坟   

 一    天   ， 富    农    站    在    院    子    里    察    看    他    的    田    地    和    园    子   。 麦    子    长    得    正    旺   ， 果    树    也    压    弯    了    腰   。 去    年    的    粮    食    还    囤    积    在    楼    上    呢   ， 屋    梁    都    快    压    塌    了   。 随    后    富    农    又    走    进    了    马    厩   ， 这    里    喂    着    的    公    牛    和    奶    牛    膘    肥    体    壮   ， 还    有    一    匹    浑    身    上    下    刷    得    干    干    净    净    的    骏    马   。 最    后    富    农    回    到    了    厅    里   ， 眼    光    又    落    向    了    装    满    金    子    的    铁    钱    箱   。

 他    这    样    站    在    那    里   ， 估    量    着    自    己    的    财    产   ， 突    然    离    他    不    远    的    地    方    传    来    了    敲    门    声   ， 敲    的    不    是    房    间    的    门   ， 而    是    他    心    灵    的    大    门   。 门    开    了   ， 他    听    到    有    个    声    音    对    他    说   ：" 你    可    曾    给    家    人    做    过    好    事   ？ 你    考    虑    过    穷    人    的    困    苦    吗   ？ 你    把    自    己    的    饭    分    给    过    饥    饿    的    人    们    吗   ？ 你    觉    得    满    足    了    吗   ？ 或    者    你    还    想    要    更    多    些   ？" 他    的    心    不    甘    示    弱   ， 马    上    了    作    出    反    应   ：" 我    向    来    是    铁    石    心    肠   、 冷    酷    无    情   ， 我    从    不    给    家    人    好    脸    色    看   ， 如    有    乞    丐    上    门   ， 我    可    不    正    眼    瞧    他    一    眼   ； 我    也    不    信    上    帝   ， 想    的    只    是    如    何    得    到    更    多    财    富   。 即    使    天    底    下    的    一    切    都    是    我    的   ， 我    也    不    嫌    多   。"

 富    翁    听    到    这    话   ， 着    实    吃    了    一    惊   ， 他    的    双    腿    开    始    颤    抖    了   ， 他    只    得    坐    下    来   。

 那    时    又    传    来    了    敲    门    声   ， 不    过    这    次    却    是    敲    在    房    间    的    门    上   。 门    外    站    着    他    的    邻    居   ， 一    个    穷    人   ， 他    膝    下    儿    女    成    堆   ， 连    糊    口    也    成    问    题   。" 我    也    知    道    我    的    邻    居    很    富    有   ， 而    且    同    样    也    无    情   ； 我    不    信    他    会    接    济    我   ， 可    我    的    孩    子    们    正    哭    着    要    东    西    吃   ， 我    只    有    豁    出    去    了   ， 来    求    他    帮    点    忙   。" 可    怜    的    农    夫    心    里    这    样    嘀    咕    着    说   ，" 你    是    不    会    轻    易    把    东    西    施    舍    给    人    的   ， 可    是    你    看    我    站    在    这    儿   ， 像    大    水    已    淹    过    了    头    顶    的    人   ， 我    的    孩    子    们    正    饿    得    慌   ， 看    在    他    们    的    份    上   ， 就    借    我    四    升    谷    吧   ！" 富    翁    久    久    地    盯    着    他   ， 心    中    露    出    了    些    许    怜    悯    之    光   ， 那    贪    婪    之    冰    开    始    融    化    了    一    点    点   。" 我    不    会    借    给    你    四    升    谷    的   ，" 富    翁    笑    道   ，" 可    我    愿    意    送    你    八    升    谷   ， 但    你    必    须    答    应    我    一    个    条    件   。"" 要    我    做    什    么   ？" 农    夫    急    切    地    问   。" 我    要    是    死    了   ， 你    得    在    我    墓    前    为    我    守    三    天    灵   。" 农    夫    听    到    这    要    求   ， 心    一    下    就    乱    了   ， 但    因    急    需    接    济   ， 就    是    任    何    事    情    他    也    会    答    应   ， 于    是    他    答    应    了    对    方    的    请    求   ， 背    着    谷    子    回    家    了   。

