第283期:被偷的饼干

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　　中国有句古话，叫做：小时偷针，大时偷金。说的是孩子小时候的偷窃行为如果不加以管教和制止，会让他在成年的时候走上犯罪的道路。

　　如果孩子有偷窃的行为改怎么办呢？处理的方式有很多。但是下面这个故事里，辅导员在得知孩子的偷窃行为之后并没有当面指责或是惩罚。而是想到了另外的办法，不仅避免了孩子之间的伤害和摩擦，而且让有偷盗行为的孩子也改邪归正。

　　remainder¹ n. (数)余数，残余；剩余物；其余的人

　　counsellor n. 顾问；参赞；辅导员（等于counselor）；

　　resent² vt. 怨恨；愤恨；厌恶

　　protest vi. 抗议；断言

　　jack-knife a knife with a blade that folds into its handle 折刀

　　A small boy at summer camp received a large package of cookies in the mail from his mother. He ate a few, then placed the remainder under his bed. The next day, after lunch, he went to his tent to get a cookie. The box was gone.

　　That afternoon a camp counsellor, who had been told of the theft, saw another boy sitting behind a tree eating the stolen cookies. "That young man," he said to himself, "must be taught not to steal."

　　He returned to the group and sought out the boy whose cookies had been stolen. "Billy," he said, "I know who stole your cookies. Will you help me teach him a lesson?"

　　"Well, yes, but aren't you going to punish him?" asked the puzzled boy.

　　"No, that would only make him resent and hate you," the counsellor explained. "I want you to call your mother and ask her to send you another box of cookies."

　　The boy did as the counsellor asked and a few days later received another box of cookies in the mail.

　　"Now," said the counsellor, "the boy who stole your cookies is down by the lake. Go down there and share your cookies with him."

　　"But," protested the boy, "he's the thief."

　　"I know . But try it--see what happens."

　　Half an hour later the camp counsellor saw the two come up the hill, arm in arm. The boy who had stolen the cookies was earnestly trying to get the other to accept his jack-knife in payment for the stolen cookies, and the victim was just as earnestly refusing the gift from his new friend, saying that a few old cookies weren't that important anyway.

　　夏令营的一个小男孩收到了他母亲寄来的一大包饼干。他吃了几口，然后把剩下的放在床下。第二天午饭后，他去帐篷里那饼干，发现盒子不见了。

　　那天下午，营地辅导员就知道了偷饼干的事情。正巧他看见一个男孩坐在树后，吃偷来的饼干。“这个小伙子，”他自言自语道，“必须教他不要偷东西”

　　他回到团里去找到那个饼干被偷的男孩。“比利，”他说，“我知道谁偷了你的饼干。你能帮我给他一个教训吗？”

　　“嗯，好的-但你不打算惩罚他吗？”困惑的男孩问道。

　　“不，那只会让他怨恨和讨厌你，”辅导员解释道。我要你给你妈妈打个电话，让她再给你寄一盒饼干。

　　男孩照着辅导员的要求去做，几天后又收到了一盒饼干。

　　“现在，”辅导员说，“偷你饼干的男孩在湖边。去那和他一起分享你的饼干。”

　　“但是，”男孩抗议道，“他是小偷。”

　　“我知道。但是试试看——看看会发生什么。

　　半小时后，营地辅导员看到他们两人手挽着手上了山。那个偷了饼干的男孩很真诚地想让对方接受他的道歉并偿还偷来的饼干。而受害者也同样真诚地拒绝了新朋友送的礼物，他说几块旧饼干并不那么重要。

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