Oh, little prince! Bit by bit I came to understand the secrets of your only entertainment in the quiet pleasure of looking at the sunset. I learned that new detail on the morning of the fourth day, when you said to me:
"I am very fond of sunsets. Come, let us go look at a sunset now."
"But we must wait," I said.
"Wait? For what?"
"For the sunset. We must wait until it is time."
At first you seemed to be very much surprised. And then you laughed to yourself. You said to me:
"I am always thinking that I am at home!"
Just so. Everybody knows that when it is noon in the United States the sun is setting over France.
If you could fly to France in one minute, you could go straight into the sunset, right from noon. Unfortunately, France is too far away for that. But on your tiny planet, my little price, all you need do is move your chair a few steps. You can see the day end and the twilight falling whenever you like…
"One day," you said to me, "I saw the sunset forty-four times!"
And a little later you added:
"You knowone loves the sunset, when one is so sad…"
"Were you so sad, then?" I asked, "on the day of the forty-four sunset?"
But the little prince made no reply.
On the fifth dayagain, as always, it was thanks to the sheepthe secret of the little princes life was revealed to me. Abruptly, without anything to lead up to it, and as if the question had been born of long and silent meditation on his problem, he demanded:
"A sheepif it eats little bushes, does it eat flowers, too?"
"A sheep," I answered, "eats anything it finds in its reach."
"Even flowers that have thorns?"
"Yes, even flowers that have thorns."
"Then the thornswhat use are they?"
I did not know. At that moment I was very busy trying to unscrew a bolt that had got stuck in my engine. I was very much worried, for it was becoming clear to me that the breakdown of my plane was extremely serious. And I had so little drinking-water left that I had to fear for the worst.
"The thornswhat use are they?"
The little prince never let go of a question, once he had asked it. As for me, I was upset over that bolt. And I answered with the first thing that came into my head:
"The thorns are of no use at all. Flowers have thorns just for spite."
"Oh!"
There was a moment of complete silence. Then the little prince flashed back at me, with a kind of resentfulness:
"I dont believe you! Flowers are weak creature. They are native. They reassure themselves at best they can. They believe that their thorns are terrible weapons…"
I did not answer. At that instant I was saying to myself: "If this bolt still wont turn, I am going to knock it out with the hammer." Again the little price disturbed my thoughts.
"And you actually believe that the flowers"
"Oh, no!" I cried. "No, no, no! I dont believe anything. I answered you the first thing that came into my head. Dont you seeI am very busy with matters of consequence!"
He stared at me, thunderstruck.
"Matters of consequence!"
He looked at me there, with my hammer in my hand, my fingers black with engine-grease, bending over an object which seemed to him extremely ugly…
"You talk just like the grown-ups!"
That made me a little ashamed. But he went on, relentlessly:
"You mix everything up together…You confuse everything…"
He was really very angry. He tossed his golden curls in the breeze.
The little prince was now white with rage.
"The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns which are never of any use to them? Is the warfare between the sheep and the flowers not important? And if I knowI, myselfone flower which is unique in the world, which grows nowhere but on my planet, but which one little sheep can destroy in a single bite some morning, without even noticing what he is doingOh! You think that is not important!"
His face turned from white to red as he continued:
"If some one loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars. He can say to himself, Somewhere, my flower is there… But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all his stars will be darkened…And you think that is not important!"
He could not say anything more. His words were choked by sobbing.
The night had fallen. I had let my tools drop from my hands. Of what moment now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death? On one star, one planet, my planet, the Earth, there was a little prince to be comforted, I took him in my arms and rocked him. I said to him:
"The flower that you love is not in danger. I will draw you a muzzle for your sheep. I will draw you a railing to put around your flower. I will"
I did not know what to say to him. I felt awkward and blundering. I did not know how I could reach him, where I could overtake him and go on hand in hand with him once more.
It is such a secret place, the land of tears.
经典:The Little Prince 小王子
啊!我的小王子……就这样,一点一滴地,我逐渐懂得了你那忧郁的小生命。长久以来,你惟一的乐趣只是欣赏落日。这是我在第四天早晨知道的,当你说出:
“我喜欢看夕阳。我们一起去看太阳下山吧……”
“可以,我们必须要等……”
“等什么?”
“等太阳落山哪!”
起初,你看起来好象很惊讶,然后,又自我解嘲地说:
“我总以为自己还在家里。”
确实,大家都知道,美国的正午时分,正是法国夕阳落下的时候。如果能在一分钟内赶到法国,你就可以看到落日了,可惜法国太远了。但是,在你的小行星上,只要把椅子向后挪几步,就可以随时随地地看到落日的余辉了。
“有一天,我看了43次落日!”
