潘多拉的盒子（下）

The tiny creatures (生物，動物)，like angry mosquitoes （蚊子），began to buzz1 round the room and sting them both. Pandora screamed and began to cry.

By lifting the lid of the mysterious box she had let out all the Troubles of the world. She had set free all the Cares，Diseases and Sorrows that had been safely shut up（關入，禁閉） in the box so that happy children might never know such things.Not only that， but the winged Troubles Flew out of the cottage and they began to sting （蜇，叮） all the other children.No one smiled for a long time after this;and instead of remaining young， they grew older day by day. Besides that，all the flowers began to fade2 and die， which they had never done before.

Suddenly there was a little tap3， as if a tiny fairy hand was knocking on the inside of the lid. \"Who are you?\" called Pandora， her curiosity(好奇心) returning. \"Lift the lid and you shall see，\"said a sweet little voice. \"No， no!\" answered Pandora， beginning to cry again. \"I have had enough of lifting the lid.\" \"But I am not like those horrid(可怕的) creatures with stings in their tails，\"said the little voice. \"Let me out， Pandora，and you won't regret it.\"Pandora and Epimetheus lifted the lid of the box together.

\"Then a little fairy creature looked at them so sweetly that they were both very glad that they had opened the box this time.\" \"Tell us--who are you?\" asked Pandora. \"I am called Hope，\" answered the sunny little person. \"I was put into the box to help the human race to bear the pain of all those horrid Troubles.As long as you need me，\"said Hope， smiling at them， \"I promise that I will never leave you. There may be times when I seem to disappear， but when you least expect me you will see the light of my wings.\"

The children found that her words were true. Although the Troubles still continued to fly about the world，hurting everyone with their stings，yet the sunshine of Hope was never far away.And isn' t it true today? What should we all do without Hope? Hope lightens the heaviest of Troubles.Hope gives new life to the troubled world. Hopes makes all things new. (The end)

注釋：

1．buzz vt．發出嗡嗡等聲

2．fade vi.退色，枯萎

3．tap n. 輕拍，輕敲

這些小東西像發怒的蚊子開始在屋子里嗡嗡亂叫并且蜇他們兩人，潘多拉尖叫著開始哭喊。

通過揭開神秘盒子的蓋子，潘多拉已經把世界上所有的麻煩都釋放出來，她釋放了煩惱、疾病和悲傷，這些都曾經安全地被封存在盒子里，因而快樂的孩子們從來不知道這些事情。麻煩不止這些，這些帶翅膀的麻煩飛出屋子，開始蜇其他所有的孩子。從那以后，沒有人可以保持長久的微笑，由永葆青春到一天天變老。除此之外，一切花兒開始凋零死亡，而以前從來都是常開不謝。

忽然好像有一只小仙子的手在盒子里面敲擊盒子的蓋子。“你是誰？”潘多拉喊，她的好奇心又冒了出來。“揭開蓋子你就會看見。”一個微小的甜甜的聲音說著。“不，不！”潘多拉又開始哭，“我已經受夠了揭開蓋子的煩惱。”“但是我不像那些尾巴上帶刺的可怕的生靈，”那個聲音低低地說，“讓我出來吧，潘多拉，你不會后悔的。”潘多拉和厄庇米修斯一起揭開了盒子的蓋子。

然后小仙子親切地注視著他們，這次打開盒子他們都非常高興。“告訴我們——你是誰？”潘多拉問。“我叫作希望，”發光的小人回答，“我被放在盒子里用來幫助人類承受那些令人厭惡的苦難帶來的痛苦，只要你需要我，”希望笑著對他們說，“我保證不會離開你。也許有時我看起來似乎消失了，但是至少你期望看到，你就將看到我翅膀的光亮。”

孩子們發現她的話是真的，盡管麻煩在世界上飛來飛去用它們的毒針刺傷人們，然而希望的陽光從來也不會太遙遠。難道今天不也是這樣嗎?沒有希望我們怎么生存？希望將最大的煩惱減到很輕，希望給困難重重的世界帶來新的生活。希望使萬象更新。

（全文完）