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同盟阅读 > 故事会 > 附录三:《小王子》英文版

附录三:《小王子》英文版

  附录三:《小王子》英文版 (第1/2页)
  
  ChapterILittlePrinceTOLEONWERTHIaskchildrentoforgivemefordedicatingthisbooktoagrown-up.Ihaveaseriou*cuse:thisgrown-upisthebestfriendIhaveintheworld.Ihaveanotherexcuse:thisgrown-upcanunderstandseverything,evenbooksforchildren.Ihaveathirdexcuse:helivesinFrancewhereheishungryandcold.Heneedstobecomforted.Ifalltheseexcusearenotenough,thenIwanttodedicatethisbooktothechildwhomthisgrown-uponcewas.Allgrown-upswerechildrenfirst.(Butfewofthemrememberit.)SoIcorrectmydedication:TOLEONWERTHWHENHEWASALITTLEBOYOncewhenIwassixyearsoldIsawamagnifcentpictureinabookaboutthejungle,calledTrueStories,.Itshowedofaboaconstrictorawildbeast.Hereisacopyofthepicture.Inthebookitsaid:“Boaconstrictorsswallowtheirprey,withoutchewing,Afterwardtheyarenolongerabletomove,andtheysleepthroughthesixmonthsoftheirdigestion.
  
  “InthosedaysIthoughtalotaboutjungleadventures,andeventuallymanagedtomakemyfirstdrawing,usingacoloredpencile.MydrawingNumberOnelookedlikethis:Ishowedthegrown-up*ymasterpiece,andIaskedthemifmydrawingscaredthem.Theyanswered:“Whybescaredofahat?
  
  “Mydrawingwasnotapictureofahat.Itwasapictureofaboaconstrictordigestinganelephant.ThenIdrawtheinsideoftheboaconstrictor,sothegrown-upscouldunderstand.Theyalwaysneedtoexplaintions.MyDrawingNumberTwolookedlikethis:Thegrown-upsadvisemetoputawaymydrawingsofboaconstrictors,insideoroutside,andapplymyselfinsteadtogeography,history,arithmeticandgrammar.ThatiswhyIabandoned,attheageofsix,amagnifcentcareerasaartist.IhadbeendiscourgedbythefailureofmyDrawingNumberOneandmyDrawingNumberTwo.Grown-upsneverunderstandanythingbythemselves,anditi*haustingforchildrentobeprovideexplanationsoverandoveragain.SothenIhavetochooseanothercareer,andlearnedtopilotairplanes.Ihaveflownamosteverywhereintheworld,and,asamatteroffact,geographyhasbeenverybighelptome.IcantellChinafromArizonaatfrstglance.whichisveryusefulifyougetlostduringthenight.SoIhavehad,inthecourseofmylife,lotsofencounterswithlotsofseriouspeople.Ihavespendlotsoftimewithgrown-ups.Ihavesennthematcloserange……whichhasn'tmuchimprovedmyopinionofthem.4WheneverIencounteragrown-upswhoseemdedtomeatallenlightened,IwouledexperimetonhimwithmydrawingNumberOne,whichIhavealwaysanswer,”at'sahat.”ThenIwouldn'ttalkaoutboaconstrictors,orprimevalforests,orstars.Iwouldputmyselfonhislevel.Iwouldtalktohimaboutbridge,andgolf,andpolitics,andneckties.Andmygrown-upwasgladtoknowsuchareasonableperson.ChapterIISoIlivedalone,withoutanyonethatIcouldreallytalkto,untilIhadanaccidentwithmyplaneintheDesertofSahara,sixyearsago.Somethingwasbrokeninmyengine.AndasIhadwithmeneitheramechanicnoranypassengers,Isetmyselftoattemptthediffcultrepairsallalone.Itwasaquestionoflifeordeathforme:Ihadscarcelyenoughdrinkingwaterforeightdays.Thefirstnight,then,Iwenttosleeponthesand,athousandmilesfromanyhumanhabitation.Iwa*oreisolatedthanashipwreckedsailoronaraftinthemiddleoftheocean.SoyoucanimaginemysurprisewhenIwasawakenedatdaybreakbyafunnylittlevoicesaying,
  
  “Ifyouplease—drawmeasheep!
  
