There was a woman who had three sons. When they had grown up the sons left home went out on their own and prospered① years later. Getting back together they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother.
The first said， “I will build a big house for our mother.”
The second said， “I will send her a Mercedes with a driver.”
The third said， “Remember how mom enjoyed reading the Bible， and you know she can’t see very well. I sent her a remarkable② parrot that recites③ the entire Bible. It took elders in the church 12 years to teach him. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot recites it.”
Soon thereafter mom sent out her letters of thanks.
“Milton，” she wrote to one son， “the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room but I have to clean the whole house.”
“Gerald，” she wrote to another， “I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at home so I rarely④ use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude.”
“Dearest Donald，” she wrote to her third son， “you have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious⑤.”
① prosperadj. 繁荣，昌盛，成功
② remarkableadj. 非凡的，卓越的
③ recitev. 背诵，朗诵
④ rarelyadv. 很少，难得
⑤ deliciousadj. 美味的，可口的
儿子的不同礼物
一个女人有3个儿子。长大成人后，儿子们纷纷出外谋生，数年后功成名就。回到家乡，他们聚在一起，商量送什么礼物给年迈的母亲。
第一个说：“我要给母亲建一所大房子。”
第二个说：“我要把一辆梅塞德斯连同司机一起送给母亲。”
第三个说：“你们还记得吧？妈妈特别喜欢读《圣经》。你们也知道，她的眼现在有点花了。我要送她一只非同寻常的鹦鹉，这只鹦鹉可以将整部《圣经》背诵下来，神父们花了12年的时间才教会它。妈妈只需要说出篇章、段落，这只鹦鹉就能把它背出来。”
之后不久，母亲给儿子们分别回信表示感谢。
“米尔顿，”她在信中给一个儿子写道，“你为我建的房子实在有点太大了，我只住一个房间，却需要打扫整所房子。”
“杰罗德，”她给另一个儿子写道，“我太老了，不能再出去旅游了。大部分时间我都待在家里，那辆梅塞德斯很少用。而且，那个司机也太粗鲁了！”
“我最亲爱的唐纳德，”在给第三个儿子的信中她写道，“你最知道妈妈需要什么，那只小鸡非常好吃。”