English Original
Lazy Harry
Harry was so lazy that although his only daily task was to drive his goat out to graze, he would still sigh heavily upon returning home each evening. "What a weary job," he complained. "What a terrible burden, year after year! If only I could nap while she feeds! But no, I must keep watch or she'll damage trees, squeeze through hedges, or run away. What a life! No peace, no relaxation."
He sat down, deep in thought, seeking a way to rid himself of this burden. After much pondering, a solution dawned on him. "I know! I'll marry Fat Katie. She has a goat too, so she can take mine out with hers, and I won't have to wear myself out like this."
So Harry got up and walked across the street to where Fat Katie's parents lived. He asked for the hand of their hard-working, virtuous daughter. Her parents agreed without hesitation, saying, "Like to like makes a good match." Thus, Fat Katie became Harry's wife and took both goats out to graze. Harry spent his days very pleasantly, with nothing more strenuous to recover from than his own idleness. He only went out with her occasionally, saying, "I do this so I'll enjoy my rest afterwards all the more; otherwise, you lose appreciation for it."
But Fat Katie was no less idle than Harry. "Harry dear," she said one day, "why needlessly make our lives a misery and spoil our youth? Those goats wake us with their bleating every morning. Wouldn't it be better to exchange them with our neighbor for a beehive? We can place it in a sunny spot behind the house and leave it to look after itself. Bees don't need minding or grazing; they fly out, find their way home, and make honey without us lifting a finger."
"You're very sensible," Harry replied. "Let's do it right away. Besides, honey is tastier and healthier than goat's milk, and it stores longer."
The neighbor willingly gave them a beehive for the two goats. The bees worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, filling the hive with fine honey. By autumn, Harry had collected a whole jar.
They placed the jar on a shelf fixed to the wall above their bed. Fearing theft or mice, Katie fetched a sturdy hazel rod and put it by the bed, so she could reach it without getting up to drive away any unwelcome visitors.
Lazy Harry never rose before midday. "Too soon out of bed and you'll soon be dead," he'd say. One morning, still lolling in bed in broad daylight, he said to his wife, "Women have a sweet tooth, and you've been at that honey again. Before you eat it all, let's exchange it for a goose and a gander."
"Not until we have a child to mind them!" replied Fat Katie. "You don't suppose I'd want to be bothered with goslings, needlessly wearing out my strength?"
"And do you suppose a boy would look after geese?" said Harry. "Nowadays children don't obey; they do as they please, thinking they're cleverer than their parents."
"Well then," answered Katie, "he'd better look out if he disobeys me. I'll take a stick and tan his hide. Watch me, Harry!" she exclaimed, seizing the stick meant for the mice. "Watch me beat his backside off!" She lifted the stick but unfortunately struck the honey jar above the bed. The jar smashed against the wall, and the fine honey trickled onto the floor.
"Well, so much for the goose and gander," said Harry. "We shan't have to mind them now. Luckily, the jar didn't fall on my head; we have every cause to be content." Seeing some honey left in a fragment, he picked it up cheerfully. "Wife, let's enjoy what's left and rest a bit after the fright. What does it matter if we get up later? The day's still long enough."
"Oh yes," answered Katie. "Better late than never."
中文翻译
懒汉海利
海利非常懒惰，尽管他每天唯一的任务就是把山羊赶出去吃草，但傍晚回家时仍会长吁短叹。“这活儿真累人，”他抱怨道，“年复一年，真是沉重的负担！要是山羊吃草时我能打个盹儿就好了！但不行，我得盯着，不然它会损坏小树、钻进篱笆，或者跑掉。这是什么日子啊！不得安宁，无法放松。”
他坐下来，陷入沉思，想找个办法摆脱这个负担。苦思良久，他终于想到了一个主意。“我知道了！我要娶胖子凯蒂。她也有一只山羊，这样她就可以把我的山羊一起赶出去，我就不用这么辛苦了。”
于是海利起身，穿过街道来到胖子凯蒂父母的家。他请求娶他们勤劳、善良的女儿为妻。她的父母毫不犹豫地同意了，说：“鱼找鱼，虾找虾。”就这样，胖子凯蒂成了海利的妻子，负责赶两只山羊去吃草。海利的日子过得非常惬意，除了自己的懒散，没什么需要恢复的劳累。他只是偶尔陪她出去，说：“我这么做是为了之后更能享受休息；不然，你就体会不到休息的好了。”
但胖子凯蒂和海利一样懒惰。“亲爱的海利，”一天她说，“我们何必这样无谓地受苦，糟蹋大好青春呢？那些山羊每天早上咩咩叫，吵醒我们。不如用它们跟邻居换一箱蜜蜂？我们可以把蜂箱放在屋后阳光充足的地方，让它自生自灭。蜜蜂不需要照看或放牧；它们自己飞出去，找到回家的路，酿蜜，我们一根手指都不用动。”
“你真明智，”海利回答，“我们马上就这么办。而且，蜂蜜比羊奶更好吃、更健康，也更容易储存。”
邻居欣然用一箱蜜蜂换了两只山羊。蜜蜂从早到晚不知疲倦地工作，把蜂箱装满了上好的蜂蜜。到了秋天，海利收集了整整一罐。
他们把罐子放在床头上方固定在墙上的架子上。担心被偷或老鼠光顾，凯蒂拿来一根结实的榛木棍放在床边，这样她不用起床就能伸手拿到，赶走任何不速之客。
懒汉海利从不在中午前起床。“起床太早，死得就早，”他常说。一天早上，天已大亮，他还赖在床上，对妻子说：“女人爱吃甜食，你又去动那蜂蜜了。趁你还没吃完，我们用它换一只母鹅和一只公鹅吧。”
“等我们有了孩子照看它们再说！”胖子凯蒂回答，“你该不会以为我想为小鹅费神，白白耗费力气吧？”
“那你以为男孩就会照看鹅吗？”海利说，“现在的孩子不听话；他们随心所欲，以为自己比父母聪明。”
“那好吧，”凯蒂回答，“要是他不听我的话，他可要小心了。我会拿棍子狠狠揍他。看着，海利！”她喊道，抓起那根用来赶老鼠的棍子。“看我怎么打烂他的屁股！”她举起棍子，却不巧打中了床上的蜂蜜罐。罐子撞到墙上摔得粉碎，蜂蜜流了一地。
“好了，母鹅和公鹅的事别提了，”海利说，“我们现在不用照看它们了。幸好罐子没砸到我头上；我们完全有理由感到满足。”看到一块碎片上还留有些蜂蜜，他高兴地捡起来。“老婆，我们把剩下的这点儿享受了吧，受了这场惊吓，再休息一会儿。晚点起床有什么关系？日子还长着呢。”
“哦，是啊，”凯蒂回答，“迟做总比不做好。”