“看呀，现在，” 亚麻说，“我已经变得很重要了。这就是我的命运；这可真是件幸事。现在我在世上能派上用场了，每个人都应该这样；这是获得幸福的唯一途径。我现在被分成了十二块，但这一整打（十二件）其实都是同一个东西。这可真是天大的好运啊。”

“See, now, then,” said the flax; “I have bee something of importance. this was my destiny; it is quite a blessing. Now I shall be of some use in the world, as everyone ought to be; it is the only way to be happy. I am now divided into twelve pieces, and yet we are all one and the same in the whole dozen. It is most extraordinary good fortune.”

许多年过去了，最后这块亚麻布已经破旧得几乎都要散架了。

Years passed away, and at last the linen was so worn it could scarcely hold together.

“它肯定很快就要完蛋了，” 这些碎片彼此说道，“我们本很乐意再坚持久一点的，但期望不可能的事是没用的。”

“It must end very soon,” said the pieces to each other; “we would gladly have held together a little longer, but it is useless to expect impossibilities.”

最后它们变成了破破烂烂的碎布片，还以为自己就这么完了呢，因为它们被撕成了碎片，泡在水里，打成了纸浆，又晾干，除此之外它们也不知道还经历了什么，直到突然间它们发现自己变成了漂亮的白纸。

And at length they fell into rags and tatters, and thought it was all over with them, for they were torn to shreds, and steeped in water, and made into a pulp, and dried, and they knew not what besides, till all at once they found themselves beautiful white paper.

“哎呀，现在，这可真是个惊喜；还是个很棒的惊喜呢，” 纸说道，“我现在比以往任何时候都要好，而且会有人在我上面写字，谁知道会在我上面写下什么精彩的内容呢。”

“well, now, this is a surprise; a glorious surprise too,” said the paper. “I am now finer than ever, and I shall be written upon, and who can tell what fine things I may have written upon me.

这运气太棒了！” 果然，最优美的故事和诗歌都写在了它上面，而且只出现过一次污渍，这已经很幸运了。

this is wonderful luck!” And sure enough the most beautiful stories and poetry were written upon it, and only once was there a blot, which was very fortunate.

然后人们听人朗读这些故事和诗歌，这让他们变得更明智、更优秀；因为所写的一切都有美好且合理的寓意，这张纸上的文字蕴含着极大的福祉。

then people heard the stories and poetry read, and it made them wiser and better; for all that was written had a good and sensible meaning, and a great blessing was contained in the words on this paper.

“我当自己只是田野里一朵蓝色小花的时候，可从没想过会有这样的事，” 纸说道，“我怎么能想象得到自己竟然会成为给人类带来知识和欢乐的媒介呢？我自己都不明白，但事情确实就是这样。天知道我自己其实没做什么，只是凭借微弱的力量为了保全自己而做了该做的事；然而我却从一种喜悦和荣耀晋升到了另一种。每次我都以为歌已唱完；可接着对我来说又有更高更好的事情开始了。我想现在我要被送往世界各地游历了，这样人们就能读到我了。肯定会是这样的；实际上，这可能性非常大；因为写在我上面的精彩思想，比我从前开的那些漂亮花朵还要多。我比以往任何时候都要幸福。”

“I never imagined anything like this,” said the paper, “when I was only a little blue flower, growing in the fields. how could I fancy that I should ever be the means of bringing knowledge and joy to man? I cannot understand it myself, and yet it is really so. heaven knows that I have done nothing myself, but what I was obliged to do with my weak powers for my own preservation; and yet I have been promoted from one joy and honor to another. Each time I think that the song is ended; and then something higher and better begins for me. I suppose now I shall be sent on my travels about the world, so that people may read me. It cannot be otherwise; indeed, it is more than probable; for I have more splendid thoughts written upon me, than I had pretty flowers in olden times. I am happier than ever.”

但这张纸并没有去游历；它被送到了印刷厂，写在它上面的所有文字都被排成铅字，用来印制成一本书，或者更确切地说，是数百本书；因为比起手写的纸张，更多的人能从印刷书籍中获得乐趣和益处；而且如果这张纸被送往世界各地，它在行程还没过半的时候就会被用坏了。

but the paper did not go on its travels; it was sent to the printer, and all the words written upon it were set up in type, to make a book, or rather, many hundreds of books; for so many more persons could derive pleasure and profit from a printed book, than from the written paper; and if the paper had been sent around the world, it would have been worn out before it had got half through its journey.

“这肯定是最明智的办法，” 写了字的纸说，“我还真没想到这一点。我将待在家里，受到敬重，就像某位老爷爷一样，对所有这些新书来说，我确实就像老爷爷。它们会发挥一些作用的。我可没办法像它们那样四处游历。然而写下所有这些内容的人曾注视过我，因为每一个字都是从他的笔尖流淌到我的表面的。我是最受敬重的。”

“this is certainly the wisest plan,” said the written paper; “I really did not think of that. I shall remain at home, and be held in honor, like some old grandfather, as I really am to all these new books. they will do some good. I could not have wandered about as they do. Yet he who wrote all this has looked at me, as every word flowed from his pen upon my surface. I is the most honored of all.”

