楊紫瓊為你讀英文故事：“每個生命都享有自由的權力”

I'm Michelle Yeoh. And today I'm going to read Louts and fether written by Ji-Li Jiang, and illustrated by Julie Downing.

我是楊紫瓊， 今天我要給大家朗誦《荷花和羽毛》，作者Ji-Li Jiang，插畫Julie Downing。

Louts walked home from school by herself yet again these days, no one invited her to play.

這天放學后，荷花又是一個人回家，這段時間都沒有小朋友跟她玩。

Ever since a winter illness had taken her voice, the other kids treated her like a strange creature. Lotus lived with her grandfather, a craftsman who made beautiful baskets out of reeds. Grandpa understood Lotus loneliness.

自從冬天病了一場，嗓子啞了，再也不能說話，其他的小朋友都把她當怪物。荷花和爺爺生活，爺爺是個手藝人，會用蘆葦編很多漂亮的籃子，爺爺看穿了荷花的孤獨。

He stroked her hair and invited her to go boating with him on the nearby lake. ”This lake used to be so alive. ”Grandpa said .

他摸了摸她的頭發(fā)，叫她一起去附近的湖上劃船。“這湖以前可熱鬧了。”爺爺說。

“Lotus flowers swayed in the breeze fish jumped into the boat, birds sang in the sky, and foxes watched from the shore. But now ,” he looked around the deserted landscape and sighed. It has been ruined by greedy fishermen and hunters and by ignorant people who took over land animals once lived. ”

“荷花再微風中搖曳，魚撲通撲通跳上船，鳥兒嘰嘰喳喳再空中唱歌，狐貍靜靜的呆在岸上，注視著一切?？涩F(xiàn)在······”，爺爺環(huán)顧四周的荒涼，嘆了口氣，“貪婪的漁民和獵人把一切都毀了”，“無知的人們侵占了動物的家園。”

Lotus blew a whistle made out of a reed, The sound drifted around the empty lake like a wisp of sorrow.

荷花吹著蘆葦做成的勺子，哨聲飄揚再空蕩蕩的湖面，帶著一絲絲淡淡的憂傷。

One morning, Lotus went to collect reeds for grandpa. She stopped in awe when she saw a big bird as white as fresh snow standing in the marsh grass. Its wide wings were edged with black feathers like lace on a dress, above the long ,curved neck. its head was crowned with a red top, like a dazzling ruby.

一天早晨，荷花出門給爺爺割蘆葦，突然她看見一只大鳥，驚奇的停住了腳步，這只鳥通體雪白，站在沼澤草地上。翅膀大大的，邊緣有一圈黑色的羽毛，像裙子的花邊，脖子長長的，優(yōu)雅的彎曲著，頭頂著一團火紅，活像一顆璀璨的紅寶石。

A crane! Lotus shouted silently. She had heard many stories about the endangered cranes from grandpa. But she had never seen one. They had stopped coming because the wetland was disappearing.

是鶴，荷花默默的驚嘆道。她聽過爺爺講過許多故事，說鶴已經(jīng)瀕臨滅絕了。但這還是她第一次看見，濕地日益減少，鶴也不往這邊來了。

BLAM! A loud gunshot startled her, Lotus turned around and saw a man with a hat made out of reeds aiming his barrel straight at the bird! Lotus couldn't utter any sound, but she crushed down and drowned metal pail with her reed cutter making a noise like thunder. The hunter fled, dropping his hat and never looking back.

砰！突然傳來一聲槍聲，把荷花嚇一跳，荷花轉身看到一個獵人拿著槍正瞄著那只鶴！荷花喊不出聲來，但她慢慢的蹲下身來，用割蘆葦?shù)牡?，使勁的敲打腳邊的鐵桶，那聲音像雷聲。獵人嚇得帽子都掉了，頭也不回的逃走了。

Lotus hurriedly waded across the wetland toward the bird. When the crane spotted her it tried to run but collapsed instead, Lotus gathered up the heavy bird. Hold on, Hold on, please. She pleaded silently.

