Time clause 'When the King heard' introduces main action.
In the 17th century, a war broke out between Denmark and Sweden. Following an intense battle, the Danish forces emerged victorious. A Danish soldier sat down, preparing to drink water from his flask to quench his thirst, when he suddenly heard a faint moaning. He discovered a heavily wounded Swedish soldier lying nearby, staring longingly at his water flask. "Your need is greater than mine," the Danish soldier thought. He approached and held the flask to the wounded man's lips. However, the Swedish soldier suddenly lunged with a spear, attempting to strike him; fortunately, the soldier dodged, though his arm was grazed. "Ha! So this is how you repay me!" the Danish soldier said. "I intended to give you the whole flask, but now I can only give you half." When the King heard of this incident, he summoned the Danish soldier and asked why he did not simply kill the ungrateful man. The soldier replied calmly, "I do not wish to kill a wounded man."
[Reflection]
This story reveals a profound aspect of humanity: the ability to maintain a forgiving heart even after experiencing ingratitude. This kind of forgiveness, which transcends retaliation, represents a truly noble character.
在十七世纪，丹麦与瑞典爆发了战争。在一场激烈的战役结束后，丹麦军队取得了胜利。一名丹麦士兵正坐下来准备取出壶中的水解渴，却突然听到了一阵微弱的哀鸣。原来不远处躺着一名伤势严重的瑞典士兵，正用渴望的目光盯着他的水壶。“你的需求比我更迫切。”丹麦士兵走上前，将水壶送到伤者的口中。然而，那名瑞典人竟突然伸出长矛刺向他，幸好士兵避开了一边，只伤到了手臂。“唉！你竟然如此回报我，”丹麦士兵说道，“我原想把整壶水都给你，现在只能给你一半了。”这件事后来被国王知道了，国王特意召见了这名丹麦士兵，问他为什么不把那个忘恩负义的家伙杀掉。他轻松地回答：“我不想杀害一个伤员。”
〔默想〕
这个故事展现了人性的一面：在遭遇他人的忘恩负义后，依然保有宽恕之心。这种超越了报复的饶恕，是一种更为伟大的情操。