格列佛游记——太阳树-2

One morning the king learned that the old woman had a new Sun Tree. Early that afternoon he rode to her house and saw her new Sun Tree. He was very surprised and thought, "The Sun Tree needs this land to grow."

  So he said to her, "I am going to build a big house here and live in it. In a few months you must find another home."

  "I have lived here for many years," said the old woman. "Don't drive me away, please. I can't leave my Sun Tree."

  "It is my Sun Tree," shouted the king.

  Then the old woman said helplessly, "May I carry a seed with me?"

  "Not one seed," answered the king. The old woman had to move away. One of her friends made a new little house for her near his own house. She thanked him very much.

  On the day she moved to the new house, the neighbors came to help her. They carried her bed, table, chairs, and a locker.

  On the way to her new house the pet bird got out of the cage and flew to the king. The bird said, "Just a moment. You must not build your house here. The Sun Tree won't grow with you around."

  But the king didn't take the bird's advice.

  In early spring the king's house was finished and he decided to hold a housewarming party.

  On that day all the noble people in the country wore their best clothes and came to his party. When they reached the house, he showed them many large rooms. The rooms were bright with the light from the Sun Tree.

  Suddenly a girl shouted, "What a strange tree! Look! It can walk and jump!"

  Everyone looked and cried, "The tree is going out of the garden. It is flying high up in the sky."

  It looked like a big bird. It flew farther and farther. At last the tree stopped in front of the old woman's new little house. The Sun Tree grew there. This time the king didn't send his men to take the tree away. He knew that not everything on his land was his.

  有一天早上,国王得知老婆婆拥有了一棵新的太阳树。当天午后不久,国王就骑马赶到老婆婆住处,看到了她那棵新的太阳树。他非常惊讶,心想:『太阳树必须在这块土地上才能生长。』

  于是他对老婆婆说:『我要在这里盖一栋巨宅,并住在里面。几个月后,你必须找个新家。』

  老婆婆说:『我已在这里住了好多年,请别赶我走。我不能离开我的太阳树。』

  国王大声喊道:『那是我的太阳树。』

  于是老婆婆无助地说:『我能带走一粒种子吗?』

  国王回答说:『一粒都不准带。』老婆婆只好搬家。她的一位朋友在自己家附近为她盖了一间新的小屋。老婆婆心中万分感激。

  搬到新家那一天,左邻右舍都前来帮忙。他们帮她搬床、桌子、椅子和柜子。

  在前往新居途中,老婆婆宠爱的鸟儿突然挣出笼子,飞到国王那儿。鸟儿对国王说:『等一等,你不能在这里盖房子,有你在太阳树就长不活。』

  但国王并未听鸟儿的劝告。

  初春时,国王的房子已经完工。他决定举行一场宴会,以庆祝乔迁之喜。

  当天,全国贵族人士都盛装前来赴宴。当他们抵达时,国王带他们参观很多个大房间。那些房间都被太阳树的光照得很明亮。

  突然间,一位女孩大声叫道:『好奇怪的树啊!看!它会走路,还会跳!』

  众人一看也叫道:『那棵树正走出花园,往天空飞去。』

  它看起来像一只大鸟,越飞越远,最后停在老婆婆那间新的小屋门前。太阳树就在那里生长了。这一次,国王也不再派属下来抢走这棵太阳树了。他已明了在他土地上的一切未必全部都是他的。