格林童话集：The Three Sluggards 三个懒人

A certain King had three sons who were all equally dear to him,

and he did not know which of them to appoint as his successor

after his own death.When the time came when he was about to

die, he summoned them to his bedside and said, "Dear children,

I have been thinking of something which I will declare unto

you; whichsoever of you is the laziest shall have the kingdom."

The eldest said, "Then, father, the kingdom is mine, for I am so

idle that if I lie down to rest, and a drop falls in my eye, I will

not open it that I may sleep."The second said; "Father, the kingdom

belongs to me, for I am so idle that when I am sitting by the fire

warming myself, I would rather let my heel be burnt off than draw

back my leg."The third said, "Father, the kingdom is mine, for I am

so idle that if I were going to be hanged, and had the rope already

round my neck, and any one put a sharp knife into my hand with

which I might cut the rope, I would rather let myself be hanged than

raise my hand to the rope."When the father heard that, he said, "Thou

hast carried it the farthest, and shalt be King."