One day, a king was travelling in his own land. He saw a farmer so absorbed in his work that he did not even notice a snake coiling round his leg.
一天，国王在他的国家巡游，看见一个农夫正专心地锄地，以至连一条蛇缠住他的腿都没有发觉。
The king shouted,“Dear man, there is a snake on your leg！”
国王大声惊叫起来：“汉子，你的腿被一条蛇缠住了呀！”
The farmer just shook the snake off and continued his work.
农夫抖了抖腿把蛇甩开，然后继续锄地。
The king was very curious and asked,“Dear man, don't you know that the snake can harm you？ You ignored it and kept working. Is the work more important than your life？”
国王感到很奇怪，问：“汉子，你不知道那蛇会咬伤你吗？你却满不在乎地干活，难道干活比你的命还重要吗？”
The farmer said,“Your Majesty, the only thing that is threatening me is not the snake but the food. If I don't work hard, when the next spring comes, my family members will starve to death！”
农夫说：“陛下，真正威胁我生命的不是蛇，而是食物。如果我不拼命耕作，明年春天一到，我一家老小就全饿死了！”
The king sympathized with the farmer and he instructed his prime minister to give the farmer a big sum of money.
国王听了，很同情这个农夫的处境，他命令首相给了农夫一大笔救济金。
A year later, the king met the farmer again. He was well dressed and looked rather plump. He was not farming now but there was a bandage on his right arm.
一年后，国王又遇见了那个农夫。他衣着华丽，脑满肠肥，甚为富裕。他没有锄地，右臂缠着绷带。
The king asked him,“Dear man, what happened to your arm？”
国王上前问他：“汉子，你的胳膊怎么啦？”
“Your Majesty,”the farmer replied,“my finger was pricked by a thorn on the pumpkin. Now I need a rest to take care of my arm.”
“陛下！”农夫答道，“我的手指被南瓜刺扎了一下。现在我需要休息来养养胳膊。”
The king was astonished.“When you were such a poor man, you were not afraid of a snake bite. You only kept working hard. But now you need a rest after being pricked by a little thorn on the pumpkin！”
国王惊叹道：“啊！想当年你穷的时候，蛇都不怕，拼命地干活。现在让南瓜刺扎了一下就想歇息了！”
The farmer said,“Your Majesty, you have forgotten what people usually say: that was before, now it is different！”
农夫说：“尊敬的国王，您忘了人们常说：此一时，彼一时嘛！”