A Quiet Child 一個(gè)安靜的小孩

向紅

There was once a child who was very quiet. Very different from other kids of her age， she spoke very few words and was quiet for most of the time， as if lost in some thought1.

從前有個(gè)孩子非常安靜。與其他同齡孩子不同的是，她很少說(shuō)話，大部分時(shí)間都沉默不語(yǔ)，好像陷入了沉思中。

“My dear， why dont you play in the streets with the other children？ You will get bored2 sitting here all day long，” her mom asked.

媽媽問(wèn)她：“親愛(ài)的，你為什么不和別的孩子一塊到街上去玩呢？整天坐在這里會(huì)感到無(wú)聊的?！?/p>

But she was never bored. The little child always likes to sit at one corner3 of her house quietly， making trouble4 to no body. When she grew up and she could go to school， she asked her mother to get her a book and let her learn at home. Then， her mother got a story book for her.

但她從不感到無(wú)聊。這個(gè)小孩總喜歡安靜地坐在屋子的一個(gè)角落里，不給任何人惹麻煩。當(dāng)她長(zhǎng)大了可以去上學(xué)的時(shí)候，她懇求媽媽給她一本書，讓她在家學(xué)習(xí)。于是她媽媽給她買了一本故事書。

“How can you read， my dear？” her mother said to her， “You have not got your lessons all.”

“親愛(ài)的，你要怎么讀呢？”媽媽對(duì)她說(shuō)，“你還沒(méi)上完課呢。”

But she was able to read at once without being taught. Day after day， she sat in the corner reading her books and thinking.

但她不用人教就能立刻閱讀。日復(fù)一日，她坐在角落里讀書思考。

When she grew up a little， she asked her mother to build a little room for her away from the house. Then she could study there and think without any disturbance5.

她再長(zhǎng)大一點(diǎn)的時(shí)候，她讓媽媽給她建一間遠(yuǎn)離她家房子的小房間，這樣她可以在那不受打擾地學(xué)習(xí)和思考。

A little room was soon built for her and the girl shut6 herself in there. Her mother often knocked7 on her door without getting any answer. She peeped8 through the keyhole9 to see whether she was all right. Then she would leave some food and water out the door and go away. She then found the bowls were emptied10.

很快地，媽媽為她建了一間小房間，小女孩把自己關(guān)在里面。她媽媽經(jīng)常去敲她的門，但沒(méi)有得到任何回應(yīng)。她從鑰匙孔里偷看，看那孩子是否安然無(wú)恙。她會(huì)把食物和水放在門口再離開(kāi)，然后她發(fā)現(xiàn)這些碗都空了。

But one day， her mother found the food not eaten. She peeped through the hole and was surprised to find her child sitting there， reading her book. A little girl stood beside her and talked with her happily， and all kinds of animals were all over the little room.

但是有一天，她的媽媽發(fā)現(xiàn)這些食物都沒(méi)有人吃。她從鎖眼往里偷看，驚奇地發(fā)現(xiàn)她的孩子坐在那里看書，有一個(gè)小女孩站在她旁邊和她高興地交談，還有各種各樣的動(dòng)物塞滿了這個(gè)小房間。

The mother didnt know and was curious11 to know why her child could talk and smile12 suddenly13. Why didnt she get along with other kids？ And why were there many animals in the room？ Where were they from？ A lot of questions were in the mothers mind， but she couldt ask her child.

媽媽不知道為什么，也很好奇她的孩子為什么突然會(huì)又說(shuō)又笑的。為什么她不和其他的孩子好好相處呢？為什么房間里會(huì)有這么多動(dòng)物呢？它們從哪里來(lái)的？雖然心里充滿了許多疑問(wèn)，但是她不能去問(wèn)孩子。

When many days went away， the child went out the room and was smiling. Just like another child. Her mother and many people did not know why and how. But， it really was a good change14.

許多天過(guò)去了，那孩子微笑著走出房間，就像變了一個(gè)人一樣。她媽媽和許多人都不知道這是為什么，怎么就變成這樣了。但是，這確實(shí)是一個(gè)很好的改變。

One day， her mother asked the girl，“Dear， I want to know...uhh...why you became outgoing15 suddenly. ”

有一天，媽媽問(wèn)小姑娘：“親愛(ài)的，我想知道……呃……你為什么突然變得這么開(kāi)朗了?！?/p>

“Because one day， I read an interesting book and have a friend in it. She said to me， everyone can have a great life， and everyone should have friends so that your life can be the whole one. I found what I did in the past was not right because at that time， I thought I was all alone in the world and no one would love me. So I did not want to talk with others， but just stay with books.”

“因?yàn)橛幸惶?，我讀了一本有趣的書，并在書里交了一個(gè)朋友。她對(duì)我說(shuō)，每個(gè)人都可以擁有美好的生活，每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該有朋友，這樣你的生活才算是完整的。我意識(shí)到我過(guò)去所做的是錯(cuò)的，因?yàn)樵谀莻€(gè)時(shí)候，我認(rèn)為在這個(gè)世界上我是孤單一個(gè)人，沒(méi)有人會(huì)愛(ài)我，所以我不愿意和別人說(shuō)話，只想和書相處?！?/p>

After her daughters words， the mother thought that she gave little love to her and then hugged16 her. She said， “My dear， how can you think that？ We are your parents and we will always love you.”

媽媽聽(tīng)到女兒說(shuō)這樣的話才意識(shí)到自己對(duì)她的愛(ài)太少了，她抱著女兒說(shuō)：“親愛(ài)的，你怎么會(huì)這樣想呢？我們是你的父母，我們永遠(yuǎn)愛(ài)你?！?/p>

From then on， the kind child was not alone and she has made many real friends.

從那時(shí)起，這個(gè)善良的孩子不再孤單，她交到了很多真正的朋友。

【Notes】

1. thought [] n. 思想;思考;想法 2. bored [? ? ? ] adj. 無(wú)聊的;無(wú)趣的

3. corner [? ? ? ? ] n. 角落，拐角處 4. trouble [? ? ? ] n. 麻煩

5. disturbance [? ? ? ? ? ? ?] n. 干擾 6. shut [] v. 關(guān)上

7. knock [? ? ?] v. 敲;打 8. peep [? ? ?] v. 窺視，偷看

9. keyhole [? ? ? ? ?] n. 鎖眼 10. empty [? ? ? ? ] v. 使……成為空的

11. curious [? ? ? ? ? ] adj. 好奇的 12. smile [? ? ? ?] v. 微笑;微笑著表示

13. suddenly [? ? ? ? ?] adv. 突然地;忽然 14. change [? ? ? ? ?] v. 改變，轉(zhuǎn)變

15. outgoing [? ? ? ? ? ? ] adj. 對(duì)人友好的，開(kāi)朗的 16. hug [? ? ?] v. 擁抱;緊抱