【晚诵】The Giving Tree
学校专场第10期
文：Shel Silverstein(美)
主播：陈盼(大北街小学教师）
《The Giving Tree 爱心树》，这是世界上最经典的绘本作品之一，出版30年来，一直是绘本世界的著名典范，魅力惊人。这是一个由一棵有求必应的苹果树和一个贪求不厌的孩子，共同组成的温馨又略带哀伤的动人故事。
Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy.
从前有一棵大树，它喜欢上一个男孩儿。
And every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves.
男孩儿每天会跑到树下，收集她的叶子。
And make them into crowns and play king of the forest.
给自己做王冠，想象自己就是森林之王。
He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade.
他也常常爬上树干，在树枝上荡秋千，吃树上结的苹果，同大树捉迷藏。累了的时候，就在树阴里睡觉。
And the boy loved the tree.... very much.
小男孩儿爱这棵树，非常非常爱它。
And the tree was happy.
大树很快乐。
But time went by. And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone.
但是时光流逝，孩子逐渐长大，大树常常感到孤寂。
Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy."
有一天孩子来看大树，大树说:“来吧，孩子，爬到我身上来，在树枝上荡秋千，吃几个苹果，再到阴凉里玩一会儿。你会很快活的!”
"I am too big to climb and play" said the boy. "I want to buy things and have fun. I want some money!" “Can you give me some money?”
“我已经大了，不爱爬树玩儿了，”孩子说，“我想买些好玩儿的东西。我需要些钱，你能给我一点儿钱吗?”
"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy."
“很抱歉，”大树说，“我没有钱，我只有树叶和苹果。把我的苹果拿去吧，孩子，把它们拿到城里卖掉，你就会有钱，就会快活了。”
And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.
于是孩子爬上大树，摘下树上的苹果，把它们拿走了。
And the tree was happy.
大树很快乐。
But the boy stayed away for a long time.... and the tree was sad.
很久很久，孩子没有再来看望大树，大树很难过。
And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy."
“我现在需要的实在不多，”孩子说，“只想找个安静的地方坐坐，好好休息。我太累了。”
"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, "well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."
后来有一天，孩子又来了。大树高兴地摇晃着肢体，对孩子说:“来吧，孩子，爬到我的树干上，在树枝上荡秋千，你会很快活的!”
"I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?"
“我有很多事要做，没有时间爬树了。”孩子说，“我需要一幢房子保暖。”他接着说，“我要娶个妻子，还要生好多孩子，所以我需要一幢房子。你能给我一幢房子吗?”
"I have no house," said the tree. "The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy."
“我没有房子，”大树说，“森林就是我的房子。但是你可以把我的树枝砍下来，拿去盖房。你就会快活了。”
And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy.
于是那个男孩儿把大树的树枝都砍下来，把它们拿走，盖了一幢房子。大树很快乐。
But the boy stayed away for a long time.
孩子又有很长时间没有来看望大树了。
And when he came back, the tree was so happy, she could hardly speak. "Come,Boy," she whispered, "come and play."
当他终于又回来的时候，大树非常高兴，高兴得几乎说不出话来。“来吧，孩子，”它声音喑哑地说，“来和我玩玩吧!”
"I am too old and sad to play," said the boy. ” "I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?"
“我年纪已经大了，心情也不好，不愿意玩儿了。”孩子说，“我需要一条船，驾着它到远方去，离开这个地方。你能给我一条船吗?”
"Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away...and be happy."
“把我的树干砍断，用它做船吧。”大树说，“这样你就可以航行到远处去，你就会快活了。”
And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away. And the tree was happy... but not really.
于是孩子把树干砍断，做了一条船，驶走了。大树很快乐，但是心坎里却有些……
And after a long time the boy came back again.
又过了很久，那孩子又来了。
"I am sorry, boy," said the tree," but I have nothing left to give you – My apples are gone."
“非常抱歉，孩子，”大树说，“我没有什么可以给你的了。我没有苹果了。”
"My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.
“我的牙齿已经老化，吃不动苹果了。”孩子说。
"My branches are gone," said the tree. " You cannot swing on them."
“我没有枝条了，”大树说，“你没法儿在上面荡秋千了。”
"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy.
“我太老了，不能再荡秋千了。”孩子说。
"My trunk is gone, " said the tree. "You cannot climb."
“我也没有树干，”大树说，“不能让你爬上去玩了。”
"I am too tired to climb" said the boy.
“我很疲倦，爬也爬不动了。”孩子说。
"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something... but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry... "
“真是抱歉，”大树叹了口气，“我希望还能给你点儿什么东西……但是我什么都没有了。我现在只是个老树墩，真是抱歉……”
"I don't need very much now," said the boy. "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."
“那好吧。”大树说，它尽量把身子挺高，“你看，我这个老树墩，正好叫你坐在上面休息。来吧，孩子，坐下吧，坐在我身上休息吧。”
And the boy did.
于是孩子坐下了。
And the tree was happy.
大树很快乐。
图片来源网络