8大中国传统故事英文版，值得收藏！（中英文本）(22)

He could not remember.
Finally, Ox got to the people.
He told them, “You must work hard. Then you can have three meals each day.”
The people cheered. They began to work. They worked and worked and worked. Even when they were tired, they worked.
The Emperor asked Ox, “What did you tell them?”
“I told them to work hard. Then they would get three meals a day,” answered Ox.
“No!” said the Emperor. “It was one meal every three days!”
The Emperor remembered something.
Ox was a hard worker. Ox was honest. But Ox was not good at talking to others.
“What can I do?” the Emperor worried. “The people can’t work hard enough. They won’t make enough food. Not by themselves. They will think that I lied.”
The Emperor got angry. He wanted Ox to pay for his mistake.He kept Ox in the human world.
Ox had to help the people. He helped with farm work. He helped grow food. The people were able to eat three meals a day!
The Emperor never let Ox back into heaven. That is why oxen still work hard in the fields today.