A Quiet Child 一個安靜的小孩

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.

從前有個孩子非常安靜。與其他同齡孩子不同的是，她很少說話，大部分時間都沉默不語，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.

媽媽問她：“親愛的，你為什么不和別的孩子一塊到街上去玩呢？整天坐在這里會感到無聊的。”

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.

但她從不感到無聊。這個小孩總喜歡安靜地坐在屋子的一個角落里，不給任何人惹麻煩。當她長大了可以去上學的時候，她懇求媽媽給她一本書，讓她在家學習。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.”

“親愛的，你要怎么讀呢？”媽媽對她說，“你還沒上完課呢。”

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.

她再長大一點的時候，她讓媽媽給她建一間遠離她家房子的小房間，這樣她可以在那不受打擾地學習和思考。

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，小女孩把自己關在里面。她媽媽經常去敲她的門，但沒有得到任何回應。她從鑰匙孔里偷看，看那孩子是否安然無恙。她會把食物和水放在門口再離開，然后她發現這些碗都空了。

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，她的媽媽發現這些食物都沒有人吃。她從鎖眼往里偷看，驚奇地發現她的孩子坐在那里看書，有一個小女孩站在她旁邊和她高興地交談，還有各種各樣的動物塞滿了這個小房間。

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又說又笑的。為什么她不和其他的孩子好好相處呢？為什么房間里會有這么多動物呢？它們從哪里來的？雖然心里充滿了許多疑問，但是她不能去問孩子。

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.

許多天過去了，那孩子微笑著走出房間，就像變了一個人一樣。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，這確實是一個很好的改變。

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

有一天，媽媽問小姑娘：“親愛的，我想知道……呃……你為什么突然變得這么開朗了。”

“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.”

“因為有一天，我讀了一本有趣的書，并在書里交了一個朋友。她對我說，每個人都可以擁有美好的生活，每個人都應該有朋友，這樣你的生活才算是完整的。我意識到我過去所做的是錯的，因為在那個時候，我認為在這個世界上我是孤單一個人，沒有人會愛我，所以我不愿意和別人說話，只想和書相處。”

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.”

媽媽聽到女兒說這樣的話才意識到自己對她的愛太少了，她抱著女兒說：“親愛的，你怎么會這樣想呢？我們是你的父母，我們永遠愛你。”

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

從那時起，這個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. 無聊的;無趣的

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

5. disturbance [? ? ? ? ? ? ?] n. 干擾 6. shut [] v. 關上

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，轉變

15. outgoing [? ? ? ? ? ? ] adj. 對人友好的，開朗的 16. hug [? ? ?] v. 擁抱;緊抱