荷花趕緊趟過濕地，朝大鳥跑去，可鶴一看見荷花就準備跑，去摔倒在地上，荷花抱起 這只種種的大鳥，“堅持住。請堅持住，”她默默的懇求道。

She tottered home to grandpa who had rescued other animals before. Carefully grandpa wrapped the bird`s wound. ”He`s lost a lot of blood, but he will survive.” he said.

她跑回家找爺爺，爺爺曾經(jīng)救過很多動物，爺爺包扎著傷口，說“它失血過多，但是存活下來沒問題?！?/p>

Lotus trusted grandpa. But still she was worried. The crane barely moved and didn't open his eyes. Not even when grandpa fed him rice soup, Lotus tucked the bird into the soft nest she had made for him , and gently stroked him, just like grandpa used to do when she was sick.

荷花相信爺爺?shù)脑?，但是還是很擔心。鶴幾乎一動不動的閉著眼睛，就算爺爺喂它喝米湯，它也閉著眼睛。荷花給它做了一個軟軟的窩，小心翼翼的把他放進去。輕輕的撫摸著它的頭，就像她生病的時候，爺爺照看她一樣。

For two days, Lotus watched the bird anxiously and hardly slept. On the third day, she fell asleep by the nest. She awoke when she felt the air stir.

整整兩天，荷花一直焦急的守候在大鳥的身邊，幾乎沒有合眼。第三天，他睡著在窩旁邊，當她醒來時，她感覺臉旁生風。

The crane lifted his head for the first time and looked straight at her. Gingerly, Lotus put her small finger on his head. The bird stretched its neck. and rubbed her cheek gently. Lotus`s heart pounded, and tears sprang to her eyes.

鶴抬起頭直勾勾的看著他，荷花輕輕的用手指摸了摸它的頭，大鳥伸長了脖子，輕輕的蹭著她的臉，荷花的心怦怦直跳，眼淚不自覺的流了出來。

“Feather” was the name, Lotus chose for her new friend. When she helped wash his wound, Feather stared at her. When she whistled with her reed Feather rubbed her cheek with his head filled with happiness. Lotus searched the rocks and climbed trees to find food for him.

荷花給她的新朋友取名為“羽毛”，荷花為它清理傷口的時候，羽毛就溫柔的看著她。荷花叼著蘆葦吹起口哨的時候，羽毛就用頭去蹭她的臉，幸福滿滿，荷花在巖石間攀爬，爬上高高的樹，給羽毛找吃的。

At night. She often stroked him until he fell into sleep . One day, slowly and cautiously, Feather took his first step, Lotus jumped and swirled and hugged grandpa blissfully. Soon Feather was following Lotus everywhere.

晚上。她經(jīng)常撫摸他直到他睡著。有一天，羽毛慢慢地小心翼翼地邁出了第一步，荷花高興的又蹦又跳，幸福地擁抱著爺爺，很快，羽毛就跟著荷花到處走。

Her reed whistle, like a magic wand, made him move up, down, slow and fast. Lotus loved her new friends so much that she didn't want to leave him for school, grandpa shook his head firmly， feather as if he understood what was happening, pushed her outside with his long neck.

她的蘆葦哨子像一根魔杖，能告訴羽毛往上往下，慢一點，快起來。蓮花非常愛她的新朋友，她不想離開他去上學，爺爺堅定地搖了搖頭，羽毛好像明白發(fā)生了什么，用他的長頸把她往門外推。

Then he followed her all the way to school, Feather waited outside. Lotus`s classroom. As soon as school was over, Lotus blew her whistle, and here Feather came, when Lotus whistled short notes Feather pranced on his long, thin, legs in rhythm.

它一路跟著她去上學，荷花在教室上課，羽毛就在外頭等著，一放學，荷花一吹口哨，羽毛就來到她身邊，荷花吹短哨，羽毛就會歡快的蹦跶起來，又細又長的腿跳躍著。

When Lotus whistled long notes he dipped his neck and opened his wings wide, He could not yet fly, but he could dance! The astonished kids clapped and cheered. They all joined in, dancing in a circle, Lotus heart swelled with pride.