过了一会儿,你又说:
“你知道当你感到悲伤的时候,就会喜欢看落日……”
“你那时很悲伤吗?就是你看了43次落日的那天?”
小王子没有回答。
第五天,我发现小王子身世的另一个秘密再次感谢那只羊。好象默默地思索了很长时间以后,得出了什么结果一样,他突然没头没脑地问我:
“羊会吃花吗?就像吃灌木丛一样?”
“它碰到什么吃什么。”
“连有刺的花都吃吗?”
“有刺的花也吃。”
“那刺还有什么用呢?”
我不知道该怎么回答。那时候,我正忙着将一个卡在引擎上的螺丝拆下来。我发现,飞机损坏的情形很严重,而且,更让我担心的是饮用水已经所剩不多了。
“那刺还有什么作用呢?”
小王子一旦提出了问题,就绝不放弃,而我正为了螺丝生气,于是不假思索地回答他
“那些刺儿毫无用处,花儿长刺只能害人!”
“噢!”
沉默了一会儿,他悻悻地说:“我不信你说的话!花儿弱不禁风,花儿天真无邪,她们自顾不暇呢。她们身上长了刺,是为了给自己壮胆,为了保护自己……”
我没有答话,当时我在想:“如果螺丝还不松动的话,我就一锤子敲碎它。”
小王子的话再次打断了我的思路:
“你真的认为花儿……”
“算了吧,算了吧!我什么也不认为!我是随便说说。你没看到我正在忙着要紧的事吗?”
他瞪着我,愣住了。
“要紧的事!?”
他看着我,蹲在那个在他眼中看来丑得要命的东西前面,手握着锤子,手指上沾满了油圬……
“你跟那些大人没什么两样!”
听了这话,我觉得有点惭愧。然而,他又毫不留情地说:
“你什么都分不清,你把什么都混在一起!”
他生气地摇晃着脑袋,金黄色的头发随风飘动着。
小王子气得脸色发白。
“几百万年来,花儿生来就有刺,就像几百万年来羊都在吃花一样。难道了解花的身上为什么会有这些没用的刺不重要的吗?难道羊和花之间的战争不重要?如果我知道一朵花人世间惟一的花,只长在我的小行星上,别的地方都不存在,在一天早晨,被一只小羊糊里糊涂地毁掉了,难道这样的事也不重要吗?”
他脸色渐渐转红,然后又接着说:
“如果有人钟爱着一朵独一无二,盛开在浩瀚星海里的花,那么,当他抬头仰望繁星时,便会心满意足。他会告诉自己:‘我心爱的花在那里,在那遥远的星星上。’可以,如果羊把花吃掉了,那么,对他来说,所有的星光便会在刹那间暗淡无光!而你却认为这不重要!”
他突然泣不成声,无法再说下去了。
夜幕降临,黑暗翩然而至。我把手中的工具,锤子、螺丝以及饥饿和死亡全抛在脑后,一切对我都已不再重要。在地球上,在我的行星上,有一位需要安慰的小王子。我将他抱在怀里,轻轻地摇着他,对他说:“你心爱的那朵花不会有危险的,我给你的小羊画一个口罩;我给你的花画个护栏……我……”
我不知道该对他说些什么,只觉得自己很笨拙,不懂得怎样抚慰打动他,不知道该如何才能再次回到与他心灵相通的地方。眼泪就是这么奇妙的东西。
Mouse and Cat in Partnership
英汉对照
A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said so much to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house together. But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shall suffer from hunger, said the cat, and you, little mouse, cannot venture everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day. The good advice was followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where to put it. At length, after much consideration, the cat said, I know no place where it will be better stored up than in the church, for no one dares take anything away from there. We will set it beneath the altar, and not touch it until we are really in need of it. So the pot was placed in safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great yearning for it, and said to the mouse, I want to tell you something, little mouse, my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has asked me to be godmother, he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold him over the font at the christening. Let me go out to-day, and you look after the house by yourself. Yes, yes, answered the mouse, by all means go, and if you get anything very good to eat, think of me, I should like a drop of sweet red christening wine myself. All this, however, was untrue, the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to be godmother. She went straight to the church, stole to the pot of fat, began to lick at it, and licked the top of the fat off. Then she took a walk upon the roofs of the town, looked out for opportunities, and then stretched herself in the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought of the pot of fat, and not until it was evening did she return home. Well, here you are again, said the mouse, no doubt you have had a merry day. All went off well, answered the cat. What name did they give the child. Top off, said the cat quite coolly. Top off, cried the mouse, that is a very odd and uncommon name, is it a usual one in your family. What does that matter, said the cat, it is no worse than crumb-stealer, as your God-children are called.
