There was once a little boy whose name was George, and his father one day gave him a small axe to play with. 从前有个小男孩，叫乔治。有一天，他父亲给了他一把小斧头让他去玩儿。

　　George was greatly pleased with it, and took it with him to the garden. He roamed about, trying it upon nearly every thing that came in his way. 乔治对这把斧头非常满意，便带着他的小斧头去了花园。他漫步花园，他路过的地方几乎无一幸免。

　　At last he came to a young cherry-tree, and began to try the axe on it. He soon made some deep cuts in the tree.  最后，他来到了一颗小樱桃树前，然后开始试着用斧头砍。

　　And then he walked away to another part of the garden. 很快他就在树上弄出了一个很深的切口。

　　This cherry-tree was greatly prized by his father; but George forgot all about that. 接着他走向了树的另一边。他父亲非常珍惜这棵树，但乔治显然忘记了。

　　By-and-by his father came to that part of the garden where the tree stood.  不久以后，他的父亲来到种这棵树的地方。

　　He was very sorry when he found his fine cherry-tree almost ruined. 当他发现他好好的樱桃树几乎被毁时，他感到非常遗憾。

　　"George!" said he sternly to his son, "who has done this?" “乔治”，他严厉地问他儿子，“谁做的？”

　　Did George answer, “I don't know, father?”O no. Did he lay the blame on any one else? O no. 乔治回答，“我不知道，父亲”? 哦，不。他把责任推卸到别人身上了吗？哦，不。

　　With tears in his eyes he looked up to his father's face. “Father,” said he, “I can't tell a lie—I did it.” 他看着他的父亲眼泪留了下来。“父亲”， 他说到，“我不能撒谎-是我做的。”

　　Noble boy! He was not afraid to tell the truth; and his father at once forgave him. 可贵的孩子！他不惧怕说出事实；并且他父亲这次原谅了他。

　　Boys are often tempted to speak what is not the truth.  孩子们都会试图说谎。

　　When that happens let each one think of George, and try like him to say,“I can't tell a lie.” 当事情发生的时候，试着想想乔治，并且试图向他说的一样，“我不能说谎。”

　　Come what may, boys, speak the truth. 这样，孩子们就有可能说实话了。

　　Speak the truth, and speak it ever, “讲实话，并且一直这样做，

　　Cost it what it will; 不惜一切代价；

　　He who hides the wrong he did 一个人如果说了谎，

　　Does the wrong thing still. 就会撒无数的谎来掩盖之前的谎言。”

　　The boy of this story became one of the greatest men that ever lived. He was George Washington. 这个故事的小男孩后来成为了一个伟大的人。他就是乔治.华盛顿。