原文作者：佚名

there were once four wise indian medicine men that were considered to be the most clever and knowledgeable across all the prairies1） and forests. they learned nearly everything about nearly anything， and were often asked for advice and solutions for the most difficult problems.
 　　one day， a young indian boy asked which of the four was the wisest， because of course there must be one wiser than the others. this caused much arguing and debating among the people. to find out once and for all2）， one of the elders of the nation was given the task of devising a test to settle the matter.
 　　after much consideration， the perfect test was put before the four medicine men. they were told to walk into the woods. their test would be found at the base of a single cedar3） tree in a broad clearing4）.
 　　they started out early the next morning， and after walking many miles came to the tree in the clearing. at the base of the tree was a large pile of bleached5） bones. they appeared to be those of some sort of animal. the four puzzled over the bones for some time before the first man spoke. "i will use my knowledge to put these bones back together. that will prove my wisdom." after some time， the bones stood erect， interlocked6）. [论文网]
 　　the men examined the project and the second man said， "ah， i know where these bones came from. i can put flesh and fur back on them and restore the animal's beauty." the second man began his work， and in a while a fierce-looking grizzly bear7） stood before them.
 　　the four men marveled at the animal's beauty， but the two began to bicker8） about whose work was best. just then， the third man spoke up， "i believe i can bring the bear back to life. then i will be the greatest of all."
 　　the fourth man had been quiet until now. "wait， i don't think our test was to see if we could bring the animal back to life." he pleaded， but the others would not listen. when he realized he was being ignored， he quietly climbed to the top of the cedar tree and watched.
 　　the third man got busy and soon had breathed life into the grizzly bear using his great talents. the bear stretched and roared. then it chased the men， growling9） and clawing at them. it chased them all the way back to their village， where they were finally rescued by the village's mighty hunters.
 　　later， the fourth man walked back to the village. everyone had taken him for dead， since the other three men were so busy arguing that they did not see him climb the tree. it was then that everyone realized that he was indeed the wisest of all.

he possessed common sense， something that is often not so common.
　　从前，有四位智慧非凡的印第安巫医，他们被认为是所有大草原和森林里最聪明、最博学的人。WWW.11665.CoM他们几乎无所不知，无所不晓，常常有人向他们求教，请他们给出那些顶级难题的解决方法。
 　　一天，有位印第安少年问，哪一位是这四位当中最聪明的，因为当然应该有一位要比其他三位更有智慧。这个问题引起了人们的激烈争辩和讨论。为了一次就能得出定论，人们给这个部落的某位长者布置了一个任务，请他设计一个测试来解决这

个问题。
 　　经过深思熟虑，一个完美的测试摆在了四位巫医面前。他们被告知要走进丛林，丛林里有一片开阔的空地，空地上有棵雪松，他们在那棵雪松下就会找到测试题。
　　第二天一早，四个人就出发了。他们走了好几英里路，来到了那片空地的那棵树下。树下有一大堆白骨，看上去像是某种动物的尸骨。四个人对着白骨苦苦思索了一番之后，第一个人说话了。“我将用我所学，把这堆白骨连在一起、恢复原状。这样就可以证明我的智慧。”过了一会儿，这堆白骨就被连成了骨架，立了起来。
 　　大家审视着这具骨架，这时第二个人开口说道：“啊，我知道这些白骨来自哪种动物了。我能让这些白骨上长出肌肉和毛发，再现这只动物的英姿。”第二个人开始干了起来，不一会儿，一只面目狰狞的灰熊就站在了他们面前。
 　　四个人都为这只动物的英姿感到惊叹，但前两个人为谁做得最好这个问题开始争论起来。就在那时，第三个人大声说：“我相信我能让这只熊起死回生。这样我就是最有智慧的人。”
 　　第四个人在此之前一直保持沉默。“等一下，我并不认为我们的测试题目是看我们是否能让这只动物起死回生。”他恳求道，但其他三个人根本听不进去。他意识到根本没人理会自己的话，就悄悄地爬上了那棵雪松的树梢，静观其变。
 　　第三个人忙活起来，很快就用他非凡的才能让这只灰熊活了过来。灰熊伸伸懒腰，低吼一声。接着，它就咆哮着伸出利爪，追着那三个人跑了起来。三个人被灰熊一路追着跑回到了他们的村子，最后被村里那些厉害的猎人们救下了。
 　　后来，第四个人走回了村子。村里所有人原本都以为他已经死了，因为其他三个人当时忙着争辩都没看到他爬到了树上。直到这时所有人才认识到，第四个人才是他们当中真正最有智慧的人。
 　　因为他懂常识，而所谓常识通常并非那么平常。
　　1. prairie [?pre?ri] n. 大草原；（尤指北美的）高草原
　　2. once and for all： 一劳永逸地
　　3. cedar [?si?d?（r）] n. 【植】雪松；柏；杉
　　4. clearing [?kl??r??] n. （林中的）空地
　　5. bleach [bli?t?] v. （使）变成淡色
　　6. interlock [??nt?（r）?l?k] vi. 连结
　　7. grizzly bear： 【动】灰熊（生活在美国西北部山区的一种体形非常大的熊）
　　8. bicker [?b?k?（r）] vi. （为小事与人）争吵
　　9. growl [ɡra?l] vi. 咆哮