小小新年

One cold morning Maurice awoke from his dreams and sat up in bed and listened. He thought he heard a knock at his window. But though the moon was shining brightly, Jack Frost had been so busily at work that Maurice could not see through the thickly painted panes. So hecrept sleepily out of bed, and opened the window, and whispered: “Who is there?”

“I am,” replied a tinkling voice. “I am the little New Year, ho! Ho! And Ive promised to bring a blessing to everyone. But I am such a little fellow; I need somebody to help me distribute them. Wont you please come out and help?”

“Oh, its so cold!” said Maurice, “Id rather go back to my warm bed.” And he shivered as Jack Frost, who was passing, tickled him under the chin with one of the frosty paint brushes.

“Never mind the cold,” urged the New Year, “please help me.”

So Maurice hurried into his clothes, and was soon out in the yard. There he found a rosy-cheeked boy a little smaller than himself, pulling a large cart which seemed to be loaded with good things. On one side of this cart was painted the word“Love,” and on the other “Kindness.” As soon as the New Year saw Maurice he said, “Now please take hold and help me pull.” And down the driveway and up the hill they traveled until they came to an old shanty.

“Here is where I make my first call,” said the New Year. Maurice looked wonderingly at him. “Why, nobody lives here but an old man who works for us, and he hasnt any children!” “He needs my help,” said the New Year, “for grown people like to be thought of just as much as children do. You shovel out a path to his door, while I unload some of my blessings.” Then the little hands went busily at work, piling up warm clothing, wood, and a new years dinner, the New Year singing as he worked:

“Oh, I am the little New Year, ho! Ho! Here I come tripping it over the snow, shaking my bells with a merry din, so open your door and let me in.”

Old Joe, hearing some noise outside, came to the door, and when he saw all the nice gifts the tears ran down his cheeks for gladness, and as he carried them into the house, he whispered: “The dear Lord has been here tonight.”

“Where are we going now?” asked Maurice, as they ran down the hill. “To take some flowers to a poor sick girl,” answered the New Year.

Soon, they came to a small white house, where the New Year stopped. “Why, Bessie lives here,” said Maurice. “I didnt know she was sick.” “See,” said the New Year, “this window is open a little; let us throw this bunch of pinks into the room. They will please her when she wakes, and will make her happy for several days.”

Then they hurried to other places, leaving some blessing behind them.

“What a wonderful cart you have,” said Maurice, “though you have taken so much out, it never seems to get empty.” “You are right, Maurice, there is never any end to love and kindness. As long as I find people to love and be kind to, my cart is full of blessings for them; and it will never grow empty until I can no longer find people to help. If you will go with me every day and help me scatter my blessings, you will see how happy you will be all the long year.”

“A happy New Year!” called someone, and Maurice found himself in bed, and his sister standing in the doorway smiling at him. “Have you had a pleasant dream, dear?” she asked.

“Why, where is the little New Year?” said Maurice, “he was just here with me.”

“Come into Mammas room and see what he has brought you,” answered his sister. There, in a snowy white cradle, he found a tiny baby brother, the gift of the New Year. How happy Maurice was then！But he did not forget his dream. Old Joe and Bessie had their gifts, too, and Maurice tried so hard to be helpful that he made all his friends glad because the happy New Year had come.

一個寒冷的清晨,莫里斯從睡夢中醒來,起身坐在床上,仔細聽著周圍的聲音。他覺得有人敲了一下窗戶。盡管月色皎潔,但嚴寒辛勤地整夜忙碌,莫里斯設(shè)法透過結(jié)了一層厚霜的窗戶看到外面。于是他睡意朦朧地爬起身,打開窗戶,悄聲問道:“誰在那里?”

“我啊,”一個鈴鐺般清脆的聲音回答道?！拔揖褪切⌒⌒履臧?呵!呵!我會給每個人送上祝福。但我個子太小了,需要找人幫我分發(fā)祝福。能請你出來幫個忙嗎?”

“噢,天太冷了!”莫里斯說?！拔覍幵富氐綔嘏拇采先??！眹篮舆^,用它那冰冷的漆刷撓了撓他的下巴,他哆嗦了一下。

“別在意寒冷,”新年催促他說?！罢埬銕蛶臀野??！?

于是莫里斯趕緊穿上衣服,很快來到院子里。他在那里見到一個臉色紅潤的小男孩,個子比他小點,拉著一輛巨大的推車,里面似乎裝滿了好東西。推車的一邊寫著“愛心”二字,另一邊則寫著“善心”。新年一見到莫里斯就說:“請抓牢了,幫我拉一把。”他們沿車道而下,爬上山坡,一直走到一間破舊的棚屋前。

“這里是我要拜訪的第一家,”新年說。莫里斯驚奇地看著他?！笆裁?這里除了一位為我們干活的老人以外沒有住別的人了,而且他也無兒無女!”“他需要我的幫助,”新年說,“因為成年人也和孩子們一樣,希望得到別人的關(guān)心。你鏟出一條通往他家門口的路吧,我要把我的祝福卸下來?！眱呻p小手開始忙活起來,他們將保暖衣物、柴火和新年晚餐堆積起來,新年邊干活邊唱起歌來:

“噢,我是小小新年,呵!呵!我滑著雪來到這里,搖搖我的小鈴鐺,帶著我快樂的喧鬧——打開家門,讓我進去吧。”

老喬聽到屋外有些嘈雜,于是走到門口。當他見到所有這些漂亮的禮物時,欣喜的淚水從他的臉頰上滑落下來。他一邊向屋里搬東西,一邊輕聲說道:“敬愛的主今夜來過這里啊!”

“我們現(xiàn)在去哪里呢?”他們跑下山坡時,莫里斯問道。“送些花兒給一個生病的貧窮女孩,”新年回答道。

很快他們就來到一間白色的小屋前,新年停住了腳步?！鞍パ?這里是貝茜的家,”莫里斯說。“我都不知道她生病了?！薄扒?”新年說,“這扇窗戶開著一道縫,我們就把這束粉紅色的花塞進房間去吧。她醒來看到肯定會樂上好幾天?！?

他們又趕到其他地方,把祝福灑在身后。

“你的推車真棒啊,”莫里斯說,“你已經(jīng)拿出了那么多東西,但它看起來一點都沒變空?！薄澳阏f對了,莫里斯,愛心和善心永遠不會耗盡。只要我能找到值得去愛、去善待的人,我的推車就會裝滿給他們的祝福;除非我再也找不到需要幫助的人,它永遠不會變空。如果你每天都幫我分發(fā)祝福,你會發(fā)現(xiàn)自己一整年都快快樂樂?！?

“新年快樂!”有人叫道,莫里斯發(fā)現(xiàn)自己躺在床上,他的姐姐站在門道里對著他微笑?！澳闶遣皇亲隽藗€好夢啊,親愛的?”她問道。

“哎呀,小小新年去哪了?”莫里斯說?！八麆倓傔€和我一起呢。”

“快來媽媽房間,看看他給你帶來了什么禮物,”他姐姐回答道。在媽媽房間一個雪白的搖籃里,他看到一個小男嬰,這就是新年的禮物。莫里斯真是高興極了!但他并沒有忘記他的夢。老喬和貝茜也收到了他們的禮物,而莫里斯竭盡全力去幫助其他人,讓他的朋友們都開開心心的,因為新年來了。