Once there was a little girl who lived in a small, very simple, poor house on a hill. From there she could see across the valley to a wonderful house high on the hill on the other side. This house had golden windows, so golden and shining that the little girl would dream of how magic it would be to grow up and live in a house with golden windows instead of an ordinary house like hers. She wanted to live in such a golden house and dreamed all day about how wonderful and exciting it must feel to live there.
When she got to an age and got enough skill and sensibility to go outside, she asked her mother if she could go for a ride outside the gate and down the lane. After pleading with her, her mother finally allowed her to go, insisting that she should keep close to the house and not wander too far. The day was beautiful and the little girl knew exactly where she was heading! Down the lane and across the valley, she got to the gate of the golden house across on the other hill.
As she arrived, she focused on the path that led to the house and then on the house itself. She was so disappointed as she realized all the windows were ordinary and rather dirty, reflecting(反映出) nothing other than the sad neglect of the house that was derelict(废弃的).
So sad she didn't go any further and turned, and heart broken. As she glanced up she saw a sight to amaze her. There across the way on her side of the valley was a little house and its windows glistened golden as the sun shone on her little home.
She realized that she had been living in her golden house and all the love and care she found there was what made her home the “golden house”. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her nose!
