格列佛游记——太阳树-1

Once upon a time there lived an old woman in a small house near the woods. She had a pretty pet bird. When the people in the village came to her house, the bird said to them, "Good day." Everyone liked the bird. The people liked the woman's small house, too.

　　The house was full of bright and warm light. But the light didn't come from the sun. It came from an apple tree. The tree stood by the door of her house. All year round this tree was covered with white flowers and golden apples.They gave out wonderful warmth and light. So the tree was called the Sun Tree. The people in the village often called at her house and enjoyed the light from the Sun Tree. But the land of the old woman's house belonged to the king. When the king heard of her Sun Tree, he visited her house on horseback. The king saw the white flowers and golden apples of the Sun Tree. He cried, "How wonderful this tree is! I want to have this tree at any cost. Tomorrow this tree will be carried away by my strong men."

　　"Oh, King," said the old woman. "The Sun Tree is mine. I have taken care of the tree since I planted it."

　　"But it is on my land," said the king. "So it is my tree. It isn't yours."

　　The old woman said, "It can't grow in another place. Please take one of the seeds."

　　At first the king didn't intend to accept her offer. On second thought, he said, "All right. I am going to take a seed from a golden apple. But if the seed won't grow, I'll send my men to get the tree."

　　The king rode away with the seed. As soon as he reached the palace, he called the best gardener in the country. The king said to him, "Plant this seed and take good care of it."

　　The gardener planted the seed and watered it every day. He cared for it in the best way he could. But it didn't grow.

　　So early one morning, some strong men of the king's came to the old woman to take the Sun Tree to the king's palace. As they were leaving, the old woman said to them, "Please give one seed to me." They gave only one seed to her.

　　She planted it and watered it every day. After a few days, a little tree came up from the earth. It grew and grew. At last it grew into another fine new Sun Tree.

　　But the Sun Tree in the palace soon died.

　　从前，在森林附近的一间小屋里，住着一位老婆婆。她饲养了一只美丽的小鸟作为宠物。村里的人来到她家时，这只鸟儿会说：『日安。』大家都喜爱这只鸟儿，也喜欢老婆婆的小屋。

　　小屋里充满了明亮而温暖的光线。但这光线并非来自太阳，而是来自一棵苹果树。苹果树就伫立在老婆婆的小屋门边，一年四季树上都长满白色的花和金色的苹果。这些花和苹果发射出奇妙的光和热。因此这棵树就被称作太阳树。村民们时常去拜访老婆婆的小屋并享受那太阳树之光。但是老婆婆所住的这块土地是属于国王的。当国王听到太阳树的消息时，便骑马前来察看。他看到太阳树上的白花与金苹果时，便大叫：『这棵树太棒了！我要不惜任何代价拥有这棵树。明天我将派壮汉来把它移走。』

　　老婆婆听了说：『噢，国王，这棵太阳树是我的。自从我种下它之后，就一直照顾着它。』

　　国王则说：『但它却是长在我的土地上，所以它是我的树，不是你的。』

　　老婆婆说：『它无法在别的地方生长。请您取走一粒种子好了。』

　　起初，国王不想接受她的提议，但再三考虑后，他说：『好吧，我就取走一粒金苹果的种子。但如果这粒种子种不活的话，我就会派人来把这棵树取走。』

　　于是国王带着金苹果的种子策马而去。一回到皇宫，他召来全国最好的园丁，并对他说：『将这粒种子种下，好好照顾它。』

　　园丁种下那粒种子，每天浇水。他尽全力照顾那粒种子，但它就是种不活。

　　于是，某天清晨，国王的一些壮汉来到老婆婆的住处要把太阳树带回皇宫。正当他们要离去时，老婆婆对他们说：『请留下一粒种子给我吧。』他们也真只给了她一粒种子。

　　她种下这粒种子，每天浇水。几天后一棵小树从土壤中长了出来。它不断地生长，终于长成了另一棵美丽的新太阳树。

　　而皇宫里的那棵太阳树却很快就死掉了。