There once was a king in a faraway country. One day, he decided to1a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of2So many artists 3The king looked at all the pictures4there were only two he really liked, and he had to 5between them. One picture was of a6lake. The lake was a perfect mirror with peaceful huge mountains all around it. Above was a 7sky with light white clouds. All who 8this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

    The other picture had9too. But these were not flat at all. Above was a (an)10 sky, from which rain fell heavily and in which lightning played 11Down the side of the mountain was a waterfall with loud sound. This did not look 12at all.

    But when the king looked 13he saw behind the waterfall a small tree 14in a crack (缝隙) in the rock. In the tree a mother bird had 15her comfortable home. There, with the current of angry water, the mother bird was 16her hungry children in the nest, taking no attention to the 17things around them — in perfect peace.

    Which picture do you think18the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

    “Because” said the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise,19 or hard work. Peace means although noisy things are around you, you20keep calm in the heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”