母亲正是我的生命树(The Giving Tree)

    看后浮想联翩,使我想起了离开我已经几十年的母亲,书中描述的树就是我母亲的真实写照.我母亲为了我们兄弟姐妹5人的成长,过度透支她的生命,终因劳累过度,积劳成疾,52岁就离开了我们.

    为了生动形象,我把它翻译为---生命树(The Giving Tree).我把它转抄在这里,籍此纪念我英年早逝的母亲.

                           The Giving Tree 

                             生    命   树   

                         by Shel Silverstein     for  Nicky

                          (1964   Evil Eye Music, Inc.)

   Once there was a tree and she loved a little boy.

   从前有一棵树并且这棵树爱一个小男孩.

   And everyday the boy would come and he gather her leaves and make them into crowns (Hua Huan) and play king of

  男孩每天都来到树下,拣起树叶做成花环(戴在自己的头上模仿)森林之王.

the forest. He would climb her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-

                 他爬上树并且摇晃树的枝条,吃树上的苹果.                                                他玩捉迷藏.

seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree very much. And the tree was

          当他(玩)累了,就躺在树荫下睡觉.                             男孩(也)非常爱这棵树.                       树也高兴.

happy. But time went by. And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone.

            随着时间的流逝,男孩长大了.                       树经常(感到)孤单.

  Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my

  一天男孩来到树前.树说:"过来,小伙子,爬我的树干,抓着我的枝条荡秋千,

brunches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy."

                       吃苹果,在我的阴凉处玩,很快乐!"

  "I am too big to climb and play," said the boy.

  "我太大了,再不能爬树和玩了," 男孩说.

  "I want to buy things and have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money?"

"我想买东西,寻找乐趣. 我需要钱.你能给我一些钱吗?"

  "I am sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in

"对不起,"树说,"可是,我没有钱. 我只有树叶和苹果.摘我的苹果,男孩,并且拿到城里去买.

the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy."

              然后你就有钱了,也快乐了."

  And the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.

  随后男孩爬上树,摘了苹果并且拿走了.

  And the tree was happy.

  树也很快乐.

  But the boy stayed away for a long time ... and the tree was sad. And then one day the boy came back and the tree

  接着男孩好久都没有来...                              树很忧伤.                   有天男孩回来了.                          树激动地

shook (Ji Dong) with joy and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my brunches and be happy."

说:"过来,小伙子,爬我的树干, 抓着我的枝条荡秋千, 很快乐!"

"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy.

"我太忙,顾不上爬树," 男孩说.

  "I want a house to keep my warm," he said.

"我需要房子保暖," 他说.

  "I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?"

"我要娶妻子,生孩子,我需要一栋房子.你能给我房子吗?"

  "I have no house," said the tree. "The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a house. Then

"我没有房子,"           树说.             "森林就是我的房子, 但是你可以截下我枝条来建造房子.

you will be happy."

然后你就会快乐."

  And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy.

 男孩就砍下树枝条并拿走去造房子.                                               树也快乐.

  But the boy stayed away for a long time. And when he came back, the tree was so happy, she could hardly speak.

  后来男孩好久没有来.                但是当他回来时,树非常高兴,             她几乎说不出话了.

  "Come and play." 

"过来玩."

  "I am too old and sad to play," said the boy.

"我太老了,而且讨厌玩," 男孩说.

  "I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?"

"我想要条船并乘它离开这儿. 你能给我条船吗?"

  "Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree.

"砍倒我的树干,用它造船吧," 树说.

  "Then you can sail away ... and be happy."

"这样你就能航行...得到快乐."

  And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away.

男孩就砍倒树干,造了条船,并驾船离开了.

  And the tree was happy but not really.

树快乐但有点勉强.

  And after a long time the boy came back again.

过了很长时间男孩又回来了.

  "I am sorry, Boy," said the tree, "but I have nothing left to give you----

"对不起,小伙子,"   树说,                "可是我已经没有什么可以给你了---

My apples are gone."

我的苹果没有了."

   "My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.

"我的牙齿已经咬不动苹果了,"             男孩说.

   "My bunches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them----"

"我的枝条也没有了,"           树说.             "你也不能抓着我的枝条荡秋千了---"

   "I am too old to swing on brunches," said the boy.

"我也老的不能抓着你的枝条荡秋千了,"                             男孩说.

   "My trunk is gone." said the tree. "You cannot climb----"

"我的树干也没有了,"           树说.             "你也不能爬了---"

   "I am too tired to climb," said the boy.

"我也老的爬不成了,"                             男孩说.

   "I am sorry," sighed the tree.

"我很抱歉," 树哽咽了.

   "I wish that I could give you something ... but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry...."

"我想给你些东西...                      可是我一无所有了.       我仅仅一个树茬.          我很抱歉...."       

   "I do not need very much now," said the boy, "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."

"我现在也什么都不需要了," 男孩说, "我仅仅需要一个安静的地方坐下来休息. 我太累了."

  "Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,

"好吧,"   树说,              她尽可能挺直自己.

  "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."

"好,一个老树茬正好让你坐下来休息,过来,小伙子,请坐. 请坐下来休息."

  And the boy did.

男孩就坐在(树茬上).

  And the tree was happy.

树也快乐.

   The End (终结)

附注：村友白露提供的声，情，图并茂的朗诵！