愛心樹
Once there was a tree . . .
從前有一棵大樹，
and she loved a little boy.
它喜歡上一個小男孩兒。
And every day the boy would come
男孩兒每天會跑到樹下，
and he would gather her leaves
收集樹葉
and make them into crowns and play king of the forest.
把樹葉做成王冠，想像自己就是森林之王。
He would climb up her trunk
他也常常爬上樹幹，
and swing from her branches
在樹枝上盪鞦韆，
and eat apples.
吃大樹結的蘋果。
And they would play hide-and-go-seek.
同大樹捉迷藏。
when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade.
累了的時候，就在樹陰裡睡覺。
And the boy loved the tree . . .
小男孩兒愛這棵樹……
very much.
非常非常愛它。
And the tree was happy.
大樹非常快樂。
But time went by.
但是時光流逝。
And the boy grew older.
孩子逐漸長大。
And the tree was often alone.
大樹常常感到孤寂。
Then one day the boy came to the tree
有一天男孩來看大樹，
and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb
大樹說：“來吧，孩子，
up my trunk and swing from my branches
爬到我身上來，在樹枝上盪鞦韆，
and eat apples and play in my shade
吃幾個蘋果，再到陰涼裡玩一會兒。
and be happy."
你會很開心的！”
"I am too big to climb and play," said the boy.
“我已經大了，不愛爬樹玩兒了，” 孩子說，
"I want to buy things and have fun.
“我想買些好玩兒的東西。
I want some money.
我需要些錢，
Can you give me some money?"
你能給我一點兒錢嗎？”
"I’m sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money.
“很抱歉，”大樹說，“我沒有錢，
I have only leaves and apples.
我只有樹葉和蘋果。
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them
把我的蘋果拿去吧，孩子，把它們拿到城裡賣掉，
in the city. Then you will have money
你就會有錢，
and you will be happy."
就會開心了。”
And so the boy climbed up the
於是孩子爬上大樹，
tree and gathered
摘下
her apples
樹上的蘋果，
and carried them away.
把它們拿走了。
And the tree was happy.
大樹很快樂。
But the boy stayed away
但是孩子沒有再來看望大樹
for a long time . . .
過了很久很久……
and the tree was sad.
大樹很難過。
And then one day
後來有一天，
the boy came back
男孩又來了，
and the tree shook with joy
大樹高興地搖晃著肢體，
and she said, "Come, Boy,
對男孩說：“來吧，孩子，
climb up my trunk
爬到我的樹幹上，
and swing from my branches
在樹枝上盪鞦韆，
and be happy."
你會很開心的！”
"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy.
“我有很多事要做，沒有時間爬樹了。”男孩說，
"I want a house to keep me warm," he said.
“我需要一幢房子保暖。”他接著說，
"I want a wife and I want children,
“我要娶個妻子，還要生好多孩子，
and so I need a house.
所以我需要一幢房子。
Can you give me a house?"
你能給我一幢房子嗎？”
"I have no house," said the tree.
“我沒有房子，”大樹說，
"The forest is my house,
“森林就是我的房子。
but you may cut off my branches
但是你可以把我的樹枝砍下來，
and build a house.
拿去蓋房。
Then you will be happy."
你就會開心了。”
And so the boy cut off
於是男孩砍掉了
her branches
大樹的樹枝
and carried them away
把它們拿走
to build his house.
去建了自己的房子。
And the tree was happy.
大樹很開心。
But the boy stayed away
但是孩子沒有再來看望大樹，
for a long time.
過了很久很久……
And when he came back,
有一天他回來了
the tree was so happy
大樹非常高興
she could hardly speak.
高興的幾乎說不出話來。
"Come, Boy," she whispered,
“來吧，孩子，”她輕聲說道，
"come and play."
“過來玩耍。”
"I am too old and sad to play," said the boy.
“我又老又悲傷，已經不想玩了。”男孩說。
"I want a boat that will
“我想要一條小船
take me far away
帶我去遠方
from here.
離開這個地方。
Can you give me a boat?"
你能給我一條小船嗎？”
"Cut down my trunk
“把我的樹幹砍掉
and make a boat," said the tree.
用它做船吧，”大樹說，
"Then you can sail away…
“這樣你就可以航行到遠處去……
and be happy."
你就會開心了。”
And so the boy cut down her trunk
於是孩子把樹幹砍掉了，
and made a boat and sailed away.
做了一條小船，駛走了。
And the tree was happy . . .
大樹很快樂，
but not really.
但是心坎裡卻有些……
And after a long time
又過了很久，
the boy came back again,
這個孩子又來了，
"I am sorry, Boy,"
“非常抱歉，孩子，”
said the tree, "but I have nothing
大樹說，“我沒有什麼
left to give you-
可以給你的了。
My apples are gone."
我沒有蘋果了。”
"My teeth are too weak
“我的牙齒已經老化，
for apples," said the boy.
吃不動蘋果了，”孩子說。
"My branches are gone,"
“我沒有枝條了，”
said the tree. "You
大樹說，
cannot swing on them-"
“你沒法在上面盪鞦韆了——”
"I am too old to swing
“我太老了，不能在上面再盪鞦韆了，”
on branches," said the boy.
孩子說。
"My trunk is gone," said the tree.
“我也沒有樹幹了，”大樹說，
"You cannot climb-"
“不能讓你爬上去玩耍了——”
"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.
“我太疲倦了，爬不上去了，”孩子說。
"I am sorry," sighed the tree.
“真是抱歉，”大樹嘆了口氣，
"I wish that I could
“我希望還能
give you something…
給你點兒什麼東西……
but I have nothing left. I am just
但是我什麼都沒有了。
an old stump. I am sorry…"
我現在只是個老樹墩，真是抱歉……”
"I don’t need very much now,"
“我現在需要的實在不多，”
said the boy,
孩子說，
"just a quiet place to sit and rest.
“只想找個安靜的地方坐坐，好好休息。
I am very tired."
我太累了。”
"Well," said the tree,
“那好吧，”大樹說，
straightening herself up
她把身子挺高
as much as she could,
竭盡所能地
"Well, an old stump is good
“你看，我這個老樹墩，
for sitting and resting.
正好叫你坐在上面休息。
Come, Boy, sit down.
來吧，孩子，坐下吧。
Sit down and rest."
坐在我身上休息吧。”
And the boy did.
於是孩子坐下了。
And the tree was happy.
大樹很快樂。
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