《雏菊》，1838 年

the daisy, 1838

现在听着！在乡下，靠近大路的地方，有一座农舍；也许你曾经路过并亲眼见过它。

Now listen! In the country, close by the high road, stood a farmhouse; perhaps you have passed by and seen it yourself.

农舍前面有一个小花园，围着漆成彩色的木栅栏；旁边有一条沟渠，在它鲜绿的河岸上长着一朵小雏菊；太阳照在它身上，和照在那些华丽的花园花朵上一样温暖明亮，因此它长得很好。

there was a little flower garden with painted wooden palings in front of it; close by was a ditch, on its fresh green bank grew a little daisy; the sun shone as warmly and brightly upon it as on the magnificent garden flowers, and therefore it thrived well.

一天早晨，它完全开放了，它小小的雪白花瓣围绕着黄色的花蕊，就像太阳的光芒。

one morning it had quite opened, and its little snow-white petals stood round the yellow centre, like the rays of the sun.

它并不介意没有人在草丛中看到它，也不介意它是一朵可怜的、被人轻视的花；相反，它很快乐，朝着太阳，仰望天空，聆听高高在上的云雀的歌声。

It did not mind that nobody saw it in the grass, and that it was a poor despised flower; on the contrary, it was quite happy, and turned towards the sun, looking upward and listening to the song of the lark high up in the air.

小雏菊快乐得就像这一天是一个盛大的节日，但这只是星期一。

the little daisy was as happy as if the day had been a great holiday, but it was only monday.

所有的孩子都在学校，当他们坐在课桌旁学习功课时，它坐在它细细的绿色茎上，从太阳和周围的环境中学习到上帝是多么仁慈，它感到无比喜悦，因为小云雀的歌声如此甜美而清晰地表达出了它自己的感受。

All the children were at school, and while they were sitting on the forms and learning their lessons, it sat on its thin green stalk and learnt from the sun and from its surroundings how kind God is, and it rejoiced that the song of the little lark expressed so sweetly and distinctly its own feelings.

带着一种崇敬，雏菊仰望那只会飞会唱歌的鸟，但它并不感到嫉妒。

with a sort of reverence the daisy looked up to the bird that could fly and sing, but it did not feel envious.

“我能看见也能听见，” 它想，“太阳照耀着我，森林亲吻着我。我是多么富有啊！”

“I can see and hear,” it thought; “the sun shines upon me, and the forest kisses me. how rich I am!”

在附近的花园里生长着许多又大又美丽的花，说来奇怪，它们的香味越淡，就越傲慢自大。

In the garden close by grew many large and magnificent flowers, and, strange to say, the less fragrance they had the haughtier and prouder they were.

牡丹花为了比玫瑰花更大而膨胀起来，但大小并不是一切！郁金香有着最美丽的颜色，它们自己也很清楚这一点，因此它们像蜡烛一样笔直地站立着，这样人们就能更好地看到它们。

the peonies puffed themselves up in order to be larger than the roses, but size is not everything! the tulips had the finest colours, and they knew it well, too, for they were standing bolt upright like candles, that one might see them the better.

它们骄傲得看不见小雏菊，小雏菊望着它们想：“它们是多么富有和美丽啊！我肯定那只漂亮的鸟会飞下来拜访它们。感谢上帝，我站得这么近，至少能目睹这一切的辉煌。”

In their pride they did not see the little daisy, which looked over to them and thought, “how rich and beautiful they are! I am sure the pretty bird will fly down and call upon them. thank God, that I stand so near and can at least see all the splendour.”

就在小雏菊还在这样想的时候，云雀飞了下来，叫着“啾啾”，但并不是朝着牡丹花和郁金香飞去——不是的，它是飞到草丛里，飞到那棵可怜的雏菊身边。

And while the daisy was still thinking, the lark came flying down, crying “tweet,” but not to the peonies and tulips — no, into the grass to the poor daisy.

它是如此的高兴，以至于不知道该想什么。

Its joy was so great that it did not know what to think.

小鸟在它周围跳来跳去，唱着：“草是多么柔软美丽啊，这里长着一朵多么可爱的小花，有着金色的心和银色的衣裳。”

the little bird hopped round it and sang, “how beautifully soft the grass is, and what a lovely little flower with its golden heart and silver dress is growing here.”

小雏菊黄色的花蕊确实看起来像金子，而小小的花瓣像银子一样闪闪发光。

the yellow centre in the daisy did indeed look like gold, while the little petals shone as brightly as silver.

小雏菊是多么幸福啊！没有人能想象得到。

how happy the daisy was! No one has the least idea.

小鸟用嘴亲吻它，为它唱歌，然后又飞回蓝色的天空。

the bird kissed it with its beak, sang to it, and then rose again up to the blue sky.

过了至少一刻钟，小雏菊才恢复了知觉。

It was certainly more than a quarter of an hour before the daisy recovered its senses.

小雏菊既有点害羞，又感到心里十分高兴，它朝花园里的其他花儿望去；它们肯定看到了它所得到的快乐和所得到的荣誉；它们理解它的欢乐。

half ashamed, yet glad at heart, it looked over to the other flowers in the garden; surely they had witnessed its pleasure and the honour that had been done to it; they understood its joy.

但是郁金香比以往任何时候都站得更笔直了，它们的脸又尖又红，因为它们很生气。

but the tulips stood more stiffly than ever, their faces were pointed and red, because they were vexed.

牡丹花很不高兴；幸好它们不能说话，否则它们会好好教训小雏菊一顿。

the peonies were sulky; it was well that they could not speak, otherwise they would have given the daisy a good lecture.

小雏菊清楚地看出，它们心里十分难受，因此对它们产生了深深的同情。

the little flower could very well see that they were ill at ease, and pitied them sincerely.

不久之后，一个女孩走进花园，拿着一把锋利的大刀子。

Shortly after this a girl came into the garden, with a large sharp knife.

她走向郁金香，开始一朵一朵地把它们剪下来。

She went to the tulips and began cutting them off, one after another.

“哎呀！” 小雏菊叹了口气，“那太可怕了；现在它们完了。”

“Ugh!” sighed the daisy, “that is terrible; now they are done for.”

女孩把郁金香拿走了。

the girl carried the tulips away.

小雏菊很高兴自己在外面，只是一朵小小的花 —— 它非常感激。

the daisy was glad that it was outside, and only a small flower — it felt very grateful.

在日落的时候，它合上花瓣，睡着了，一整晚都梦见太阳和小鸟。