英語(yǔ)經(jīng)典美文誦讀100篇：003.too dear for the whistle

[00:03.83]003. Too Dear for the Whistle [00:15.73]When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. [00:22.58]I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children. [00:27.59]Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way, [00:31.46]in the hands of another boy, I handed over all my money for one. [00:36.59]I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, [00:42.54]but disturbing all the family. My brothers and sisters and cousins, [00:48.22]when I told of the bargain I had made, said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth. [00:55.51]They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money, [01:00.55]and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation. [01:06.26]Thinking about the matter gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure. [01:12.41]This, however, was afterwards of use to me, for the impression continued on my mind, [01:19.11]so that often, when I was tempted to buy something I did not need, I said to myself, [01:25.53]“Don’t give too much for the whistle,” and I saved my money. [01:30.47]As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, [01:35.75]I thought I met with many, very many, who “gave too much for the whistle.” [01:42.93]When I saw some men too eager for a court favour, wasting his time at court gatherings, [01:48.58]giving up his rest, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, for royal favour, [01:55.61]I said to myself - “This man gives too much for the whistle.” [02:01.40]When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs, [02:07.29]neglecting his own business, and ruining it by neglect, “He pays, indeed,” said I, “too dear for his whistle.” [02:17.59]If I knew a miser who gave up every kind of comfortable living, [02:21.85]all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship, [02:28.84]for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth - “Poor man,” said I, [02:34.05]“you pay too dear for your whistle.” When I met a man of pleasure, [02:39.75]who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having a good time, [02:46.31]perhaps neglecting his health, “Mistaken man,” said I, “you are providing pain for yourself, [02:53.50]instead of pleasure; you are paying too dear for your whistle.” [02:58.12]If I saw someone fond of appearance who had fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine earrings, [03:06.86]all above his fortune, and for which he had run into debt, and ends his career in a prison. [03:14.88]“Alas,” said I, “he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.” [03:22.03]In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their putting a false value on things - [03:29.57]to giving “too much for their whistles”.

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