7-1 The knight in shining armor

A knight i shin ing armor(盔甲) was traveling through the countryside. Suddenlu,he heard a woman crying out. He raced ro the castle(城堡),where the princess was trapped by a dragon. The noble(高貴的) knight pulled out his sword and killed the dragon. As a result,he was received lovingly by the princess.
As the gates opened,he was welcomed and celevrated by the family of the princess and the townspeople. He was acknowledged as(承認..是) a hero. He and the princess fell in love.
A month later,the noble knight went off on anthother trip. On his way back,he heard his belove princess crying out for help.Another dragon was attacking the castle.When the knight arrived,he pulled out his sword to slay the dragon.
Before he swung,the princess cried out from the tower,"Don't use your sword,use this noose(套繩). It will work better."
She threw him the noose and then motioned instructions(說明書) on how to yse it. He hesitantly(猶豫地) follower her instructoins. He wrapped it around the the dragon's neck and then pulled hard. The dragon died and everyone rejoiced.
At the celevration dinner,the knight felt he hadn't really done anything. Somehow,vecayse he had used her noose and not hes sword,he didn't feel worthy of the town's admiration(欽佩,讚美). After the event,he was depressed and forhot to shine his armor.
A month later he went on another trip.As he left with his sword,the princess reminded him to be careful and to take the noose.On his way home,he saw yet another dragon attacking the castle. This time he rushed forward withhis sword but hesitated,thinking that maybe he should use the noose. In confusion, he looked up and saw his princess waving from the catsle window.
"Use the poison(毒藥),"she yelled."The noose doesn't work."
She threw him the poison,which he poured into the dragon's mouth,and the dragon died. Everyone rejoiced and celebrated,but the knight felt ashamed(羞恥的).
A month later,he went on another trop.As he left with his sword,the princess reminded him to be careful,and to bring the noose and thepoison. He was annoyed(惱怒) by her suggestions but brought them just in case.
This time on his journey he heard another woman in distress(危險). As he rushed to her call, his depression(沮喪) was lifted and he felt confident(知己) and alive. But as he drew his sword to slay the dragon, he hesitated again. He wondered whether he should use the sword, the noose, or the posion. What would the princess say?
For a moment he was confused(迷惑). But then he remembered how he had felt before he knew the princess, when he carried only a sword. He threw away the noose aand posion and charged the dragon with his sword. He slew the dragon and the townspeople rejoiced.
The knight in shining armor never returned to his princess. He stayed in this new village and lived happily ever afrer. He eventually married, but only after making sure his new partner knew nothing about noose and poisons.

Lowell 李仲輪