Ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ?。拢颍椋洌纾澹?/h1>
2008-03-28 05:08:26李華
中學生英語高中綜合天地 2008年2期
李 華
Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict．It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch．
Then the long collaboration fell apart．It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence．
One morning there was a knock on Johns door． He opened it to find a man with a carpenters tool box． “Im looking for a few days work,” he said． “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there．Could I help you?”
“Yes,” said the older brother． “I do have a job for you． Look across the creek at that farm． Thats my neighbor, in fact, its my younger brother． Last week there was a meadow between US and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between US． Well, he may have done this to spite me, but Ill go him one better． See that pile of lumbering by the barn? I want you to build me a fence—an 8-foot fence—so I wont need to see his place anymore． Cool him down, anyhow．”
The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation． Show me the nails and the posthole digger and Ill be able to do a job that pleases you．”
The older brother had to go to town for supplies, So he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day．
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing． About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job． The farmers eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped．
There was no fence there at all． It was a bridge ．．． a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work handrails and all—and the neighbor his younger brother, was coming across，his hand outstretched．
“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all Ive said and done．” The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each others hand． They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder． “No, wait! Stay a few days．Ive a lot of other projects for you，”said the older brother．
“Id love to stay on，”the carpenter said, “but, I have so many more bridges to build．”
曾經有這么兩個親兄弟，他們生活的農場相互毗鄰，然而他們卻鬧起矛盾來。40年來，他倆并肩耕耘，共用生產機械，需要時互換勞力和物品。相處的日子過得和和順順。這是他們之間第一次出現裂痕。長期的兄弟合作就這樣破裂。而這一切源于小小的誤解，導致重大分歧，最后爆發為惡語相向，之后又是幾個星期的互不理睬。
一天早晨，有人敲大哥約翰家的門，他打開門，看見門前站著一個扛著工具箱的木匠。“我是來找活干的?！蹦窘痴f，“或許你這里有什么小的活計，需要修修補補。我能幫忙嗎?”
“有。”做大哥的說，“我這里確實有要你干的活。你瞧小河邊的那個農場，那是我的鄰居的，事實上，它是我弟弟的。我們倆的農場之間本來有一塊草地。上周，我弟弟把推土機開到河堤邊。現在我們倆之間就有了這條河。他這么做也許是為了激惱我，但我要更勝他一籌。你看見谷倉旁的那堆木材嗎?我要你筑個圍欄，一個8英尺高的圍欄，這樣我就再不必見到他的農場。無論如何，我要斷絕與他的一切往來。”
木匠開口道：“我想我理解目前的情況。給我釘子和挖樁洞器，我就能做出讓你滿意高興的活來。”
做大哥的要到城里買東西，他要去一整天，他幫木匠準備好材料以后就走了。
木匠辛苦地忙了一整天，他又是量，又是鋸，又是釘。太陽快要下山，做大哥的也返回來了，木匠剛剛把活干完。望著木匠的活，做大哥的目瞪口呆。
那根本不是圍欄，是一座橋，一座橫跨小溪兩岸的橋，扶手和所有的一切手工都很棒。而他的鄰居，也就是他的弟弟伸出手，正在朝橋走來。
“你真是個好大哥，盡管我的所做所為對不住你，你還建起這么一座橋?！?/p>
兄弟倆站在橋兩端，然后走到橋的中間，他倆緊緊握住對方的手。他們回過頭看見木匠背上工具箱。“別走!等等!呆幾天，我還有許多事要你做?！弊龃蟾绲恼f。
“我很想留下?！蹦窘痴f，“但我還有許許多多的橋要建造?！?/p>
李 華
Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict．It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch．
Then the long collaboration fell apart．It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence．
One morning there was a knock on Johns door． He opened it to find a man with a carpenters tool box． “Im looking for a few days work,” he said． “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there．Could I help you?”
“Yes,” said the older brother． “I do have a job for you． Look across the creek at that farm． Thats my neighbor, in fact, its my younger brother． Last week there was a meadow between US and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between US． Well, he may have done this to spite me, but Ill go him one better． See that pile of lumbering by the barn? I want you to build me a fence—an 8-foot fence—so I wont need to see his place anymore． Cool him down, anyhow．”
The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation． Show me the nails and the posthole digger and Ill be able to do a job that pleases you．”
The older brother had to go to town for supplies, So he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day．
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing． About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job． The farmers eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped．
There was no fence there at all． It was a bridge ．．． a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work handrails and all—and the neighbor his younger brother, was coming across，his hand outstretched．
“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all Ive said and done．” The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each others hand． They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder． “No, wait! Stay a few days．Ive a lot of other projects for you，”said the older brother．
“Id love to stay on，”the carpenter said, “but, I have so many more bridges to build．”
曾經有這么兩個親兄弟，他們生活的農場相互毗鄰，然而他們卻鬧起矛盾來。40年來，他倆并肩耕耘，共用生產機械，需要時互換勞力和物品。相處的日子過得和和順順。這是他們之間第一次出現裂痕。長期的兄弟合作就這樣破裂。而這一切源于小小的誤解，導致重大分歧，最后爆發為惡語相向，之后又是幾個星期的互不理睬。
一天早晨，有人敲大哥約翰家的門，他打開門，看見門前站著一個扛著工具箱的木匠。“我是來找活干的?！蹦窘痴f，“或許你這里有什么小的活計，需要修修補補。我能幫忙嗎?”
“有。”做大哥的說，“我這里確實有要你干的活。你瞧小河邊的那個農場，那是我的鄰居的，事實上，它是我弟弟的。我們倆的農場之間本來有一塊草地。上周，我弟弟把推土機開到河堤邊。現在我們倆之間就有了這條河。他這么做也許是為了激惱我，但我要更勝他一籌。你看見谷倉旁的那堆木材嗎?我要你筑個圍欄，一個8英尺高的圍欄，這樣我就再不必見到他的農場。無論如何，我要斷絕與他的一切往來。”
木匠開口道：“我想我理解目前的情況。給我釘子和挖樁洞器，我就能做出讓你滿意高興的活來。”
做大哥的要到城里買東西，他要去一整天，他幫木匠準備好材料以后就走了。
木匠辛苦地忙了一整天，他又是量，又是鋸，又是釘。太陽快要下山，做大哥的也返回來了，木匠剛剛把活干完。望著木匠的活，做大哥的目瞪口呆。
那根本不是圍欄，是一座橋，一座橫跨小溪兩岸的橋，扶手和所有的一切手工都很棒。而他的鄰居，也就是他的弟弟伸出手，正在朝橋走來。
“你真是個好大哥，盡管我的所做所為對不住你，你還建起這么一座橋?！?/p>
兄弟倆站在橋兩端，然后走到橋的中間，他倆緊緊握住對方的手。他們回過頭看見木匠背上工具箱。“別走!等等!呆幾天，我還有許多事要你做?！弊龃蟾绲恼f。
“我很想留下?！蹦窘痴f，“但我還有許許多多的橋要建造?！?/p>
