国王的三个难题（上）

类别：智慧

贪婪的约翰王刁难富有的修道院长并提出三个生死难题，院长求助无门陷入绝境。

时长 48 秒 · 语速 186 wpm

字幕原文

King John was one of the worst kings England ever had. 约翰王是英格兰历史上最糟糕的国王之一。

He was jealous, and he was greedy. 他生性多疑善妒，又贪得无厌。

In the town of Canterbury, there lived a rich old abbot, 在坎特伯雷镇上，住着一位富有年迈的修道院院长，

the head of a large church. 他掌管着一座大教堂。

He lived well. 他的日子过得非常优渥。

A hundred guests ate at his table every day. 每天都有上百位客人在他家宴饮吃饭。

When the king heard this, he was furious. 国王听说这件事后，勃然大怒。

"Nobody lives better than the king," he said. “谁的日子也不能过得比国王还好，”他说。

"Answer three questions, or I'll take everything you own, including your head. “回答我三个问题，否则我就没收你的一切财产，包括你的项上人头。

First, how long will I live? 第一，我能活多久？

Tell me to the exact day. 必须精确到具体哪一天。

Second, how fast can I ride around the whole world? 第二，我骑马绕整个世界一圈需要多快？

Third, what am I thinking?" 第三，我现在心里在想什么？”

The poor abbot asked for two weeks. 可怜的院长恳求宽限两周的时间。

He rode to Oxford, and then to Cambridge, 他骑马去了牛津，接着又去了剑桥，

and asked the cleverest professors in England. 向全英格兰最聪明的一群教授请教。

None of them had a clue. 可谁都给不出一点头绪。

Sad and frightened, he rode home to say goodbye to his friends. 他又悲伤又害怕，只好骑马回家去向朋友们道别。

He had only a few days left. 此时留给他的时间只剩短短几天了。