英语智慧背囊 05-得不偿失

[00:03.81]Too Dear for the Whistle得不偿失
[00:06.88]When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers.
[00:14.34]I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children.
[00:18.69] Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way,
[00:22.87]in the hands of another boy,
[00:24.93]I handed over all my money for one.
[00:27.55] I then came home, and went whistling all over the house,
[00:31.92] much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family.
[00:36.19] My brothers and sisters and cousins,
[00:39.00] when I told of the bargain I had made,
[00:41.66]said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth.
[00:46.00] They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money,
[00:51.28]and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation.
[00:55.88]Thinking about the matter gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.
[01:01.34]This, however, was afterwards of use to me,
[01:04.86]for the impression continued on my mind,
[01:07.80]so that often, when I was tempted to buy something I did not need,
[01:12.07]I said to myself, “Don’t give too much for the whistle,” and I saved my money.
[01:17.86] As I grew up, came into the world,
[01:20.70]and observed the actions of men,
[01:22.78]I thought I met with many, very many, who “gave too much for the whistle”.
[01:28.25]If I knew a miser who gave up every kind of comfortable living,
[01:33.00]all the pleasure of doing good to others,
[01:35.91]all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship,
[01:40.50]for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth—“Poor man,” said I,
[01:45.30]“you pay too dear for your whistle.”
[01:48.16] When I met a man of pleasure,
[01:50.13]who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having a good time,
[01:56.58] perhaps neglecting his health,
[01:58.47]“Mistaken man,” said I,
[02:00.52]“you are providing pain for yourself,
[02:02.92]instead of pleasure;
[02:04.35]you are paying too dear for your whistle.”
[02:06.86]If I saw someone fond of appearance
[02:09.81]who had fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine earrings, all above his fortune,
[02:16.82]and for which he had run into debt,
[02:19.44]“Alas,” said I, “he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.”
[02:24.25] In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their putting a false value on things
[02:31.61]—to giving “too much for their whistles”.