TURNING THE GRINDSTONE
1.WHEN I was a little boy，I remember，one cold winter’s morning，I was accosted by a smiling man with an ax on his shoulder.“My pretty boy，”said he，“has your father a grindstone？”“Yes，sir，”said .“You are a fine little fellow，”said he；“will you let me grind my ax on it？”Pleased with the compliment of “fine little fellow，”“O yes，sir，”I answered.“It is down in the shop.”“And will you，my man，”said he，patting me on the head，“get me a little hot water？”How could I refuse？I ran，and soon brought a kettle full.“How old are you？and what‘s your name？”continued he，without waiting for a reply；“I am sure you are one of the finest lads that ever I have seen；will you just turn a few minutes for me？”
2.Tickled with the flattery，like a little fool，I went to work，and bitterly did I rue the day.It was a new ax，and I toiled and tugged till I was almost tired to death.The school-bell rang，and I could not get away；my hands were blistered，and the ax was not half ground.At length，however，it was sharpened；and the man turned to me with，“Now，you little rascal，you ’ve played truant；scud to the school，or you‘ll buy it！”“Alas！”thought I，“it was hard enough to turn a grindstone，this cold day；but now to be called a little rascal，is too much.”
3.It sank deep in my mind；and often have I thought of it since.When I see a merchant over polite to his customers，begging them to take a little brandy，and throwing his goods on the counter，thinks I，That man has an ax to grind.When I see a man flattering the people，making great professions of attachment to liberty，who is in private life a tyrant，methinks，Look out，good people！that fellow would set you turning grindstones.When I see a man hoisted into office by party spirit，without a single qualification to render him either respectable or useful，alas！methinks，deluded people，you are doomed for a season to turn the grindstone for a booby.
（FROM FRANKLIN ）
中文阅读
1.我记得小时候的一个寒冷的冬天的早晨，一个扛着斧子的人笑呵呵地跟我打招呼。“我可爱的小家伙，”他说，“你父亲有磨刀石吗？”“有啊，先生。”我回答。“你真是个好孩子，”他说，“能让我用它磨磨我的斧子吗？”听到他称赞我是好孩子，我十分高兴，回答说：“哦，可以，先生。磨刀石在商店里放着。”他轻轻拍着我的头说：“我亲爱的，你能给拿我点热水吗？”这我怎么能够拒绝？我跑了出去，给他拿了满满一壶热水。“你几岁了？叫什么名字？”他问道，却没等我回答就继续说，“我确定你是我见过的最好的小伙子，你可以帮我磨几分钟吗？”
2.像个小傻瓜一样，我被他的好话哄得晕头转向，开始帮他磨斧子，但事后悔得肠子都青了。这是一把新斧子，我相当费力地来回磨着，就快要累死了。学校的上课铃声响了，我也不能离开。我的手都磨出了水泡，可斧子连一半还没有磨好。最终，斧子磨好了，够锋利了，可是这个人却对我说：“你个小无赖，你居然逃学了。快点去学校，不然你就把这把斧子买下来，你个小无赖！”“哎呀！”我想，“这大冷天的，把磨刀石抬回去就已经很费劲了，可他竟然还叫我小无赖，这太过分了。”
3.这件事沉淀在我的脑海里。在那之后，我还常常想起这件事。每当我看到一个商人对他的顾客过分客气，祈求他们买一些白兰地，把东西放在柜台上的时候，我就想，这个商人有斧子要磨。当我看到一个人奉承人民，夸大其辞地向人民大谈自由的时候，我就想，私下里他一定是个暴君。小心啊，好人！这家伙会让你们用磨刀石磨什么东西。当我看到一个人通过团队的力量获得了权力，而自己没有任何值得尊敬和有用的才能时，我就想，哎呀！受骗上当的人们啊，你会在某个季节被骗去为某个笨蛋磨东西。
（富兰克林）