張祖平

Once upon a time， there lived a big mango tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to the tree top， ate the mangoes， and took a nap1 under the shade2... He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by， the little boy grew， and he no longer played around the tree.

很久以前，有一棵芒果樹。一個小男孩喜歡每天過來在樹旁玩耍。小男孩爬到樹頂吃芒果，在樹蔭下打盹……他喜歡這棵芒果樹，芒果樹也喜歡和小男孩玩。時光飛逝，小男孩長大了，他不再到芒果樹旁玩耍。

One day， the boy came back to the tree with a sad look on his face.

一天，男孩回到樹旁，面帶憂傷。

“Come and play with me，” the tree asked the boy.

“過來和我玩吧?！泵⒐麡鋵δ泻⒄f。

“I am no longer a kid. I dont play around trees anymore.” The boy replied， “I want toys. I need money to buy them.”

“我不再是小孩子了，也不會再到樹旁玩耍了。”男孩回答，“我想要玩具，我需要錢買玩具?！?/p>

“Sorry， I dont have money... but you can pick all my mangoes and sell them so you will have money.”

“對不起……我沒有錢……但是你可以摘下我所有的芒果賣掉，這樣你就有錢了?！?/p>

So the boy picked all the mangoes on the tree and left happily. The boy didnt come back. The tree was sad.

于是，男孩摘掉了所有的芒果，高興地離開了。此后，男孩沒有回來。芒果樹很悲傷。

One day， the boy grown into a man and returned. The tree was so excited.

男孩長成了一個男人，有一天，他回來了，芒果樹很激動。

“Come and play with me，” the tree said.

“過來和我玩吧。”芒果樹說。

“I dont have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter3. Can you help me？”

“我沒有時間玩。我要干活養(yǎng)家。我們需要一個房子來安身。你能幫助我嗎？”

“Sorry， I dont have a house， but you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy didnt come back afterward. The tree was again lonely and sad.

“對不起，我沒有房子，不過你可以砍下我的樹枝來造房子。”于是男人砍掉了它所有的樹枝，高興地離開了。芒果樹看到他開心很高興，但是此后他沒有回來。芒果樹又陷入了寂寞和悲傷之中。

One hot summer day， the man returned and the tree was delighted.

在一個炎熱的夏天，男人回來了，芒果樹很高興。

“Come and play with me！” the tree said.

“來和我玩吧?！泵⒐麡湔f。

“I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat？”

“我很傷心，人老了，想去劃帆船放松放松。你能給我一艘船嗎？”

“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.”

“用我的樹干做一艘船吧。你可以揚帆出航去遠(yuǎn)方，你會開心的?！?/p>

So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and didnt come back for a long time. Finally， the man returned after he had been gone for so many years.

男人砍下了芒果樹的樹干做了一艘船。他到外面去航行，很長一段時間沒有回來。最后，很多年后，男人回來了。

“Sorry， my boy， but I dont have anything for you anymore. No more mangoes to give you.” the tree said.

“對不起，孩子。我不能再給你任何東西了，芒果也沒有了?！泵⒐麡湔f。

“I dont have teeth to bite，” the man replied.

“我沒牙齒了，咬不動芒果了?！蹦腥嘶卮稹?/p>

“No more trunk for you to climb on.”

“我也沒有樹干讓你爬了。”

“I am too old for that now，” the man said.

“我老了，爬不動了?！蹦腥苏f。

“I really cant give you anything... the only thing left is my dying roots，” the tree said with sadness.

“我真的給不了你任何東西了……唯一留下的是我快死掉的樹根?！泵⒐麡浔瘋卣f。

“I dont need much now， just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years，” the man replied.

“我現(xiàn)在不需要太多了，只想有一個地方可以休息。這些年來，我很累?！蹦腥嘶卮?。

“Good！ Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come to sit down with me and rest.”

“那好?。±蠘涓且揽亢托菹⒌淖詈玫牡胤?。在我身邊坐下來休息吧。”

The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled.

男人坐了下來，芒果樹高興地笑了。endprint