◎ Tom Farley
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge and all of the others, including Love. One day, it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed[88] boats and left, except for Love.
很久以前,一個(gè)小島上住著所有的情感:快樂、悲傷、智慧以及其他一切情感,當(dāng)然還有愛情。有一天,突然有消息聲稱這座小島將會(huì)沉沒,所有的情感都造好了船準(zhǔn)備離開,除了愛情。
Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.
愛情是唯一一個(gè)留下來的,愛情希望能夠堅(jiān)持到最后一刻。
When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.
當(dāng)小島即將沒頂之際,愛情決定尋求幫助。
Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, “Richness, can you take me with you?” Richness answered, “No, I can’t. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you.”
財(cái)富開著一條大船經(jīng)過。愛情問:“財(cái)富,你可以帶上我嗎?”財(cái)富答道:“不,我不能。我的船上裝滿了金銀財(cái)寶,裝不下你了。”
Love decided to ask Vanity[89] who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel[90] . “Vanity, please help me!” “I can’t help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat,” Vanity answered.
愛情決定問開著漂亮的船從旁邊經(jīng)過的虛榮?!疤摌s,請(qǐng)你救救我吧!”“我?guī)筒涣四?,愛情,你渾身濕透了,?huì)弄臟我的船的!”
Sadness was closed by, so Love asked, “Sadness, Let me go with you.” “Oh ... Love, I am so sad that I need to be myself!”
悲傷也在附近,于是愛情問:“悲傷,帶我一起走吧。”“噢……愛情,我是那么痛苦,痛苦得只想一個(gè)人待著!”
Happiness passed by Love, too. But she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.
快樂也經(jīng)過了愛情,可是她快樂過頭了,沒有聽見愛情的呼喚。
Suddenly, there was a voice, “Come, Love, I will take you.” It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own away.
突然,一個(gè)聲音響起:“來吧,愛情,我來幫你?!蹦鞘且晃婚L者。愛情十分高興,甚至忘了問這位長者要去哪兒。當(dāng)他們抵達(dá)陸地時(shí),老人獨(dú)自離開了。
Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, “Who helped me?”
愛情意識(shí)到自己虧欠老人很多,于是問身邊的另一個(gè)長者智慧:“幫我的那個(gè)是誰?”
“It was Time,” Knowledge answered.
智慧老人答道:“是時(shí)間?!?
“Time?” asked Love. “But why did Time help me?”
“時(shí)間?可是時(shí)間為什么要幫助我?”愛情不解。
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, “Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is.”
智慧意味深長地笑著,答道:“因?yàn)橹挥袝r(shí)間才能理解愛是多么寶貴 。”