servant.

　　The Jew cried, "Oh, woe is me! Tie me up. Tie me up tightly."

　　The good servant took his fiddle from his neck, and made ready. As he played the first stroke, they all began to quiver and shake: the judge, the clerks, and the court officials. The rope fell out of the hand of the one who was going to tie up the Jew.

　　At the second stroke they all lifted their legs. The hangman released the good servant and made ready to dance.

　　At the third stroke everyone jumped up and began to dance. The judge and the Jew were out in front and were the best at jumping. Soon everyone who had gathered in the marketplace out of curiosity was dancing with them, old and young, fat and thin, all together with each other. Even the dogs that had run along with the crowd stood up on their hind legs and hopped along as well. The longer he played, the higher the dancers jumped, until they were knocking their heads together and crying out terribly.

　　Finally the judge, quite out of breath, shouted, "I will give you your life, but just stop fiddling."