A poor farmer had a friend who was famous for the wonderful apple he grew.

One day, his friend gave the farmer a young apple tree and told him to take it home and plant it.

The farmer was pleased with the gift, but when he got home he did not know where to plant it.

He was afraid that if he planted the tree near the road, strangers would steal the fruit. If he planted the tree in one of his field, his neighbors would come at night and steal some of the apples. If he planted the tree near his house, his children would take the fruit.

Finally he planted the tree in his wood where no one could see it. But without sunlight and good soil, the tree soon died.

Later the friend asked the farmer why he had planted the tree in such a poor place.“What’s the difference?” the farmer said angrily. “If I had planted the tree near the road, strangers would have stolen the fruit. If I had planted the tree in one of my field, my neighbors would have come at night and stolen some of the apples. If I had planted it near my house, my own children would have taken the fruit.”

“Yes,” said the friend, “but at least someone could have enjoyed the fruit. Now you not only have robbed everyone of the fruit, but also you have destroyed a good apple tree!”

一個窮困的農夫有一個朋友，這個朋友因為種了神奇的蘋果樹而遠近聞名。

有一天，農夫的這個朋友送給他一棵小蘋果樹。農夫對這個禮物非常高興。但當他回到家時，卻不知道將它栽在什么地方。

他擔心他把蘋果樹栽在路邊，陌生人會偷樹上的蘋果，他把樹種在自己的一塊地里，鄰居們夜里就會過來偷蘋果。他把樹栽在自己的房子邊，他的孩子們就會摘蘋果。

最后，他把那棵樹栽在了林子里，那里沒人能看見。但沒有陽光和泥土，樹不久就死了。

后來，朋友問農夫他為什么把樹栽在那樣貧瘠的地方。

“那有什么不一樣？”農夫生氣地說， “我把蘋果樹栽在路邊，陌生人就會偷樹上的蘋果，我把樹栽在自己的一塊地里，鄰居們夜里就會來偷蘋果。我把樹栽在自己的房邊，我自己的孩子們就會摘蘋果。”

“是的，”他的朋友說. “但至少可能有人來分享這些果實。現在你不僅剝奪了每個人的果實，也毀了一棵好蘋果樹！”