安西特·馬裡埃爾的故事

The young lambs ran a pretty race;

The morning sun shone bright and warm;

"Kilve," said I, "was a pleasant place,

"And so is Liswyn farm.

"My little boy, which like you more,"

I said and took him by the arm—

"Our home by Kilve's delightful shore,

"Or here at Liswyn farm?"

"And tell me, had you rather be,"

I said and held him by the arm,

"At Kilve's smooth shore by the green sea,

"Or here at Liswyn farm?

In careless mood he looked at me,

While still I held him by the arm,

And said, "At Kilve I'd rather be

"Than here at Liswyn farm."

"Now, little Edward, say why so;

My little Edward, tell me why;"

"I cannot tell, I do not know."

"Why this is strange," said I.

"For, here are woods and green-hills warm;

"There surely must some reason be

"Why you would change sweet Liswyn farm

"For Kilve by the green sea."

At this, my boy, so fair and slim,

Hung down his head, nor made reply;

And five times did I say to him,

"Why? Edward, tell me why?"

His head he raised—there was in sight,

It caught his eye, he saw it plain— 50

Upon the house-top, glittering bright,

A broad and gilded vane.

Then did the boy his tongue unlock,

And thus to me he made reply;

"At Kilve there was no weather-cock,

"And that's the reason why."

Oh dearest, dearest boy! my heart

For better lore would seldom yearn,

Could I but teach the hundredth part

Of what from thee I learn.

稚氣的羊羔跑了一場漂亮的賽跑

早晨的陽光燦爛而溫暖

"基利弗，"我說，"是一個令人愉快的地方

利斯林農場也是如此。"

"我的小男孩，你更喜歡哪一個？"我說

挽著他的胳膊——

"我們的家在基利弗可愛的海岸

還是在利斯林農場?"

"告訴我，你情願在哪裡?"

我說著，把他抱在臂彎裡

"在基利弗綠色的海的平坦海岸上

還是在利斯林農場?"

他漫不經心地望著我

此時我仍然抱著他

"我情願在基利弗

勝過在利斯林農場"

"現在，小愛德華，為什麼這麼說

我的小愛德華，告訴我為什麼"

"我說不出來，我不知道。"

"這原由很奇怪，"我說

"因為這裡是樹林和溫暖的綠山

肯定有一些理由

為什麼你想改變可愛的利斯林農場

因為基利弗在綠色的海邊"

這時，我的小男孩，如此美麗清秀

垂下了頭，也不回答

我跟他說了五次

"為什麼？愛德華，告訴我為什麼？"

他抬起他的頭

它吸引了他的目光

他清晰地看見它——

在那房頂上，閃閃發光

一個寬闊的鍍金的葉片

然後，小男孩打開了話匣子

對我來說，是他的回答

"在基利弗，沒有風向標

這就是為什麼。"

哦，親愛的，最親愛的孩子！我的心

有很好的知識，卻很少會渴望

我能教給你的只是我從你那裡學到的百分之一

說實話，我不知道這首詩的題目和作者——雖然來源於一本華茲華斯和柯勒律治的詩集，由於對冗長的英文介紹實在看不懂，所以不知道究竟是華茲華斯寫的還是柯勒律治寫的，斗膽猜測按照風格應該是柯勒律治。至於翻譯也很擔心鬧笑話。

然而即使不懂得，也會為之安靜。

某位學者說的，在文字裡，在故事裡，時間可以停留。在現實世界，小愛德華已經成為過去；但是在這裡，在這首詩裡，小愛德華永遠是被爸爸抱在臂彎裡的清秀小男孩，若有所思地看著屋頂的風向標。。。