當荷花吹著長長的音符時，他垂下脖子，張開翅膀，他還不能飛，但他能跳舞！驚訝的孩子們鼓掌歡呼，大家圍成一圈跳舞，荷花內(nèi)心是慢慢的驕傲。

She blew her whistle long and high, like melody at melody at the Chinese new year celebration. Feather walked to school with Lotus every day after that, and every day the other kids danced with them. Lotus whistle was no longer sad, but full of joy.

荷花的哨音悠揚且長，就像在慶祝新年一樣，羽毛每天都陪著荷花一起上學放學，和小朋友們一起歡快的跳舞。荷花的哨音不再悲傷，而是充滿了喜悅。

One night, Lotus was awakened by Feather`s urgent crows， Grandpa opened the door to find their front steps underwater. A faraway earthquake had vibrated the lake and flooded the village.

一天晚上，荷花被羽毛的急迫啼叫聲驚醒了，爺爺打開門，發(fā)現(xiàn)水已經(jīng)漫到屋前的臺階上，地震震動了湖面，湖水淹沒了村莊。

“We have to alert the neighbors,” said grandpa. He and Lotus jumped into the boat. Feather stood tall on the bow. “wake up! The lake has flooded!” Grandpa shouted as they poled past the dark homes. Lotus struck the metal pail with a bamboo stick, again making a noise like thunder.

“我們得提醒鄰居，”爺爺說。他和荷花跳上了船。羽毛站在船頭上?！靶研?！湖水泛濫了！”爺爺大聲喊道，荷花用蘆葦敲打著鐵桶，又發(fā)出雷鳴般的響聲。

Feather crowed, house by house, neighbors came out and jumped into the boats. Over 300 villagers were saved. feather was the hero, feather`s story was reported in the local newspaper and he became famous throughout the province.

羽毛不停的啼叫著，一家接一家，鄰居們紛紛跑出屋子跳上船，300多名村民獲救，羽毛成了英雄，羽毛的事跡被當?shù)貓蠹垐蟮?，在全省范圍?nèi)名聲大噪。

People stopped by to see the rare bird and hear the story again. Grandpa told them how the crane had been shot. He asked for their help in keeping hunters away from the lake. Lotus always blew her whistle, and let Feather dance for the guests.

人們紛紛到訪來看這只稀有的鳥，親耳聽聽它的傳奇故事。爺爺告訴他們鶴是怎么被射殺的。他請求大家?guī)兔?，不要讓獵人再靠近湖邊。蓮花總是吹著她的口哨，讓羽毛舞為客人舞蹈。

March arrived, Birds began appearing in the sky, migrating back North. Feather`s wings were still too weak for flying. But he watched the flocks until they disappeared. Will Feather leave us ? Lotus asked grandpa with her hands. She was frighted by father's longing stare. That's where he's home is, Grandpa said.

三月到了，鳥兒開始出現(xiàn)在天空中，向北方遷徙。羽毛的翅膀還太弱，不能飛。但是他一直看著鳥群消失。羽毛會離開我們嗎？荷花打著手語問爺爺。羽渴望的眼神使她驚慌不安。爺爺說，天空才是它的家啊。

Lotus looked down. She didn't want a friend to leave. But she knew she would never separate him from his home and family. Quietly, she searched more rocks and climbed more trees to find him food.

荷花低頭看了看，她不想讓一個朋友離開，但她知道她永遠不會把他和家人分開，她悄悄地在巖石間攀爬，爬上更多的樹給羽毛找食物。

At night, she stroked him longer and hugged him tighter . then one day Further spread his wings wide and leaped into the sky. He didn't go far, but Lotus could see that he was completely healed. She stroked his wing and her tears dripped onto his soft feathers.

晚上，她長時間的撫摸著羽毛，緊緊地擁抱著它。有一天，羽毛張開了翅膀，躍上了天空。他沒走多遠，但荷花看到他已經(jīng)完全康復了。她撫摸著他的翅膀，淚水滴在他柔軟的羽毛上。

She knew the time had come for him to leave ,Lotus walked slowly behind grandpa as he carried further to the lake. He held Feather high and tossed him gently into the air.

