谎言的连锁

字幕原文

The swindlers asked for more money, more silk, and more gold thread. 骗子们又要了更多的钱、丝绸和金线。

They kept every bit of it, 他们把这些东西全揣进了自己的腰包，

and went on working at their empty looms. 继续在空荡荡的织布机前忙活着。

Soon the Emperor sent another trusted official to check on them. 不久，皇帝又派了一位心腹大臣去看看情况。

The same thing happened to him. 这位大臣的遭遇也一模一样。

He looked and looked, 他看了又看，

but there was nothing on the looms but air. 但织布机上除了空气，什么都没有。

"Isn't it a beautiful piece of cloth?" “这块布漂亮吧？”

said the swindlers, pointing at patterns that didn't exist. 骗子们指着根本不存在的花纹说道。

"I'm not stupid," thought the official. “我可不傻，”大臣心想，

"So I must be unfit for my fine position. “那肯定是我不配坐这么好的官位。

But no one must know." 但绝不能让任何人知道。”

So he praised the cloth he couldn't see, 于是他夸赞起自己根本看不见的布料，

and raved about its colors. 把它的颜色夸得天花乱坠。

Once one person lies to protect himself, 只要有一个人为了自保而撒谎，

it's much easier for the next. 下一个人撒起谎来就容易多了。

Soon the whole city was talking about the magnificent fabric. 很快，全城的人都在讨论这块华丽的布料。

And now, the Emperor wanted to see it for himself. 现在，皇帝也想亲自去看看了。