然后这张纸和其他纸张一起被捆成一捆，扔进了洗衣房里的一只木桶里。

then the paper was tied in a bundle with other papers, and thrown into a tub that stood in the washhouse.

“工作之后，休息一下是很好的，” 纸说，“这也是一个整理思绪的好机会。现在我第一次能够思考自己的真实状况了；了解自己才是真正的进步。我在想，现在会拿我怎么办呢？毫无疑问，我还是会继续前进的。我一直以来都是在不断进步的，这我很清楚。”

“After work, it is in well to rest,” said the paper, “and a very good opportunity to collect one’s thoughts. Now I am able, for the first time, to think of my real condition; and to know one’s self is true progress. what will be done with me now, I wonder? No doubt I shall still go forward. I have always progressed hitherto, as I know quite well.”

有一天，碰巧木桶里所有的纸都被拿了出来，放在壁炉边准备烧掉。人们说这些纸不能在商店里卖掉用来包黄油和糖，因为上面写了字。

Now it happened one day that all the paper in the tub was taken out, and laid on the hearth to be burnt. people said it could not be sold at the shop, to wrap up butter and sugar, because it had been written upon.

屋子里的孩子们围站在火炉旁；因为他们想看纸燃烧的样子，因为它燃烧起来火焰很漂亮，而且之后，在灰烬当中，可以看到许多红色的火星一个接一个地跑来跑去，这儿那儿的，快得像风一样。

the children in the house stood round the stove; for they wanted to see the paper burn, because it flamed up so prettily, and afterwards, among the ashes, so many red sparks could be seen running one after the other, here and there, as quick as the wind.

他们把这叫做看孩子们放学出来，最后一个火星就是校长。

they called it seeing the children e out of school, and the last spark was the schoolmaster.

他们常常以为最后一个火星已经出来了；就会有一个孩子喊道：“校长出来了；” 但下一刻又会出现另一个火星，闪耀得那么漂亮。

they often thought the last spark had e; and one would cry, “there goes the schoolmaster;” but the next moment another spark would appear, shining so beautifully.

他们多么想知道那些火星都到哪儿去了呀！也许有一天我们会弄清楚，但现在我们不知道。

how they would like to know where the sparks all went to! perhaps we shall find out some day, but we don’t know now.

整捆纸都被放在火上，很快就着起来了。

the whole bundle of paper had been placed on the fire, and was soon alight.

“啊，” 纸大叫一声，因为它突然蹿起明亮的火焰；“啊。”

“Ugh,” cried the paper, as it burst into a bright flame; “ugh.”

燃烧起来肯定不太舒服；但当整捆纸都被火焰包裹时，火焰蹿到空中，比亚麻曾经能举起它那蓝色小花的高度还要高，而且它们闪耀的光芒是白色亚麻布永远无法闪耀出来的。

It was certainly not very pleasant to be burning; but when the whole was wrapped in flames, the flames mounted up into the air, higher than the flax had been able to raise its little blue flower, and they glistened as the white linen never could have glistened.

所有写着的字母一瞬间都变得通红，所有的字词和思想都化作了火焰。

All the written letters became quite red in a moment, and all the words and thoughts turned to fire.

“现在我要径直飞向太阳了，” 火焰中有个声音说道；仿佛有一千个声音在重复这句话；火焰穿过烟囱蹿了上去，从烟囱顶部冒了出去。

“Now I am mounting straight up to the sun,” said a voice in the flames; and it was as if a thousand voices echoed the words; and the flames darted up through the chimney, and went out at the top.

然后有许多微小的生灵，数量和亚麻上曾经的花朵一样多，凡人的眼睛看不见它们，在火焰上方飘荡着。

then a number of tiny beings, as many in number as the flowers on the flax had been, and invisible to mortal eyes, floated above them.

它们甚至比孕育它们的花朵还要轻盈、娇嫩；当火焰熄灭，纸上除了黑色的灰烬什么都不剩时，这些小生灵就在灰烬上跳舞；每当它们触碰灰烬，就会出现明亮的红色火星。

they were even lighter and more delicate than the flowers from which they were born; and as the flames were extinguished, and nothing remained of the paper but black ashes, these little beings danced upon it; and whenever they touched it, bright red sparks appeared.

“孩子们都放学了，校长是最后一个出来的。” 孩子们说道。这很有趣，他们对着那堆死灰唱了起来 ——

“the children are all out of school, and the schoolmaster was the last of all,” said the children. It was good fun, and they sang over the dead ashes, —

“Snip, snap, snurre,

basse lure:

the song is ended.”

但那些看不见的小生灵却说：“这首歌永远不会结束；最美好的还在后头呢。”

but the little invisible beings said, “the song is never ended; the most beautiful is yet to e.”

但孩子们既听不见也理解不了这些话，他们也不应该理解；因为孩子们不应该什么都知道。

but the children could neither hear nor understand this, nor should they; for children must not know everything.