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1. Demons in the Desert   沙漠妖怪

—— the Correct Way of Thinking  正思惟

    Once upon a time, there were two merchants, who were friends. Both of them were getting ready for business trips to sell their merchandise, so they had to decide whether to travel together. They agreed that, since each had about 500 carts, and they were going to the same place along the same road, it would be too crowded to go at the same time.

从前，有两个大商人，他们是朋友。双方都准备外出经商，正考虑是否同行。他们目的地、路线相同，而且各有500辆大车，如果一起上路，难免过于拥挤。
　　
    One decided that it would be much better to go first. He thought, "The road will not be rutted by the carts, the bullocks will be able to choose the best of all the grass, we will find the best fruits and vegetables to eat, my people will appreciate my leadership and, in the end, I will be able to bargain for the best prices."

商人甲觉得先行的人大大有利。他想：“先走的话，道路没有被车轮压坏，牛群可以吃丰美的青草，我们可以采摘最好的水果和蔬菜，手下人会感激我的领导，而且，我还能和买家谈个好价钱。”

     The other merchant considered carefully and realized there were advantages in going second. He thought, "My friend's carts will level the ground so we won't have to do any road work, his bullocks will eat the old rough grass and new tender shoots will spring up for mine to eat. In the same way, they will pick the old fruits and vegetables and fresh ones will grow for us to enjoy. I won't have to waste my time bargaining when I can take the price already set and make my profit." So he agreed to let his friend go first. This friend was sure he'd fooled him and gotten the best of him -- so he set out first on the journey.

商人乙前思后想，觉得后行的人比较有利。他认为：“我朋友的车队会压平前行的道路，我们就不必修补道路。他的牛群吃掉路上粗韧的牧草，等我的牛群路过时，就有细嫩幼草可吃。而且，他们采走成熟的蔬果，就会有另一批新鲜的蔬果供我们享用。当我到达目的地时，货物行情已经确定，我不必争取好价钱，就能脱手获利。”于是他同意让朋友先走。甲还以为自己瞒过了乙，占了很大的便宜——于是兴冲冲地上路了。

    The merchant who went first had a troublesome time of it. They came to a wilderness called the 'Waterless Desert', which the local people said was haunted by demons. When the caravan reached the middle of it, they met a large group coming from the opposite direction. They had carts that were mud-smeared and dripping with water. They had lotuses and water lilies in their hands and in the carts. The head man, who had a know-it-all attitude, said to the merchant, "Why are you carrying these heavy loads of water? In a short time, you will reach that oasis on the horizon with plenty of water to drink and dates to eat. Your bullocks are tired from pulling those heavy carts filled with extra water -- so throw away the water and be kind to your overworked animals!"

商人甲的路程艰难重重，终于来到号称“极旱之地”的荒漠，据当地人传说，这里经常有妖怪出没。当商队行至荒漠中心时，迎面走来了一大群人。他们的车上溅满泥点，湿淋淋地滴着水。他们手上、车上满是荷花与睡莲。车队首领用一种无所不知的语气说道：“你们还带着这些笨重的水干什么？一会儿， 你们就将到达绿洲，那里有喝不完的清水和吃不尽的椰枣。你们的牛群拉着这些装满水的车子多累啊——善待你们这些疲劳的动物吧，把那些多余的水扔掉好了。”

    Even though the local people had warned them, the merchant did not realize that these were not real people, but demons in disguise. They were even in danger of being eaten by them. Being confident that they were helpful people, he followed their advice and had all his water emptied onto the ground.

尽管当地人已警告过他们了，商人甲仍未发觉，面前这些人全是妖怪变的，而且将要吃掉商队。他轻信了这些人的“善意帮助”，听话地将所有车上的水都倒在地上。
   
    As they continued on their way, they found no oasis or water at all. Some realized they'd been fooled by beings that might have been  demons, and started to grumble and accuse the merchant. At the end of the day, all the people were tired out. The bullocks were too weak from lack of water to pull their heavy carts. All the people and animals lay down in a haphazard manner and fell into a deep sleep. Lo and behold, during the night, the demons came in their true frightening forms and gobbled up all the weak defenseless beings. When they were done, there were only bones lying scattered around and not one human or animal was left alive.