Before long the cat was seized by another fit of yearning. She said to the mouse, you must do me a favor, and once more manage the house for a day alone. I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the child has a white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse. The good mouse consented, but the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, and devoured half the pot of fat. Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to oneself, said she, and was quite satisfied with her days work. When she went home the mouse inquired, and what was this child christened. Half-done, answered the cat. Half-done. What are you saying. I never heard the name in my life, Ill wager anything it is not in the calendar.
The cats mouth soon began to water for some more licking. All good things go in threes, said she, I am asked to stand godmother again. The child is quite black, only it has white paws, but with that exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body, this only happens once every few years, you will let me go, wont you. Top-off. Half-done, answered the mouse, they are such odd names, they make me very thoughtful. You sit at home, said the cat, in your dark-gray fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies, thats because you do not go out in the daytime. During the cats absence the mouse cleaned the house, and put it in order but the greedy cat entirely emptied the pot of fat. When everything is eaten up one has some peace, said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did not return home till night. The mouse at once asked what name had been given to the third child. It will not please you more than the others, said the cat. He is called all-gone. All-gone, cried the mouse, that is the most suspicious name of all. I have never seen it in print. All-gone, what can that mean, and she shook her head, curled herself up, and lay down to sleep.
From this time forth no one invited the cat to be godmother, but when the winter had come and there was no longer anything to be found outside, the mouse thought of their provision, and said, come cat, we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves - we shall enjoy that. Yes, answered the cat, you will enjoy it as much as you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the window. They set out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot of fat certainly was still in its place, but it was empty. Alas, said the mouse, now I see what has happened, now it comes to light. You are a true friend. You have devoured all when you were standing godmother. First top off then half done, then -. Will you hold your tongue, cried the cat, one word more and I will eat you too. All gone was already on the poor mouses lips, scarcely had she spoken it before the cat sprang on her, seized her, and swallowed her down. Verily, that is the way of the world.
有一只猫认识了一只老鼠,便对它大谈特谈自己是多么喜欢老鼠,原意和它交朋友,弄得老鼠终于同意和猫住在一起,共同生活。“我们得准备过冬的东西了,不然我们到冬天会挨饿的,”猫说,“至于你嘛,我的小老鼠,哪里也不要去,我真怕你会被什么老鼠夹子夹住。”老鼠接受了猫的好建议,于是它们买来了一罐猪油,然而两个人都不知道该把猪油放在什么地方。它们左思考右思考,最后猫说:“我觉得这猪油放在教堂里是再合适不过的了,因为谁也不敢偷教堂里的东西。我们把猪油藏在祭坛下,不到万不得已的时候决不动它。”猪油罐就这样被放到了安全的地方。可是没过多久,猫开始想吃猪油了,便对老鼠说:“小老鼠,我想跟你说点事。我的表姐刚刚生了一个小宝宝,还请我当小宝贝的教母。那小宝贝全身雪白,带着一些褐色的斑点。我要抱着它去接受洗礼,所以今天要出去一下,你一个人在家看家,好吗?”“好的,好的,”老鼠说,“你尽管去吧。要是有什么好吃的东西,千万要记着我。我很想尝一点洗礼时用的红葡萄酒。”这一切当然都不是真的,因为猫并没有表姐,也没有被请去当教母。它直接去了教堂,偷偷爬到猪油罐那里,开始舔呀舔,把顶上一层猪油舔得精光。然后,它在城里的屋顶上散了散步,想碰碰别的运气;接着便躺下来晒太阳。每当想起那罐猪油,它都情不自禁地舔舔自己的嘴唇。它一直等到天黑才回家。“啊,你终于回来了,”老鼠说,“这一天肯定过得很开心吧?”“一切顺利。”猫答道。“你们给那孩子起了什么名字?”“没了顶层!”猫冷淡地说。“没了顶层!”老鼠叫了起来,“这个古怪的名字可不多见。你们家常取这样的名字吗?”“那有什么?”猫说,“不比你的那些教子叫什么偷面包屑的更糟吧?”
