精短優美的英語散文：The Secret of Happiness

　　Once there lived a king of great strength and wealth.Yet he was not happy.He told his servants to find him things to make him happy,but each came back saying,”Noting in the world can match the wonderful things you have already.”Then in that land,there lived a poor man with a patch over one eye and a crutch to help him walk.Although he had little,he was always happy.When the king heard of this,he asked the man to teach him his secret.

　　“I never push.” the man replied,”and I never rush. Most of all, I never wish for too much.”Then he smiled and was gone.

　　If you would make a man happy,do not add to his possessions but subtract from his desires.

　　從前有一位國王，很有權力和財富，然而他并不快樂。他告訴仆人去找可以使他快樂的東西，但是每個回來的人都說：“世界上沒有什么比得上你已經擁有的極好的東西。”當時那個國家住著一個窮人，他一個眼睛戴著眼罩并靠拐杖走路。雖然他擁有的很少，但是他總是很快樂。當國王聽說這件事的時候，他要求這個人教他快樂的秘決。

　　“我從來不強迫，”這個人答道，“而且我從不匆忙。最重要的是，我從不希望得到太多。”然后，他笑著離開了。

　　如果你想使一個人快樂，不要增加他的財產，而是要減少他的欲望。