继续前行时，商队并没有发现任何绿洲或是水源。其中一些人知道他们可能被妖怪欺骗了，于是满腹牢骚，开始数落商人甲。天黑时所有人都筋疲力尽，牛群也因为缺水而拖不动沉重的车子。人畜都七扭八歪地躺倒在地，沉沉睡去。看哪！当夜，妖怪们现出骇人的原形，来到这群毫无防备和反抗之力的人畜面前，将其全部吞食。一场悲剧过后，只剩下一堆白骨散落各处，没有一个活口。

    After several months, the second merchant began his journey along the same way. When he arrived at the wilderness, he assembled all his people and advised them -- "This is called the 'Waterless Desert' and I have heard that it is haunted by demons and ghosts. Therefore we should be careful. Since there may be poison plants and foul water, don't drink any local water without asking me." In this way, they started into the desert.

几个月后，商人乙决定取同一条道路出发。 当行至荒漠时，商人乙召集所有人，告诫他们说：“这里被称作‘极旱之地’，我听说这里常有妖怪出现。所以大家一定要小心。路上的水、草可能有毒，未经我的同意，不许私自喝那里的水。”之后，他们踏入了荒漠。

    After getting about half-way through, in the same way as with the first caravan, they were met by the water-soaked demons in disguise. They told them the oasis was near and that they should throw away their water. But the wise merchant saw through them right away. He knew it didn't make sense to have an oasis in a place called 'Waterless Desert'. And besides, these people had bulging red eyes and an aggressive and pushy attitude, so he suspected they might be demons. He told them to leave them alone, saying, "We are business men who don't throw away good water before we know where the next is coming from."

在行至半路时，他们在同一个地方遇见了由妖怪变成的湿淋淋的车队。那些妖怪说附近有绿洲，并劝说他们丢弃车上储存的水。聪明的商人乙立刻看穿了他们的身分。他深知，在“极旱之地”有绿洲，简直是无稽之谈。而且，他注意到这些人红眼突睛，态度凶狠逼人，便认为这群人可能是妖怪变的。他告诉对方，不用替商队操心：“我们是商人，在未确定水源的情况下，从来不会随意把上好的饮用水倒掉。”

    Then, seeing that his own people had doubts, the merchant said to them, "Don't believe these people, who may be demons, until we actually find water. The oasis they point to may be just an illusion or a mirage. Have you ever heard of water in this 'Waterless Desert'? Do you feel any rain-wind or see any storm clouds?" They all said, "No", and he continued, "If we believe these strangers and throw away our water, then later we may not have any to drink or cook with, then we will be weak and thirsty -- it would be easy for demons to come and rob us, or even eat us up! Therefore, until we really find water, do not waste even a drop!"

随后，商人乙对他那些尚在犹豫的手下人说：“除非我们真地找到了水源，否则不要相信这些人的话，他们有可能就是妖怪。他们所说的绿洲，很可能只是一种幻景。‘极旱之地’怎么会有水源呢？你们能察觉到附近有下雨的迹象吗？”手下都回答：不能。商人乙继续说道：“如果我们轻信这些陌生人的话，将水都倒尽，那么将来我们很可能因为没有水喝、没有水做饭，而变得饥渴难忍、虚弱不堪，这就会使妖怪们趁虚而入，掠夺我们的财物，甚至将我们吃掉！所以在我们真地找到水源之前，一滴水都不能浪费。”

   The caravan continued on its way and, that evening, reached the place where the first caravan's people and bullocks had been killed and eaten by the demons. They found the carts and human and animal bones lying all around. They recognized that the fully loaded carts and the scattered bones belonged to the former caravan. The wise merchant told certain people to stand watch around the camp during the night.

商队继续前行，傍晚便行至妖怪们吞噬商人甲的人畜之处。他们发现到处都是累累白骨。他们认出了商队甲装满货物的牛车，和散落各处的人畜骨架。聪明的商人乙专门安排了几个人，在夜晚为商队放哨。

    The next morning, the people ate breakfast and fed  their bullocks well. They added to their goods the most valuable things left from the first caravan. So they finished their journey very successfully, and returned home safely so that they and their families could enjoy their profits.

第二天一早，这群人吃过早餐，喂饱牛群，然后将商队甲遗留的最贵重的物品，收拾带走。之后，他们圆满地结束了这次商旅，安全地回到了家中，与亲人一同分享利润。

　 The moral is: One must always be wise enough not to be fooled by tricky talk and false appearances.

这则故事告诉我们：人一定要聪明谨慎，不要被花言巧语和虚假表象所迷惑。