47．King Canute on the Seashore

A hundred years or more after the time of Alfred the Great（king of England，849-899），there was a king of Englandnamed Canute．The great men and officers who were around KingCanute were always praising him．

"You are the greatest man that ever lived．"one would say．

And another would say，"O king！There can never be anotherman so mighty as you．"

Then another would say，"Great Canute，there is nothing inthe world that dares to disobey you．"

The king was a man of sense ，and he grew very tired ofhearing such foolish speeches．

One day he was by the seashore，and his officers were withhim．They were praising him，as they were in the habit of doing．He thought that now he would teach them a lesson ，and so he bade them set his chair on the beach close by the edge of the water．

"Am I the greatest man in the world？"he asked．

"O king！"they cried，"there is no one so mighty as you．"

"Do all the things obey me？"he asked．

"There is nothing that dares to disobey you，O king！"theysaid．"The world bows before you，and gives you honour．"

"Will the sea obey me？"he asked；and he looked down atthe little waves which were lapping the sand at his feet．

The foolish officers were puzzled，but they did not dare tosay "No"．

"Command it，O king！And it will obey，"said one．

"Sea，"cried Canute，"I command you to come no farther！Waves，stop your rolling，and do not dare to touch my feet！"

But the tide came in，just as it always did．The water rosehigher and higher．It came up around the king's chair，and wettednot only his feet，but also his robe ．His officers stood abouthim，alarmed ，wondering whether he was not mad．

Then Canute took off his crown，and threw it down upon thesand．

"I shall never wear it again，"he said．"And do you，mymen，learn a lesson from what you have seen？There is only oneking who is all powerful；and it is he who rules the sea，holds theocean in the hollow of his hand．It is he whom you ought topraise and serve above all others．"

47．克努特国王在海滨

阿尔弗雷德大帝（849－899，英格兰国王）之后100多年左右，有一个英格兰国王名叫克努特。克努特国王周围的高官显贵总是在不停地颂扬他。

"您是古往今来最伟大的人，"一个人这么说。

还有一个说："噢，国王，再不会有别人象您这么有权威了。"

接着另一个则说："伟大的克努特，世界上没有任何事物敢违抗您。"

国王是个明白人，他听了这些蠢话，非常厌恶。

有一天，他来到海滨，官员们陪着他。像他们惯常所做的那样，对他进行颂扬。他想，现在该教训他们一下了。于是，他叫他们把椅子放在海滩上，紧靠水边。

"我是世界上最伟大的人吗？"他问。

"噢，国王！"他们大声说道，"再没有一个人像您这样有威力了。"

"万物都服从我吗？"他问道。

"噢，国王！任何事物都不敢违抗您。"他们说，"世界都要向您鞠躬，向您致敬。"

"大海听我的吗？"他问，他俯视着拍打他脚下沙子的小浪花。

愚蠢的官员们被难住了，但是他们不敢说"不"字。

"噢，国王，命令它！它就会服从您，"一个人说。

"大海，"克努特大喊道，"我命令你，不要再向前来了！波浪，不许翻滚了，不许碰着我的脚！"

但是，潮水依然像往常那样上涨。海水越长越高。水涨到了国王的椅子周围，不仅打湿了国王的脚，而且连他的长袍也弄湿了。他的官员们站在四周吓傻了，他们都担心国王是不是要发疯。

这时克努特摘下他的王冠，扔在沙滩上。

"我再也不戴它了，"他说，"诸位，你们从看到的一切中吸取教训了吗？只有一个国王是万能的，那就是主宰大海，把海洋握在他手心的那个。你们应当颂扬和服务的首先是他而不是别人。"