A poor farmer had¹ a friend who was² famous³ for the wonderful apple he grew.

One day, his friend gave⁴ the farmer a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it.

The farmer was pleased⁵ with the gift, but when he got⁶ home he did⁷ not know where to plant it.

He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers⁸ would⁹ steal¹⁰ the fruit. If he planted the tree in one of his field¹¹, his neighbors¹² would come at night and steal some of the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.

Finally¹³ he planted the tree in his wood where no one could¹⁴ see it. But without sunlight¹⁵ and good soil¹⁶, the tree soon died¹⁷.

Later¹⁸ the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such¹⁹ a poor place.“What’s the difference²⁰?” the farmer said²¹ angrily. “If I had planted the tree near the road, strangers would have stolen²² the fruit. If I had planted the tree in one of my field, my neighbors would have come at night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own²³ children would have taken the fruit.”

“Yes,” said the friend, “but at least²⁴ someone²⁵ could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only have robbed²⁶ everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed²⁷ a good apple tree!”

一个穷困的农夫有一个朋友，这个朋友因为种了神奇的苹果树而远近闻名。

有一天，农夫的这个朋友送给他一棵小苹果树。农夫对这个礼物非常高兴。但当他回到家时，却不知道将它栽在什么地方。

他担心他把苹果树栽在路边，陌生人会偷树上的苹果，他把树种在自己的一块地里，邻居们夜里就会过来偷苹果。他把树栽在自己的房子边，他的孩子们就会摘苹果。

最后，他把那棵树栽在了林子里，那里没人能看见。但没有阳光和泥土，树不久就死了。

后来，朋友问农夫他为什么把树栽在那样贫瘠的地方。

“那有什么不一样？”农夫生气地说， “我把苹果树栽在路边，陌生人就会偷树上的苹果，我把树栽在自己的一块地里，邻居们夜里就会来偷苹果。我把树栽在自己的房边，我自己的孩子们就会摘苹果。”

“是的，”他的朋友说. “但至少可能有人来分享这些果实。现在你不仅剥夺了每个人的果实，也毁了一棵好苹果树！