English Original
There was once an old woman who went begging. Whenever she received alms, she would say, "May God reward you."
One day, the beggar-woman came to a door where a friendly rogue of a boy was warming himself by the fire. Seeing the old woman shivering by the door, the boy kindly said, "Come, old mother, and warm yourself."
She came in but stood too close to the fire, causing her old rags to catch flame without her notice. The boy saw it happen but did nothing to put out the fire. Should he not have put it out? If he had no water, he should have wept streams from his eyes to extinguish the flames.
中文翻译
从前有一位老妇人，以乞讨为生。每当她得到施舍时，都会说：“愿上帝保佑你。”
一天，这位乞妇来到一扇门前，一个友善的小淘气男孩正在炉火旁取暖。看到老妇人在门口瑟瑟发抖，男孩好心地说：“进来吧，老妈妈，来暖和一下。”
她走了进来，但站得离火太近了，身上破旧的衣衫着了火，她自己却浑然不觉。男孩目睹了这一切，却没有去灭火。难道他不应该把火扑灭吗？就算他没有水，他也应该哭出两行泪水，汇成溪流来浇灭火焰。