  “
  
  “What!
  
  “
  
  “Drawmeasheep!
  
  “Ijumpedtomyfeet,completelythunderstruck.Iblinkedmyeyeshard.Ilookedcarefullyallaroundme.AndIsawamostextraordinary*allperson,whostoodthereexaminingmewithgreatseriousness.Hereyoumayseethebestportraitthat,later,Iwasabletomakeofhim.Butmydrawingiscertainlyverymuchlesscharmingthanit*odel.That,however,isnotmyfault.Thegrown-upsdiscouragedmeinmypainter'scareerwhenIwassixyearsold,andIneverlearnedtodrawanything,exceptboasfromtheoutsideandboasfromtheinside.NowIstaredatthissuddenapparitionwithmyeyesfairlystartingoutofmyheadinastonishment.Remember,Ihadcrashedinthedesertathousandmilesfromanyinhabitedregion.Andyetmylittlemanseemedneithertobestrayinguncertainlyamongthesands,nortobefaintingfromfatigueorhungerorthirstorfear.Nothingabouthimgaveanysuggestionofachildlostinthemiddleofthedesert,athousandmilesfromanyhumanhabitation.WhenatlastIwasabletospeak,Isaidtohim:“But—whatareyoudoinghere?
  
  “Andinanswerherepeated,veryslowly,asifhewerespeakingofamatterofgreatconsequence:“Ifyouplease—drawmeasheep……
  
  “Whenamysteryistoooverpowering,onedarenotdisobey.Absurdasitmightseemtome,athousandmilesfromanyhumanhabitationandindangerofdeath,Itookoutofmypocketasheetofpaperandmyfountain-pen.ButthenIrememberedhowmystudieshadbeenconcentratedongeography,history,arithmetic,andgrammar,andItoldthelittlechap(alittlecrossly,too)thatIdidnotknowhowtodraw.Heansweredme:“Thatdoesn'tmatter.Drawmeasheep……
  
  “ButIhadneverdrawnasheep.SoIdrewforhimoneofthetwopicturesIhaddrawnsooften.Itwasthatoftheboaconstrictorfromtheoutside.AndIwasastoundedtohearthelittlefellowgreetitwith,
  
  “No,no,no!Idonotwantanelephantinsideaboaconstrictor.Aboaconstrictorisaverydangerouscreature,andanelephantisverycumbersome.WhereIlive,everythingisvery*all.WhatIneedisasheep.Drawmeasheep.
  
  “SothenImadeadrawing.Helookedatitcarefully,thenhesaid:“No.Thissheepisalreadyverysickly.Makemeanother.
  
  “SoImadeanotherdrawing.Myfriend*iledgentlyandindulgently.
  
  “Youseeyourself,
  
  “hesaid,
  
  “thatthisisnotasheep.Thisisaram.Ithashorns.
  
  “SothenIdidmydrawingoveroncemore.Butitwasrejectedtoo,justliketheothers.
  
  “Thisoneistooold.Iwantasheepthatwilllivealongtime.
  
  “Bythistimemypatiencewa*hausted,becauseIwasinahurrytostarttakingmyengineapart.SoItossedoffthisdrawing.AndIthrewoutanexplanationwithit.
  
  “Thisisonlyhisbox.Thesheepyouaskedforisinside.
  
  “Iwasverysurprisedtoseealightbreakoverthefaceofmyyoungjudge:“Thati*actlythewayIwantedit!Doyouthinkthatthissheepwillhavetohaveagreatdealofgrass?
  
  “
  
  “Why?
  
  “
  
  “BecausewhereIliveeverythingisvery*all……
  
  “
  
  “Therewillsurelybeenoughgrassforhim,
  
  “Isaid.
  
  “Itisavery*allsheepthatIhavegivenyou.
  
  “Hebenthisheadoverthedrawing:“Notso*allthat—Look!Hehasgonetosleep……
  
  “AndthatishowImadetheacquaintanceofthelittleprince.ChapterⅢIttookmealongtimetolearnwherehecamefrom.Thelittleprince,whoaskedmesomanyquestions,neverseemedtoheartheonesIaskedhim.Itwasthingshesaidquiteatrandomthat,bitbybit,explainedeverything.Forinstance,whenhefrstcaughtsightofmyairplane(Iwon'tdrawmyairplane;thatwouldbemuchtoocomplicatedforme)heasked:“Whatisthatobject?
  