 富    翁    似    乎    预    感    到    会    有    什    么    事    要    发    生   ， 三    天    过    后   ， 他    突    然    倒    在    地    上    死    了   。 没    人    知    道    究    竟    是    怎    么    回    事   ， 但    也    无    人    为    他    的    死    感    到    悲    痛    和    伤    心   。 富    翁    下    葬    时   ， 农    夫    想    起    了    自    己    许    过    的    诺    言   ， 这    下    他    可    以    从    中    摆    脱    出    来    了   ， 他    觉    得    高    兴   ， 可    他    心    想   ：" 毕    竟    他    还    待    我    好    过   ， 我    也    曾    用    他    给    的    谷    子    养    活    过    我    的    孩    子   。 即    使    不    是    这    样   ， 一    旦    许    下    诺    言   ， 就    得    履    行   。" 夜    幕    降    临    时   ， 农    夫    走    进    了    墓    地   ， 在    富    翁    的    墓    前    坐    了    下    来   。 外    边    是    那    样    的    万    籁    俱    寂   ， 只    有    月    光    轻    泄    在    坟    头    上   ， 不    时    也    有    一    只    猫    头    鹰    飞    过   ， 发    出    悲    哀    的    叫    声   。 太    阳    升    起    后   ， 穷    人    平    安    无    恙    地    回    到    了    家   。 第    二    天    晚    上   ， 一    切    都    如    昨    天    一    般   。 可    到    了    第    三    天    晚    上   ， 农    夫    感    到    特    别    不    自    在   ， 总    觉    得    有    什    么    事    要    发    生   ， 他    于    是    走    到    了    墓    地    的    院    墙    外   ， 看    到    一    个    自    己    从    未    见    过    的    人   。 他    年    纪    已    不    小   ， 脸    上    有    疤   ， 他    的    眼    睛    急    切    地    四    处    扫    射   ， 锐    利    无    比   ； 他    身    上    披    着    件    旧    罩    衫   ， 只    露    出    两    只    大    马    靴   。" 你    在    找    什    么   ？" 农    夫    问    道   ：" 难    道    你    在    这    寂    寞    的    坟    地    不    害    怕    吗   ？"" 我    啥    也    不    怕   ！" 那    人    答    道   ，" 我    啥    都    不    怕   ！ 我    就    同    那    位    外    出    学    发    抖    的    年    轻    人    一    样   ， 一    切    只    是    徒    劳   ， 不    过    他    最    后    还    是    娶    了    公    主    为    妻   ， 还    得    到    了    大    量    的    财    宝   ， 而    我    却    老    是    受    穷   。 我    是    个    退    役    兵   ， 今    晚    我    打    算    就    在    这    儿    过   ， 何    况    我    也    找    不    到    其    它    地    方    可    去   。"" 如    果    你    不    害    怕    的    话   ， 就    陪    陪    我   ， 帮    我    一    起    守    那    坟    吧   ！" 农    夫    答    道   。

" 站    岗    是    当    兵    的    事   ，" 他    答    道   ，" 不    管    今    晚    我    们    在    这    儿    遇    到    什    么    好    歹   ， 我    们    都    得    共    同    承    担   。" 农    夫    很    赞    同    他   ， 就    和    他    一    起    在    坟    头    坐    下   。

 前    半    夜   ， 一    切    都    平    安    无    事   。 到    了    后    半    夜   ， 空    中    突    然    传    来    了    一    阵    尖    锐    的    呼    啸    声   ， 两    个    守    卫    者    竟    发    现    魔    鬼    就    站    在    他    们    面    前   。" 滚    开   ， 你    们    这    两    个    坏    蛋   ！" 魔    王    对    他    们    大    喊   ：" 躺    在    这    墓    里    的    人    是    我    的   ， 我    要    带    他    走   。 如    果    你    们    不    赶    紧    滚    蛋    的    话   ， 我    就    拧    断    你    们    的    脖    子   ！"" 红    发    老    魔   ，" 士    兵    说   ，" 你    又    不    是    我    的    上    司   ， 我    可    没    有    必    要    听    你    的    指    挥   ， 况    且    我    也    没    学    会    什    么    是    害    怕   。 快    滚    吧   ！ 我    们    要    坐    在    这    儿   。"

 魔    鬼    心    想   ：" 我    最    好    用    钱    来    让    这    两    个    流    浪    汉    离    开   。" 于    是    他    就    换    上    了    柔    和    的    语    调   ， 十    分    和    善    地    问    他    们    是    否    乐    意    接    受    一    袋    金    币   ， 带    着    回    家   。" 这    听    起    来    还    可    以   ，" 士    兵    答    道   ，" 但    一    袋    金    币    还    不    够   ， 如    果    你    能    够    给    我    们    些    金    币   ， 用    我    一    只    靴    子    能    装    满   ， 我    们    就    立    即    把    这    块    地    方    让    给    你   。"

