珍贵的硬币

Mahatma Gandhi was on an expedition[旅行，考察] to collect funds from various cities and villages for Charkha Sangh[（印度）手纺车联合会]. He went to several places and reached Orissa， where he made a speech.

After the speech， an old woman with bent back， faltered[摇摇欲坠] clothing and white hair showed up. She was trying to reach Gandhi on the stage， but the volunteers stopped her， yet she finally managed to reach Gandhi.

She touched the feet of Gandhi， and took out a copper coin kept in her saree[纱丽服] and placed it at his foot. Then she left.

Gandhi took the coin very carefully. The in-charge of the Sangh asked Gandhi for the copper coin， but he refused.

“I keep cheques[支票] worth thousands of rupees[卢比] for the Charkha Sangh，” the in-charge said， “yet you dont trust me with a copper coin.”

Gandhi said， “This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands. If a man has several lakhs[十萬卢比] and he gives away a thousand or two， it doesnt mean much.”

Yes， the coin was the only thing the poor old woman possessed[拥有]. She could not afford proper clothes or food， yet she gave everything she had. It was indeed the greatest offer ever made.

莫罕达斯·甘地正在为手纺车联合会去到各个城市及乡镇进行筹款。在到访几个地方之后，他来到奥里萨邦，并在那里进行了一场演讲。

演讲结束后，一名衣衫褴褛、白发苍苍的驼背老妇出现了。她想走近台上的甘地，但志愿者阻止了她，然而她最终还是来到甘地面前。

她摸了摸甘地的双足，从她的纱丽服中掏出一枚铜币，放在甘地脚上，然后离开了。

甘地非常小心地拿起硬币。联合会负责人让甘地把硬币给他，可甘地拒绝了。

“我为手纺车联合会保管着好几千卢比的支票，”负责人说，“可你连一个硬币都不信任我。”

甘地说：“这个硬币的价值比那几千卢比要高得多。如果一个有几十万卢比的人捐出一两千，也不算多。”

是的，那枚硬币是那位可怜的老妇人的全部财产。她无法负担像样的衣服和食物，却捐出了自己的一切。这确实是最伟大的捐赠。