  “
  
  “Thatisnotanobject.Itfies.Itisanairplane.Iti*yairplane.
  
  “AndIwasproudtohavehimlearnthatIcouldfy.Hecriedout,then:“What!Youdroppeddownfromthesky?
  
  “
  
  “Yes,
  
  “Ianswered,modestly.
  
  “Oh!Thatisfunny!
  
  “Andthelittleprincebrokeintoalovelypealoflaughter,whichirritatedmeverymuch.Ilikemymisfortunestobetakenseriously.Thenheadded:“Soyou,too,comefromthesky!Whichisyourplanet?
  
  “AtthatmomentIcaughtagleamoflightintheimpenetrablemysteryofhispresence;andIdemanded,abruptly:“Doyoucomefromanotherplanet?
  
  “Buthedidnotreply.Hetossedhisheadgently,withouttakinghiseyesfrommyplane:“Itistruethatonthatyoucan‘thavecomefromveryfaraway……
  
  “Andhesankintoareverie,whichlastedalongtime.Then,takingmysheepoutofhispocket,heburiedhimselfinthecontemplationofhistreasure.Youcanimaginehowmycuriositywasarousedbythishalf-confdenceaboutthe
  
  “otherplanets.
  
  “Imadeagreateffort,therefore,tofndoutmoreonthissubject.
  
  “Mylittleman,wheredoyoucomefrom?Whatisthis‘whereIlive,'ofwhichyouspeak?Wheredoyouwanttotakeyoursheep?
  
  “Afterarefectivesilenceheanswered:“Thethingthatissogoodabouttheboxyouhavegivenmeisthatatnighthecanuseitashishouse.
  
  “
  
  “Thatisso.AndifyouaregoodIwillgiveyouastring,too,sothatyoucantiehimduringtheday,andaposttotiehimto.
  
  “Butthelittleprinceseemedshockedbythisoffer:“Tiehim!Whataqueeridea!
  
  “
  
  “Butifyoudon‘ttiehim,
  
  “Isaid,
  
  “hewillwanderoffsomewhere,andgetlost.
  
  “Myfriendbrokeintoanotherpealoflaughter:“Butwheredoyouthinkhewouldgo?
  
  “
  
  “Anywhere.Straightaheadofhim.
  
  “Thenthelittleprincesaid,earnestly:“Thatdoesn‘tmatter.WhereIlive,everythingisso*all!
  
  “And,withperhapsahintofsadness,headded:“Straightaheadofhim,nobodycangoveryfar……
  
  “ChapterIVIhadthuslearnedasecondfactofgreatimportance:thiswasthattheplanetthelittleprincecamefromwasscarcelyanylargerthanahouse!Butthatdidnotreallysurprisememuch.Iknewverywellthatinadditiontothegreatplanets—suchastheEarth,Jupiter,Mars,Venus—towhichwehavegivennames,therearealsohundredsofothers,someofwhichareso*allthatonehasahardtimeseeingthemthroughthetelescope.Whenanastronomerdiscoversoneofthesehedoesnotgiveitaname,butonlyanumber.Hemightcallit,forexample,
  
  “Asteroid325.
  
  “IhaveseriousreasontobelievethattheplanetfromwhichthelittleprincecameistheasteroidknownasB-612.Thisasteroidhasonlyoncebeenseenthroughthetelescope.ThatwasbyaTurkishastronomer,in1909.Onmakinghisdiscovery,theastronomerhadpresentedittotheInternationalAstronomicalCongress,inagreatdemonstration.ButhewasinTurkishcostume,andsonobodywouldbelievewhathesaid.Grown-upsarelikethat……Fortunately,however,forthereputationofAsteroidB-612,aTurkishdictatormadealawthathissubjects,underpainofdeath,shouldchangetoEuropeancostume.Soin1920theastronomergavehisdemonstrationalloveragain,dressedwithimpressivestyleandelegance.Andthistimeeverybodyacceptedhisreport.IfIhavetoldyouthesedetailsabouttheasteroid,andmadeanoteofitsnumberforyou,itisonaccountofthegrown-upsandtheirways.Whenyoutellthemthatyouhavemadeanewfriend,theyneveraskyouanyquestionsaboutessentialmatters.Theyneversaytoyou,
  
  “Whatdoeshisvoicesoundlike?Whatgamesdoeshelovebest?Doeshecollectbutterfies?
  
