Some children were set to reap1) in a wheat-field. The wheat was yellow as gold. The sun shone gloriously2)， and the butterflies flew hither and thither3). Some of the children worked better， and some worse; but there was one who ran here and there after the butterflies that fluttered4) about his head， and sang as he ran.

By and by5) evening came， and the Angel of the wheat-field called to the children and said， \"Come now to the gate， and bring your sheaves6) with you.\"

So the children came， bringing their sheaves. Some had great piles， laid close and even， so that they might carry more; some had theirs laid large and loose， so that they looked more than they were; but one， the child that had run to and fro7) after the butterflies， came empty-handed.

The Angel said to this child， \"Where are your sheaves?\"

The child hung his head. \"I do not know!\" he said. \"I had some， but I have lost them， and I know not how.\"

\"None enter here without sheaves，\" said the Angel.

\"I know that，\" said the child. \"But I thought I would like to see the place where the others were going; besides， they would not let me leave them.\"

Then all the other children cried out together. One said， \"Dear Angel， let him in! In the morning I was sick， and this child came and played with me， and showed me the butterflies， and I forgot my pain. Also， he gave me one of his sheaves， and I would give it to him again， but I cannot tell it now from my own.\"

Another said， \"Dear Angel， let him in! At noon the sun beat8) on my head so fiercely that I fainted and fell down like one dead; and this child came running by， and when he saw me he brought water to revive9) me， and then he showed me the butterflies， and was so glad and merry that my strength returned; to me also he gave one of his sheaves， and I would give it to him again， but it is so like my own that I cannot tell it.\"

And a third said， \"Just now， as evening was coming， I was weary10) and sad， and had so few sheaves that it seemed hardly worth my while11) to go on working; but this child comforted me， and showed me the butterflies， and gave me one of his sheaves. Look! It may be that this was his; and yet I cannot tell， it is so like my own.\"

And all the children said， \"We also had sheaves of him， dear Angel; let him in， we pray you!\"

The Angel smiled， and reached his hand inside the gate and brought out a pile of sheaves; it was not large， but the glory of the sun was on it， so that it seemed to lighten the whole field.

\"Here are his sheaves!\" said the Angel， \"they are known and counted， every one.\" And he said to the child， \"Lead the way in!\"

一群孩子準(zhǔn)備在麥田里收割麥子。田里的麥子黃燦燦的，像金子一般。太陽照耀著大地，田間有許多蝴蝶飛來飛去。有的孩子收獲頗豐，有的孩子收獲甚微；可是有一個(gè)孩子，他跑來跑去，追逐著在他頭頂振翅飛舞的蝴蝶，邊跑還邊唱著歌。

不久夜色降臨，麥田天使把這些孩子召集到一起，說道：“現(xiàn)在到門口來吧，帶上你們收割好的麥捆?！?/p>

于是，這些孩子帶著他們收割好的麥捆來到門口。有的孩子拿著大捆的麥子，麥子扎得緊實(shí)而整齊，以便他們能多捆一些；有些孩子的麥捆扎得膨大而松散，這樣顯得麥子看起來要比實(shí)際多很多；但有一個(gè)孩子，就是那個(gè)跑來跑去追逐蝴蝶的孩子，卻兩手空空地來到了門口。

天使問他：“你的麥捆在哪里呢？”

那個(gè)孩子耷拉著腦袋?！拔也恢溃　彼f道，“我是收割了一些麥子的，可是不知道怎么回事，我把它們給弄丟了?！?/p>

“沒有麥捆的孩子是不能進(jìn)入這個(gè)門的?！碧焓拐f道。

“我知道的，”那個(gè)孩子說，“但是我就是想看看其他孩子要去的那個(gè)地方，而且，他們也不會(huì)讓我離開他們的?！?/p>

這時(shí)，其他所有的孩子都叫喊了起來。一個(gè)孩子說：“親愛的天使，讓他進(jìn)去吧！早上我生病了，是他來陪我玩耍，給我看蝴蝶，才讓我忘記了病痛。而且，他把自己的一捆麥子給了我，我想把那捆再還給他，可是我現(xiàn)在分不清哪捆是他的，哪捆是我的了?！?/p>

另一個(gè)孩子說道：“親愛的天使，讓他進(jìn)去吧！中午的時(shí)候，太陽火辣辣地照在我的頭上，我被曬暈了，如同死人一般倒在地上。是這個(gè)孩子跑過來，他看到我，就去拿水給我喝讓我蘇醒過來。后來，他還給我看蝴蝶，看到我體力恢復(fù)，他開心得不得了。他也給了我一捆麥子，我想把那捆再還給他，但是它和我的太像了，我也分不清哪捆是了。”

接著，第三個(gè)孩子說道：“就在剛才，夜幕降臨之際，我感到筋疲力盡，心情沮喪，只有為數(shù)不多的幾捆麥子，看起來都不值得再費(fèi)力去繼續(xù)收割了。然而，這個(gè)小孩卻過來安慰我，給我看蝴蝶，還給了我他的一捆麥子。看，可能這個(gè)就是他的麥捆，但是我分不清，因?yàn)樗臀业膶?shí)在是太像了。”

這時(shí)，所有的孩子都說道：“親愛的天使，我們也都有他的麥捆，讓他進(jìn)去吧，求求您啦！”

天使笑了，他把手伸進(jìn)門里，拿出了一堆麥子。這堆麥子雖然不是太多，但是有太陽的光輝照在上面，這堆麥子似乎點(diǎn)亮了整片麥田。

“他的麥捆都在這兒！”天使說道，“這堆麥捆都有主人，也算進(jìn)去了，每一捆都是?！比缓筇焓箤?duì)那個(gè)孩子說道：“你帶頭進(jìn)來吧！”

1.reap [ri?p] vi. 收割

2.gloriously [?ɡl??ri?sli] adv. 壯麗地，光輝燦爛地

3.hither and thither: 這兒和那兒，四處

4.flutter [?fl?t?(r)] vi. (鳥等)振翼，拍翅；拍翅而飛

5.by and by: 不久；過一會(huì)兒

6.sheaf [?i?f] n. (禾)捆；(禾)束

7.to and fro: 往復(fù)地，來回地

8.beat [bi?t] vi. (太陽等)強(qiáng)烈地照射

9.revive [r??va?v] vt. 使蘇醒；使復(fù)蘇

10.weary [?w??ri] adj. 疲勞的，疲倦的

11.worth sb.'s while: 值得某人(花時(shí)間、精力等)的