【英】《伊索寓言》第41集：The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea

Once a wealthy young man longed to sail on the beautiful blue seas near his home. He bought himself a fine boat and set sail to see what amazing things he might see. At first, the sail was delightful and the man fell asleep each night to the gentle rocking of the waves.

Then when he was well away from land, a storm blew in. Waves reared up like mountains and crashed down on the man’s beautiful boat, smashing it to kindling. The young man was able to cling to a floating scrap and survived the tossing of the waves.

When the storm finally passed, the current carried him to a small island and he was able to splash ashore. He sat bruised and tired on the sand. Finally he shouted at the sea, “You pretended to be so calm and beautiful! You hid your cruel nature from me until I was far from home! You are an evil thing!”

The shallow water close to the man began to spin and spin until it formed a tall waterspout that looked down on him. A face formed in the spinning water and the water spoke to him, “You blame me unfairly! I am calm until beaten by the wind and the storm!”

The young man apologized to the sea and soon the waves nudged a rescue boat to take him home. The young man never forgot the wisdom he had gained and often told others, “The most obvious culprit is not always the one who deserves the blame!”