介绍:
Once when there was a famine, a rich baker sent for twenty of the poorest children in the town, and said to them, “In this basket there is some bread for each of you. Take it, and come back to me every day at this hour till better times come.”
The hungry children gathered eagerly around the basket, and quarreled over the bread, because each wished to have the largest bread. At last, they went away without even thanking the good gentleman.
However, Gretchen, a poorly-dressed little girl, didn’t quarrel or struggle with the rest, but remained standing quietly in the distance. When other children had left, she took the smallest bread, which alone was left in the basket. She kissed the gentleman’s hand and went home.
The next day, the children were as ill-behaved as the first day, and Gretchen still got the smallest one. When she came home and her mother cut the bread open, many shining pieces of silver fell out of it.
Her mother was very alarmed and said, “Take the silver pieces back to the good gentleman at once, for they must have got into the bread by accident. Be quick, Gretchen! Be quick!”
But when the little girl gave the gentleman her mother’s message, he said, “No, no, my child, it was no mistake. I had the silver pieces put into the smallest bread to reward you. Always be as contented, peaceable and grateful as you now are. Go home now, and tell your mother that these silver pieces are your own.”
