I'm Rami Malek, and today I'm going to be reading to you one of my favorite books.

我是 Rami Malek，今天要來朗讀我喜愛的一本書。

This is "The Empty Pot", written and illustrated by Demi.

這本書叫做《空盆子》，由 Demi 撰寫及繪製。

A long time ago in China there was a boy named Ping who loved flowers.

很久很久以前在中國，有一個小男孩叫做平，他非常熱愛花朵。

Anything he planted burst into bloom. Up came flowers, bushes, and even big fruit trees, as if by magic!

他種的任何東西都生氣盎然。舉凡花朵、灌木，甚至是大型的果樹，簡直像是魔法！

Everyone in the kingdom loved flowers too. They planted them everywhere, and the air smelled like perfume.

國內的每個人也都熱愛花朵。他們在各地種滿花草，空氣芬芳四溢。

The Emperor loved birds and animals, but flowers most of all, and he tended his own garden every day.

皇帝喜愛飛禽走獸，但最愛的還是花朵，他天天照料他自己的花園。

But the Emperor was very old. He needed to choose a successor to the throne.

但是皇帝年紀大了。該是挑選王位繼承人的時候。

Who would his successor be? And how would the Emperor choose?

會是誰來繼承呢？皇帝會選擇誰？

Because the Emperor loved flowers so much, he decided to let the flowers choose.

由於皇帝實在太熱愛花朵，他決定讓花朵來選擇。

The next day a proclamation was issued: All the children in the land were to come to the palace.

隔天公告宣佈：國內的所有小孩都必須到皇宮一趟。

There they would be given special flower seeds by the Emperor.

皇帝將給他們每人一顆特別的花朵種子。

"Whoever can show me their best in a year's time," he said, "will succeed me to the throne."

「一年後誰的表現最好，」他說，「就能夠繼承我的王位。」

This news created great excitement throughout the land!

這項消息讓全國上下為之興奮！

Children from all over the country swarmed to the palace to get their flower seeds.

國內四面八方的小孩湧進皇宮、領取他們的花朵種子。

All the parents wanted their children to be chosen Emperor, and all the children hoped they would be chosen too!

所有的家長都希望自己的小孩能夠中選，所有的小孩也都希望自己能被選上！

When Ping received his seed from the Emperor, he was the happiest child of all.

當平從皇帝手中領到種子時，他是所有小孩中最快樂的一位。

He was sure he could grow the most beautiful flower.

他確信自己能夠種出最美麗的花朵。

Ping filled a flowerpot with rich soil. He planted the seed in it very carefully.

平在一個花盆裡填滿了肥沃的土壤。他小心翼翼地種下種子。

He watered it every day. He couldn't wait to see it sprout, grow, and blossom into a beautiful flower!

他天天為它澆水。等不及看它發芽、茁壯、開出一朵美麗的花！

Day after day passed, but nothing grew in his pot.

一天天過去了，但是花盆裡一點動靜都沒。

Ping was very worried. He put new soil into a bigger pot. Then he transferred the seed into the rich black soil.

平感到憂心忡忡。他將新的土壤放進更大的盆裡。然後將種子移到肥沃的黑土裡。

Another two months he waited. Still nothing happened.

他繼續等了兩個月。但種子依然毫無動靜。

By and by the whole year passed.

漸漸地一年就這樣過去了。

Spring came, and all the children put on their best clothes to greet the Emperor.

春天再臨，所有的小孩都換上最好的衣裳前去拜見皇帝。

They rushed to the palace with their beautiful flowers, eagerly hoping to be chosen.

他們帶著美麗的花朵趕到皇宫，迫切希望能被選上。

Ping was ashamed of his empty pot.

平為他的空盆子感到丟臉。

He thought the other children would laugh at him because for once he couldn't get a flower to grow.

他認為其他小孩會嘲笑他，因為就這一次他種不出花。

His clever friend ran by, holding a great big plant.

他伶俐的朋友跑經過，懷裡抱著一大盆植物。

"Ping!" he said. "You're not really going to the Emperor with an empty pot, are you? Couldn't you grow a great big flower like mine?"

「平！」他說。「你不會真要帶這個空盆子去見皇帝吧？你沒辦法像我一樣種出一大朵花嗎？」

"I've grown lots of flowers better than yours," Ping said. "It's just this seed that won't grow."

「我種過許多比你的要好很多的花，」平說。「問題在於這顆種子發芽不了。」

Ping's father overheard this and said, "You did your best, and your best is good enough to present to the Emperor."

平的爸爸聽聞此言，說道，「你已經盡力了，你的努力已足以獻給皇帝。」

Holding the empty pot in his hands, Ping went straight away to the palace.

懷裡抱著空盆子，平一路走向皇宮。

The Emperor was looking at the flowers slowly, one by one.

皇帝正在緩慢地查看每一盆花。

How beautiful all the flowers were! But the Emperor was frowning and did not say a word.

那些花是多麼地漂亮啊！但是皇帝眉頭皺著，一言不發。

Finally he came to Ping.

最後他來到平的面前。

Ping hung his head in shame, expecting to be punished.

平羞愧地低著頭，等著接受處罰。

The Emperor asked him, "Why did you bring an empty pot?"

皇帝問他，「為什麼你帶了一個空盆子？」

Ping started to cry and replied, "I planted the seed you gave me and I watered it every day, but it didn't sprout."

平開始哭泣，他回覆道，「我種了你給我的種子，我每天都給它澆水，但它就是沒有發芽。」

"I put it in a better pot with better soil, but still it didn't sprout!"

「我將它放進一個更好的盆子，給它更好的土壤，但依舊沒發芽！」

"I tended it all year long, but nothing grew."

「我悉心照顧它一年，但什麼也沒長出。」

"So today I had to bring an empty pot without a flower. It was the best I could do."

「所以今天我必須帶來一個沒有花的空盆子。這是我盡力的結果了。」

When the Emperor heard these words, a smile slowly spread over his face, and he put his arm around Ping.

皇帝聽聞，笑容逐漸展開，他一手搭到平的肩上。

Then he exclaimed to one and all, "I have found him! I have found the one person worthy of being Emperor!"

然後他向所有人宣佈，「我找到他了！我找到夠格當皇帝的人了！」

"Where you got your seeds from, I do not know. For the seeds I gave you had all been cooked."

「我不知道你們的種子是哪裡來的，因為我給你們的都是已經炒過的。」

"So it was impossible for any of them to grow."

「所以根本不可能種得出東西。」

"I admire Ping's great courage to appear before me with the empty truth, and now I reward him with my entire kingdom and make him Emperor of all the land!"

「我讚賞平帶著空盆子來見我的勇氣，我現在用我的整個國度來嘉賞他，讓他成為統領江山的皇帝！」

What I love about "The Empty Pot" is it does allow me to look inside and realize just how much truth means.

我很喜歡《空盆子》的原因在於，它讓我探討並理解何為真相。

Because ultimately the only consequences are feeling like you're courageous, and honorable, and a bigger person, and I guarantee you, the truth always wins.

因為最終你將感到勇氣滿滿，感到受人尊敬、更有氣度，而且我向你保證，真相永遠都會勝出。

So thank you to "The Empty Pot" for such a strong message. Keep telling the truth.

謝謝《空盆子》帶來寶貴的一課。永遠要選擇說出真相。

Thank you guys for watching Storyline Online. Make sure to check out all of our stories.

感謝收看 Storyline Online。記得去看看我們別的故事。

Keep watching and definitely keep reading.

持續收看，肯定也要繼續閱讀哦！