她知道他該走了，荷花慢慢地跟在爺爺后面，他把羽毛舉得高高的，輕輕地拋向空中。

Feather flew up, circled a few times, but landed back at Lotus feet. Grandpa tried again again Feather returned. “He is waiting for you, grandpa said, handing feather to Lotus . Lotus buried head in Feather`s warm body for a long time, when she heard another flock of birds passing overhead, she hugged Feather one more time and then threw him into the sky.

羽毛飛了起來，繞了幾圈，又落在荷花身邊。爺爺又試了一次，羽毛又飛回來了?！八诘饶隳兀睜敔斦f著，把羽毛交給了荷花。荷花把頭埋在羽毛溫暖的身體里很長一段時間，這時她聽到另一只鳥從頭頂飛過，她又一次抱住羽毛，然后把它扔向天空。

Feather hovered and circled, circled and hovered. Lotus waved Goodbye, holding the tears back. With the long crow. Feather flapped his big wings and soared North, disappearing into the horizon. Lotus missed Feather.

羽毛盤旋著，盤旋著，盤旋著。荷花揮手道別，忍住眼淚。隨著長長的啼鳴。羽毛拍打著他的大翅膀，向北飛去，消失在地平線上。荷花失去了羽毛。

So did her schoolmates. When Lotus climbed up the hill that faced north, her friends followed .They sat around her and listened to her whistle. Her notes, filled with love and yearning, floated into the sky.

她的同學們也一樣，當蓮花爬上朝北的小山時，她的朋友們也跟著去了，他們圍坐在她身邊，聽著她的哨聲，她的音符充滿了愛和向往，飄向天空。

They all believed Feather could hear them, wherever he was. One early morning in autumn, Lotus heard a crow outside. She jumped off her bed, ran to the door, and pushed it open. Feather, as white as snow stood on the doorstep.

他們都相信，無論羽毛在哪里，他都能聽到他們的聲音。秋天的一個清晨，荷花聽到外面有一聲鳥鳴。她從床上跳下來，跑到門前，推開門，羽毛像雪一樣白，站在門階上。

Behind him was a beautiful red-beaked female, and a chick, feather's family, moving slowly. So as not to frighten the birds, Lotus held out her hand. Feather stretched his nack over and rubbed her palm. Then, Lotus heard a commotion. She looked up and gasped. She tugged on grandpa's arm and they ran to the lake.

他身后是一只美麗的紅喙母鳥，一只小鶴，羽毛的家人。慢慢地移動著，為了不嚇到鳥兒，荷花伸出她的手。羽毛伸長它的脖子，在荷花的手心撒嬌般的蹭著。這時，荷花聽到一陣騷動。她抬起頭來，喘了口氣。她拉著爺爺?shù)母觳?，就往湖邊跑?/p>

The sky turned white as it was filled by hundreds of cranes, they were circling circling and diving, Singing and dancing around them. Feather has brought his entire flock. Another miracle! Grandpa said, the lake will not be lonely this year. Lotus grinned. She twirled and pranced with Feather and his friends. Her whistle, accompanied by the bird`s singing. Echoed far, far away in the golden sky.

天空變白了，納里聚集了成百上千只鶴，他們圍著荷花和爺爺盤旋，一會又鉆進湖里，一會又圍繞著他們又唱又跳。羽毛帶來了他的全部族群。這又是一個奇跡！爺爺說，今年湖里又熱鬧了。荷花咧嘴笑了。她帶著羽毛和他的朋友們轉來轉去。她的口哨，伴隨著鳥兒的歌唱，在金色天的天空中回蕩。

I think my favorite part of the book was when Lotus realized that she had to let feather go back to join his family. And we always have to remember they are wild creatures and they deserve to be Free as we all do. So for me, for a young child to come to understanding with that was very special. Thank you for watching Storyline Online.

我想我最喜歡的部分是當荷花意識到她必須讓羽毛回到他的家庭。我們必須永遠記住它們是野生動物，它們應該像我們一樣自由。所以對我來說，或者對于一個小孩子來說，有著非常重要的意義。謝謝你們在網(wǎng)上收看今天的故事匯。