英文幽默故事：Yussouf

Yussouf was a sheik. He was sitting at the door of his dent¹ in the desert. It was night. Nothing was visible in the desert. The only light was the light that came from the starts in the sky. They were twinkling in the sky. The sheik was sad at heart. He had been secretly weeping for many days and nights. His eldest² son had been killed. 

 

Suddenly, a stranger came running to the tent. He fell at the feet of Yussouf. He said, “O Chief, save me. My enemies are coming after me. They want to kill me. I am starving. I can not run any more. All men call you good. Save me. O Chief, let me stay in your tent for one night." 

 

Yussouf asked the stranger to enter his tent. He said, “You are a stranger, but you are welcome. You can share with me my food and shelter. God has given them to me. God is our father. He has built this earth for us. The sky protects us all. God gives us food and shelter. I have never refused to grant any one a favor. Therefore come into my tent as my guest. Share with me my food. No one will harm you." 

 

The stranger entered. Yussouf embraced him as his honored guest. After taking food, the stranger lay down to sleep. 

 

The next day, the sun had not risen up. The desert was calm and still. Yussouf, gently, woke up the stranger. He gave the stranger a bag of gold. He said, “My friend, I hope you had a good sleep. The food must have given you some strength. Now you must escape from your enemies before the sun rises. I have kept my best horse ready for you. Fly before your enemies come." 

 

The stranger got up. He received the bag of gold from Yussouf. He looked at Yussouf for some moments. There was some struggle going on in his mind. Then suddenly his face became brighter. He fell at the feet of Yussouf. Then he said, “O good and noble Chief! You had been so kind to me. You gave me food and shelter. You had saved my life. But I had been so bad. I killed your son. I am Abraham. Now kill me! I am ready for punishment and revenge from you." 

 

The sheik was shocked. He was motionless. He was struggling between revenge and forgiveness in his mind. Should he take revenge? Should he return evil for evil? Or should he return good for evil? Finally he put his hand into his pocket. He drew out more gold. He gave it to Abraham. Then he said, “Here is gold three times more. Take this and go away. I will not kill you. You have been noble enough to confess. How can I be less noble to refuse to forgive you! The thought of revenge had been burning in my mind. Go away and take the thought of revenge from me." 

 

“I must give up the thought of revenge. Only then my son will sleep in peace. You have been my guest. I can not kill my guest. May God forgive both of us – me for keeping revenge in my thought and you for murdering my son!" said the Sheik and he went off to pray God.  

1 dent   

n.凹痕，凹坑；初步进展

参考例句：

• I don't know how it came about but I've got a dent in the rear of my car.我不知道是怎么回事，但我的汽车后部有了一个凹痕。
• That dent is not big enough to be worth hammering out.那个凹陷不大，用不着把它锤平。

2 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。