  “Instead,theydemand:“Howoldishe?Howmanybrothershashe?Howmuchdoesheweigh?Howmuchmoneydoeshisfathermake?
  
  “Onlyfromthesefguresdotheythinktheyhavelearnedanythingabouthim.Ifyouweretosaytothegrown-ups:“Isawabeautifulhousemadeofrosybrick,withgeraniumsinthewindowsanddovesontheroof,
  
  “theywouldnotbeabletogetanyideaofthathouseatall.Youwouldhavetosaytothem:“Isawahousethatcost$20,000.
  
  “Thentheywouldexclaim:“Oh,whataprettyhousethatis!
  
  “Justso,youmightsaytothem:“Theproofthatthelittleprinceexistedisthathewascharming,thathelaughed,andthathewaslookingforasheep.Ifanybodywantsasheep,thatisaproofthatheexists.
  
  “Andwhatgoodwoulditdototellthemthat?Theywouldshrugtheirshoulders,andtreatyoulikeachild.Butifyousaidtothem:“TheplanethecamefromisAsteroidB-612,
  
  “thentheywouldbeconvinced,andleaveyouinpeacefromtheirquestions.Theyarelikethat.Onemustnotholditagainstthem.Childrenshouldalwaysshowgreatforbearancetowardgrown-uppeople.Butcertainly,foruswhounderstandlife,fguresareamatterofindifference.Ishouldhavelikedtobeginthisstoryinthefashionofthefairy-tales.Ishouldhaveliketosay:“Onceuponatimetherewasalittleprincewholivedonaplanetthatwasscarcelyanybiggerthanhimself,andwhohadneedofasheep……
  
  “Tothosewhounderstandlife,thatwouldhavegivenamuchgreaterairoftruthtomystory.ForIdonotwantanyonetoreadmybookcarelessly.Ihavesufferedtoomuchgriefinsettingdownthesememories.Sixyearshavealreadypassedsincemyfriendwentawayfromme,withhissheep.IfItrytodescribehimhere,itistomakesurethatIshallnotforgethim.Toforgetafriendissad.Noteveryonehashadafriend.AndifIforgethim,Imaybecomelikethegrown-upswhoarenolongerinterestedinanythingbutfgures……Itisforthatpurpose,again,thatIhaveboughtaboxofpaintsandsomepencils.Itishardtotakeupdrawingagainatmyage,whenIhavenevermadeanypicture*ceptthoseoftheboaconstrictorfromtheoutsideandtheboaconstrictorfromtheinside,sinceIwassix.Ishallcertainlytrytomakemyportraitsastruetolifeaspossible.ButIamnotatallsureofsuccess.Onedrawinggoesalongallright,andanotherhasnoresemblancetoitssubject.Imakesomeerrors,too,inthelittleprince'sheight:inoneplaceheistootallandinanothertooshort.AndIfeelsomedoubtsaboutthecolorofhiscostume.SoIfumblealongasbestIcan,nowgood,nowbad,andIhopegenerallyfair-to-middling.IncertainmoreimportantdetailsIshallmakemistakes,also.Butthatissomethingthatwillnotbemyfault.Myfriendneverexplainedanythingtome.Hethought,perhaps,thatIwaslikehimself.ButI,alas,donotknowhowtoseesheepthroughthewallsofboxes.PerhapsIamalittlelikethegrown-ups.Ihavehadtogrowold.ChapterVAseachdaypassedIwouldlearn,inourtalk,somethingaboutthelittleprince'splanet,hisdeparturefromit,hisjourney.Theinformationwouldcomeveryslowly,asitmightchancetofallfromhisthoughts.ItwasinthiswaythatIheard,onthethirdday,aboutthecatastropheofthebaobabs.Thistime,oncemore,Ihadthesheeptothankforit.Forthelittleprinceaskedmeabruptly—asifseizedbyagravedoubt—
  
  
  
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