" 我    身    上    可    没    带    那    么    多    金    币   ，" 魔    鬼    说   ，" 但    我    会    去    取    的   。 就    在    附    近    城    里    住    着    我    的    一    位    好    朋    友   ， 他    是    个    钱    商   ， 他    会    乐    意    帮    我    垫    足    这    个    数    的   。" 说    完    魔    鬼    就    消    失    了   ， 士    兵    脱    下    他    左    脚    的    靴    子    说   ：" 我    们    很    快    会    让    他    碰    一    鼻    子    灰    的   。 伙    计   ， 快    把    你    的    刀    子    给    我    用    一    下   。" 他    拿    刀    把    靴    底    割    掉   ， 把    靴    子    放    在    一    个    小    洞    里   ， 草    丛    正    好    遮    掉    了    一    半   ， 然    后    说   ：" 这    会    有    用    的   ， 不    久    那    黑    鬼    就    会    来   。"

 于    是    他    们    坐    在    那    里    等    着   。 没    过    多    久   ， 魔    鬼    就    回    来    了   ， 手    提    着    一    袋    金    子   。" 就    倒    在    这    里    吧   ！" 士    兵    说    着   ， 把    靴    子    稍    稍    提    起    了    一    点   ，" 但    这    还    不    够   。"

 魔    鬼    把    口    袋    抖    了    抖   ， 金    币    全    落    进    了    靴    子    里   ， 可    是    靴    子    仍    不    见    满   。" 混    蛋   ， 你    这    没    用    的   ！ 我    刚    才    没    说    过    吗   ？ 回    去    再    拿    些    来   。" 士    兵    大    声    骂    着   。 魔    鬼    摇    了    摇    头   ， 无    可    奈    何    地    走    了   。 不    到    一    个    小    时    的    工    夫    魔    鬼    就    回    来    了   ， 这    次    他    拎    来    个    更    大    的    口    袋   。" 只    管    倒    吧   ！" 士    兵    对    魔    鬼    喊    道   ，" 但    我    怀    疑    靴    子    还    是    装    不    满   。" 金    币    叮    噹    噹    地    掉    进    靴    子   ， 但    靴    子    一    点    也    不    见    满   。 只    见    魔    鬼    怒    火    中    烧   ， 满    眼    通    红   ， 竭    力    想    使    自    己    相    信    眼    前    的    一    切   。" 你    的    小    腿    比    大    腿    都    粗   ， 真    难    看   ！" 他    歪    着    个    脸    喊    道   。" 你    以    为    我    也    和    你    一    样    生    着    个    蹄    脚    吗   ？ 你    是    什    么    时    候    变    得    这    样    小    气    的   ？ 去    多    拿    些    金    子    来   ， 否    则    我    们    这    笔    生    意    就    拉    倒   。" 魔    鬼    只    得    再    打    转   ， 这    次    他    也    去    得    久    些   。 当    他    最    后    出    现    时   ， 他    已    被    肩    上    的    一    袋    金    币    累    得    气    喘    嘘    嘘   。 他    再    次    把    金    币    倒    进    靴    子    里   ， 可    是    靴    子    还    是    和    刚    才    一    样   。 这    下    魔    鬼    可    大    发    雷    霆    了   ， 他    伸    手    就    要    从    士    兵    手    上    抢    过    靴    子   ， 把    它    撕    成    碎    片   。 可    就    在    这    时   ， 早    上    第    一    道    霞    光    穿    过    云    层   ， 照    在    了    魔    鬼    身    上   ， 只    见    魔    鬼    狂    呼    大    叫    着    逃    跑    了   ， 墓    中    的    那    个    可    怜    的    灵    魂    也    幸    免    于    难   。

 农    夫    要    平    分    金    币   ， 士    兵    却    说   ：" 把    我    的    一    份    分    给    穷    人    吧   ！ 我    要    搬    到    你    的    小    屋    去   ， 我    们    就    用    剩    下    的    东    西    过    安    静    平    和    的    日    子   ， 直    到    最    后    上    帝    召    唤    我    们   。"

Concept and Helping Material