伟大的魔术师【1】（笑话，译文）
译自法语by me, 英语由Gemini proofread过
The Great Magician
A great magician travels the world presenting his superb act of a ball that moves on its own at his command. But in fact, there is a dwarf inside.
Alas, one day, while on tour in the Middle East, the dwarf dies.
However, that night, the magician has to present his ball act, which rolls alone, in front of the Sheikh 【2】of the country. On the street, the magician meets a small boy and explains what he needs to do in the ball. In exchange for a handsome sum of money, the boy accepts.
The evening comes, the magician gives his performance; the ball perfectly obeys the magician's command. It is a triumph.
After the performance, the magician goes to the bars of the city and after many drinks, he is completely drunk. In this condition, he tells anyone who will hear that his ball moves is because of the kid inside, and that the audience are fooled.
The news arrives at the ears of the Sheikh, who has the magician arrested and condemns him to death.
The day after his arrest, he is taken to the public square where he is to be decapitated.
The moment he places his head on the block, he hears the kid's voice.
"Excuse me about the other night, sir. It was Mommy who didn't want me to come."
伟大的魔术师
一个伟大的魔术师用一个能按他的指令滚动的球在世界巡回表演。实际上球里有一个侏儒。
哎呀，有那么一天，他在中东表演，侏儒死了。
恰好那天晚上，魔术师要表演他的球的节目，球得在那国的酋长【2】面前滚动。在街上，魔术师碰到了一个小男孩，就告诉他在球里他怎么做。因为可以得到一笔可观的钱，孩子答应了。
晚间，魔术师表演，球按他的指令滚动，演出大获成功。
演出后，魔术师城到里的酒吧间，喝了不少杯酒，铭酊大醉。逢人便吐真言说球里有个小孩，观众都是傻瓜。
这事传到酋长那里，他下令逮捕魔术师，把他判了死刑。
在魔术师被捕的第二天，他被带到广场上的断头台。
但他的头被放到断头台时，他听到那个小男孩的声音。
“先生，那天晚上我真对不起您。我妈妈跟我说不让我去。”
【1】. p. 65. LE GRAND MAGICIEN. 1000 Blagues
【2】. Ceikh 或Ceik, 法语。Sheikh 或Sheik，英语。
法语Ceikh 或Ceik, 阳性名词。发音∫εk。(源于阿拉伯语chaikh, 老人). 1. 一个阿拉伯部落首领。2. 一个给与因其年纪，作用，经验而受到尊敬的人的名称。
译自p. 234. Le Petit Larousse Illustré. Larousse. Paris. 2004.