没过多久,猫又想吃猪油了。它对老鼠说:“你得帮我一个忙,再一个人看一次家。又有人请我当教母了,而且这个孩子的脖子上有一道白圈,我实在无法推辞。”好心的老鼠同意了。猫从城墙后面溜进教堂,一口气吃掉了半罐猪油。“什么东西也没有比吃到自己的嘴里更好,”它说,心里对这一天的收获感到很满意。等它到家时,老鼠问道:“这个孩子起的什么名字呀?”“吃了一半,”猫回答。“吃了一半!你在说什么呀?我长这么大了还从来没有听说过这样的名字。我敢打赌,就是年历上也不会有这样的名字!”
不久,猫的嘴巴又开始流口水了,想再去舔一舔猪油。“好事成三嘛,”它说,“又有人请我去当教母了。这个孩子除了爪子是白色的,浑身黑黝黝的,连一根白毛都没有。这是好几年才会碰上的事情,你当然会同意我去的,是吗?”“没了顶层!吃了一半!”老鼠回答,“这些名字真怪!我实在弄不明白。”“你白天又不出门,”猫说,“整天穿着深灰色的皮袄,拖着长长的尾巴,坐在家里胡思乱想,当然弄不明白啦!”趁着猫不在家,老鼠把屋子打扫了一下,把东西放得整整齐齐。可是那只馋猫把剩下的猪油吃得干干净净。“人只有把东西吃得干干净净才能放心,”它自言自语地说。它吃得饱饱的,直到天黑了才挺着圆圆的肚子回家。老鼠看到它回来,立刻问它这第三个孩子起的什么名字。“你也不会喜欢这个名字,”猫说,“它叫吃得精光。”“吃得精光!”老鼠叫了起来,“这个名字太令人费解了!我从来没有在书上见过。吃得精光!这是什么意思呢?”它摇摇头,蜷缩起身子,躺下睡着了。
从此,猫再也没有被邀请去当教母。可是冬天来到了,外面再也找不到任何吃的东西。老鼠想到了它们准备的过冬的东西,便说:“走吧,猫!我们去取储存的猪油吧。我们可以美美吃上一顿。”“是的,”猫回答,“那准会把你美得就像把你那尖尖的舌头伸到窗外去喝西北风一样。”它们动身去教堂,可它们到达那里后,看到猪油罐倒是还在那里,里面却是空的。“天哪!”老鼠说,“我现在终于明白是怎么回事了!你可真是个好朋友!你在去当什么教母的时候,把这猪油全吃光了!先是吃了顶上一层,然后吃了一半,最后……”“你给我住嘴!”猫嚷道,“你要是再罗嗦,我连你也吃了!”“……吃得精光,”可怜的老鼠脱口而出。它刚把话说完,猫就扑到了它的身上,抓住它,把它吞进了肚子。这世界就是这样!
New Words and Expressions 生词和词组
1. acquaintance n. 认识
2. provision n. 准备,供应品
3. yearning n. 渴望,怀念
4. consent v. 同意,许可
5. calendar n. 日历,日程表
6. suspicious a. 可疑的,令人费解的
7. curl up 卷起
8. dainty a. 优美的,讲究的
9. verily ad. 真正的,真实的
Fox is with the grape
Hungry of the fox see the grape to up hang the radiant and extremely keen grape of a string, saliva direct current, and want to pick to eat, but again
Can not take off.See in a short while, helplessly walked, and his side walk the side oneself to comfort to by oneself say:" this grape have noes familiar, affirmative
Is sour."
This is to say, and the some person's ability is small, and do to not accomplish anything, borrow to say the opportune moment immaturity.
________________________________________
Wolf and egret
The wolf mistake swallowed a piece of bone, very suffered, running about, look for to visit the doctor everywhere.He met the egret, and talk to settle the service fees to invite him to take out the bone, egret to stretch in the wolf's throat the own head, and the 叼 outs bone, then toward to settle the good service fees wolfThe wolf answer says:" hello, friend, you can since the wolf 嘴 take back the head in the peace ground, and the difficult way return the dissatisfied foot, and how and still speak the guerdon?"
This story elucidation, guerdon badly person act charitably, and is a bad person of cognition and does not speak the reputation's innate character.
________________________________________
Little boy and scorpion son
There is a child in front of city wall to catch the grasshopper, and in a short while caught the lots of.Suddenly see a scorpion son, he to think is also grasshopper,
Then two go to catch him.The scorpion son raises his poison to stab, say:" come, if you really dare to do like this, connect your grasshopper that catch to also would entirely lose."
This story warns people, and want to distinguish the pure good man with the bad person, and distinct to treat them.
