手捧空花盆的孩子

国王guó wáng给gěi孩子hái zi们men发fā了le花huā种zhòng，说shuō：谁shéi能néng种zhòng出chū最zuì美měi的de花huā，谁shéi就jiù继承jì chéng王wáng位wèi。

The king gave every child a seed and said: whoever grows the most beautiful flower will inherit the throne.

孩子hái zi们men都dōu精心jīng xīn浇jiāo灌guàn自己zì jǐ的de花huā。到dào了le看kàn花huā的de日子rì zi，每měi个gè孩子hái zi都dōu捧pěng着zhe美丽měi lì的de花huā。

The children tended their pots with care. On the day of judging, every child held a beautiful bloom.

只有zhǐ yǒu一yí个gè孩子hái zi捧pěng着zhe空kōng花盆huā pén，低dī着zhe头tóu。

Only one child held an empty pot, head bowed low.

国王guó wáng却què选xuǎn了le他tā。原来yuán lái，那些nà xiē花huā种zhòng都dōu是shì煮zhǔ熟shú的de，根本gēn běn发fā不bù了le芽yá。

The king chose him. The seeds had all been boiled, none could ever have sprouted.

国王guó wáng要yào找zhǎo的de，正是zhèng shì这zhè个gè诚实chéng shí的de孩子hái zi。

The honest child was exactly who the king was looking for.