We shall sail merrily across the seven seas and the thirteen rivers of fairyland.
We shall set sail in the early morning light.
When at noontide you are bathing at the pond, we shall be in the land of a strange king.
We shall pass the shallows of Tirpurni, and leave behind us the desert of Tepantar.
When we come back it will be getting dark, and I shall tell you of all that we have seen.
I shall cross the seven seas and the thirteen rivers of fairyland.
我将带我的朋友阿苏与我同行。
我们要快快乐乐地在仙境里的七大洋和十三条河中航行。
我们将在晨曦中扬帆航行。
午间，你正在池塘里沐浴时，我们将身处一个陌生的国度中。
我们将经过特浦尼浅滩，把特潘塔沙漠远远丢在我们的身后。
当我们回来时，天色渐黑，我将告诉你我们所看见的一切。
我将穿越仙境里的七大洋和十三条河。
The Further Bank
I long to go over there to the further bank of the river.
Where those boats are tied to the bamboo poles in a line;
Where men cross over in their boats in the morning with ploughs on their shoulders to till their far-away fields;
Where the cowherds make their lowing cattle swim across to the riverside pasture;
Evenfall they all come back home in the evening, leaving the jackals to howl in the island overgrown with weeds.
Mother, if you don’t mind, I should like to become the boatman of the ferryboat when I am grown up.
They say there are strange pools hidden behind that high bank.
Where flocks of wild ducks come when the rains are over, and thick reeds grow round the margins where water birds lay their eggs;
对 岸
我渴望到那边，到河的对岸。
在那里，那些小船排成一行系在竹竿上；
清晨，人们乘船到那边去，肩上扛着锄头，到他们远处的田中去耕耘。
在那边，放牛的人赶着鸣叫的牛涉水到对岸的牧场；
黄昏时分，他们都回家了，只留下豺狼在这长满野草的岛上哀嚎。
妈妈，如果您不介意，我长大后，要当这渡船的船夫。
有人说在这个高岸的后面藏着许多古怪的池塘。
雨过后，一群群野鸭飞到那里去，茂盛的芦苇长满了池塘四周，水鸟在那里生蛋；
Where snipes with their dancing tails stamp their tiny footprints upon the clean soft mud;
Where in the evening the tall grasses crested with white flowers invite the moonbeam to float upon their waves.
Mother, if you don’t mind, I should like to become the boatman of the ferryboat when I am grown up.
I shall cross and cross back from bank to bank, and all the boys and girls of the village will wonder at me while they are bathing.
When the sun climbs the mid sky and morning wears on to noon, I shall come running to you, saying, “Mother, I am hungry!”
When the day is done and the shadows cower under the trees, I shall come back in the dusk.
I shall never go away from you into the town to work like father.
Mother, if you don’t mind, I should like to become the boatman of the ferryboat when I am grown up.
竹鸡摇着会跳舞的尾巴，在洁净的软泥上印下它们细小的足印 ；
黄昏时，长草顶着白花，邀月光在它们的波浪上飘荡。
妈妈，如果您不在意，我长大后要当这渡船的船夫。
我要从此岸到彼岸，来回摆渡，村里所有正在沐浴的男孩女孩，都会惊奇地望着我。
太阳升到半空，清晨变为正午，我会跑到您那里，说 ：“妈妈，我饿了！”
一天结束了，影子俯伏在树底下，我会在黄昏时回家。
我一定不会像爸爸那样，离开您到城里工作。
妈妈，如果您不介意，我长大后，一定要当这渡船的船夫。
The Flower-School
When storm clouds ramble in the sky and June showers come down.
The moist east wind comes marching over the heath to blow its bagpipes among the bamboos.
Then crowds of flowers come out of a sudden, from nobody knows where, and dance upon the grass in wild glee.
Mother, I really think the flowers go to school underground.
They do their lessons with doors shut, and if they want to come out to play before it is time, their master makes them stand in a corner.
When the rains come they have their holidays.
Branches clash together in the forest, and the leaves rustle in the wild wind, the thunder-clouds clap their giant hands and the flower children rush out in dresses of pink and yellow and white.
Do you know, mother, their home is in the sky, where the stars are.
Haven’t you seen how eager they are to get there? Don’t you know why they are in such a hurry?
Of course, I can guess to whom they raise their arms: they have their mother as I have my own.
花的学校
当乌云在天空轰鸣，六月的阵雨落下时，
湿润的东风吹过荒野，在竹林间奏响它的风笛。
突然，成簇的花朵从无人知晓的地方跑来，在绿草上跳舞狂欢。
妈妈，我真的认为那成簇的花是在地下的学校里上学。
他们关门闭户做功课，如果他们想在放学之前出来玩耍，他们的老师就会让他们在墙角罚站。
一下雨，他们就放假了。
树枝在林中交错，叶子在狂风中簌簌作响，雷雨云拍着它们的巨手，小花们就身穿粉的、黄的、白的衣裳，冲了出来。
您知道吗，妈妈，他们的家是在天上，在星星居住的地方。
您没有看见他们怎样急着要去那里？您难道不知道他们为什么那样匆忙吗？
当然，我可以猜出他们是为谁张开双臂：他们也有他们的妈妈，就像我有自己的妈妈。
The Merchant
Imagine, mother, that you are to stay at home and I am to travel into strange lands.
Imagine that my boat is ready at the landing fully laden.
Now think well, mother, before you say what I shall bring for you when I come back.
Mother, do you want heaps and heaps of gold?
There, by the banks of golden streams, fields are full of golden harvest.
And in the shade of the forest path the golden champa flowers drop on the ground.
I will gather them all for you in many hundred baskets.
Mother, do you want pearls big as the raindrops of autumn?
I shall cross to the pearl island shore.
There in the early morning light pearls tremble on the meadow flowers, pearls drop on the grass, and pearls are scattered on the sand in spray by the wild sea-waves.
My brother shall have a pair of horses with wings to fly among the clouds.
For father I shall bring a magic pen that, without his knowing, will write of itself.
For you, mother, I must have the casket and jewel that cost seven kings their kingdoms.
商 人
妈妈，想象一下，您待在家里，我要去异乡旅行。
再想象，我的船已在码头等待起航，船上满载货物。
现在，妈妈，好好想想再告诉我，我回来时要给您带些什么。
妈妈，您想要成堆的黄金吗？
那么，在黄金河的两岸，田野里都是金黄色的稻谷。
在林荫道上，香柏花一朵朵地飘到地上。
我将为您而收集它们，放进数以百计的篮子里。
妈妈，您想要大如秋日雨点的珍珠吗？
我将到珍珠岛的海岸上去。
在那里的晨曦中，珍珠在草地的花朵上颤抖，落到草地上，被狂野的海浪一把一把地撒在沙滩上。
我将送哥哥一对长着翅膀的马，能在云端飞翔。
我要送爸爸一支有魔力的笔，在他还没察觉时，就能把字写出来。
至于您，妈妈，我一定要送给您那个价值七个王国的首饰盒和珠宝。
Sympathy
If I were only a little puppy, not your baby, dear mother, would you say “No” to me if I tried to eat from your dish?
Would you drive me off, saying to me“Get away, you naughty little puppy”?
Then go, mother, go! I will never come to you when you call me, and never let you feed me any more.
If I were only a little green parrot, and not your baby, mother dear, would you keep me chained lest I should fly away?