________________________________________
Drop at the fox in the well with the 公 goat
An only the fox take a wrong stepped the well, in spite of how he struggle can not still climb up, and have to be foolish there.The 公 goat feels
Thirsty pole, arrive at this well the side, and see the fox under the well, and then ask him the well water the how about it to drink?The fox feels the opportunity to come, heart inside
The 暗 pleaseds, right away the town quiet down, make every effort the laudation well water good drink, say this water is a world the first spring, pure and sweet and good to eat, and advise the goat to hurry up
Come down, and drink to heart's content with him.A the heart think only of to drink the water letter to think the true goat, then the without stopping to think ground jump downed to go to, and be his 咕咚咕 the 咚 painful
After finishing drinking, have to with the fox together totally the company ascend the well's way.Fox early contain preparation, he to archly say:" I pour to have a
Method.You pick with forepaw on the well wall, again Cape 竖直 , I behind carry on the back to jump up the well to go to from you, and pull you again to come up, we all
Save." the 公 goat agreed his proposal, fox to trample the feet of his empress, and jump he carry top on his back, and then make an effort from the Cape a
Jump, jump outed the mouth of a well.The fox go ups the hereafter, and the preparation alone escape.The 公 goat blames the fox and does not keep the 诺 speech.The fox returns overdo
Say to 公 goat:" hello, friend, beard that you of brains if resemble you are so perfect, you not to the extent of at did not see the pure exit it
Front blindly jump down to go to."
This story elucidation, cleverness of the person should to in advance think it over the affair's result, then just go to do.
________________________________________
译文:
狐狸和葡萄
饥饿的狐狸看见葡萄架上挂着一串串晶莹剔透的葡萄,口水直流,想要摘下来吃,但又
摘不到。看了一会儿,无可奈何地走了,他边走边自己安慰自己说:“这葡萄没有熟,肯定
是酸的。”
这就是说,有些人能力小,做不成事,就借口说时机未成熟。
________________________________________
狼与鹭鸶
狼误吞下了一块骨头,十分难受,四处奔走,寻访医生。他遇见了鹭鸶,谈定酬金请他取出骨头,鹭鸶把自己的头伸进狼的喉咙里,叼出了骨头,便向狼要定好的酬金。狼回答说:“喂,朋友,你能从狼嘴里平安无事地收回头来,难道还不满足,怎么还要讲报酬?”
这故事说明,对坏人行善的报酬,就是认识坏人不讲信用的.本质。
________________________________________
小男孩与蝎子
有个小孩在城墙前捉蚱蜢,一会儿就捉了许多。忽然看见一只蝎子,他以为也是蚱蜢,
便着两手去捕捉他。蝎子举起他的毒刺,说道:“来吧,如果你真敢这样做,就连你捉的蚱蜢也会统统失掉。”
这故事告诫人们,要分辨清好人和坏人,区别对待他们。
________________________________________
掉在井里的狐狸和公山羊
一只狐狸失足掉到了井里,不论他如何挣扎仍没法爬上去,只好呆在那里。公山羊觉得
口渴极了,来到这井边,看见狐狸在井下,便问他井水好不好喝?狐狸觉得机会来了,心中
暗喜,马上镇静下来,极力赞美井水好喝,说这水是天下第一泉,清甜爽口,并劝山羊赶快
下来,与他痛饮。一心只想喝水信以为真的山羊,便不假思索地跳了下去,当他咕咚咕咚痛
饮完后,就不得不与狐狸一起共商上井的办法。狐狸早有准备,他狡猾地说:“我倒有一个
方法。你用前脚扒在井墙上,再把角竖直了,我从你后背跳上井去,再拉你上来,我们就都
得救了。”公山羊同意了他的提议,狐狸踩着他的后脚,跳到他背上,然后再从角上用力一
跳,跳出了井口。狐狸上去以后,准备独自逃离。公山羊指责狐狸不信守诺言。狐狸回过头
对公山羊说:“喂,朋友,你的头脑如果像你的胡须那样完美,你就不至于在没看清出口之
前就盲目地跳下去。”
这故事说明,聪明的人应当事先考虑清楚事情的结果,然后才去做。
________________________________________
伊索寓言:风和太阳(The wind and the sun)
The wind and the sun were disputing who was the stronger.
Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down the road. The sun said, "Whoever can make the traveler take off his coat will be the stronger."
So the sun hid behind a cloud, and the wind began to blow as hard as it could. As the wind blew harder, the traveler wrapped his coat more closely around himself.
Then the sun came out. He shone on the traveler. The traveler soon felt quite hot, and took off his coat.
© 2022 xuexicn.net,All Rights Reserved.