水中仙女和珍珠 托爾斯泰著 江銘輝翻譯
圖：仙女問：「這樣過了多久，你才會停止？」那人答:「當我把海水舀乾時，我才會停止。」
一個人坐在小船上航行，將一顆寶貴的珍珠掉到海裏。這人回到岸上，拿起水桶，開始舀起海水往岸上潑。一連三天，他不厭倦地舀起和傾倒。
第四天，一個水中仙女從水中出來問道:「你為什麼一直在舀水？」
那人回答說:「一直在舀水，因為我丟了一顆珍珠。」
水中仙女又問：「這樣過了多久，你才會停止？」
那人答道:「當我把海水舀乾時，我才會停止。」
因此水中仙女回到深水處，帶來那顆相同的珍珠，還給那個人。
譯者評論：有志者，事竟成，只要是對的，努力以赴，就連神仙也會感動，愚公移山，就是一個很好的借鏡。
The Water Sprite and the Pearl
A man was sailing in a boat, and dropped a precious pearl into the sea. The man returned to land, and took a pail, and began to scoop up the water and pour it on the shore. For three days unweariedly he scooped and poured.
On the fourth day a Water Sprite came up out of the water, and asked, "Why are you scooping?"
The man replied, "I am scooping because I have lost a pearl."
The Water Sprite asked, "Are you going to stop before long?"
The man replied, "When I have scooped the sea dry,
then I shall stop."
Then the Water Sprite returned into the depths, and brought up the very same pearl, and gave it to the man.