【正见网2004年12月20日】
谢尔・西尔维斯坦
| 从前有一棵树，喜爱一个男孩。 在她那里玩耍，男孩每天都来： 在树枝上晃荡，在树阴里静躺， 欢笑中送走夏季的时光。 于是他们这样互相喜爱。 啊，树感到高兴。 啊，树感到愉快。 男孩很快长大了，有天他来对树讲： “树啊，能给我点钱吗？买一点我中意的东西。” “我没有钱”，树说，“只有萍果、树枝和树叶。” “但是男孩，你可以拿我的萍果到城里去买。” 于是他把树的萍果拿去卖。 啊，树感到高兴。 啊，树感到愉快。 但不久男孩又回来，他对树说： 时光过得快，男孩走回来，眼里带着悲哀。 多少年后男孩走回来，他们双方都已经老迈。 |
【译文赏析】
这个故事就象一付担子两个筐，两个筐中装着两个极端的形象：一个是极端的无私，一个是极端的自私。在这种极端的对比中，反差之大已经到了无以复加的程度。因此，再麻木的心也可能受到震动，从而唤醒先天的良知和善念。
一味的给予和奉献，不但毫无保留没有怨言，而且总是守着“愉快”“高兴”的心态，直到自己的存在都只是象征性的一截树桩时，还在热情邀请别人把自己当作板凳来坐，以此为别人提供一个休息的便利。树可如此，人能作到吗？能。在当今60多个国家中，修炼法轮功的人数还在不断增加，他们正是象奉献树一样，时时刻刻为着他人的利益而奉献着。
“奉献树”一书使得许多儿童和成年人都受到感动，从而反省现代人对人的生存价值的看法，从中获得教益。然而，能被“奉献树”感动，就证明许多人的心还没有死，人类败坏的浊浪还没有完全淹没人心中先天的真纯，人类还有可救之人。而拯救人类的第一步，就是要人类学会奉献，决不能象那个男孩那样永远只知道索取。
【作者简介】
谢尔・西尔维斯坦(Shel Silverstein) (公元1930-1999)， 美国著名儿童作家、剧作家、卡通画家、歌曲(词、曲)作家和歌手。他从12-14岁时就开始写作。五十年代参军去过日本和朝鲜。他写作并自己插画的儿童故事“奉献树”(The Giving Tree)被视为美国当代儿童文学的经典。我们这里赏析的是原故事的歌词版本。
【原文参考】
Once there was a tree who loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer’s hours away.
And so they love,
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I’ve found?"
"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I’m now a man and I must have a house that’s all my home."
"I can’t give you a house" she said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home"
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My life has turned so cold," he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I’ve nothing but my trunk," she says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really cannot help you if you ask for another gift."
"I’m nothing but an old stump now. I’m sorry but I’ve nothing more
to give"
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the trees was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
