If So for Birds Why Not for Man
佚名 / Anonymous
Where we live, on the Eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips. They curl into the coves like tender palms.
The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and the ducks who ride an inch above the waves of Chesapeake Bay as they skim their way into harbor. In the autumn, by the thousands, they come home for the winter.
The swans move toward the shores in a stately glide, their tall heads proud and unafraid. They lower their long necks deep into the water, where their strong beaks dig through the river bottoms for food. And there is, between the arrogant swans and the prolific geese, an difference, almost a disdain.
Once or twice each year, snow and sleet move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, or the creek shallow, there is a freeze which hardens the water to ice.
It was on such a morning, near Oxford, Maryland, that a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Across the river, beyond the dock, the snow laced the rim of the shore in white. For a moment she stood quietly, looking at what the night’s storm had painted.
Suddenly she leaned forward and peered close to the frosted window. “It really is,” she cried out loud. “There is a goose out there.” She reached to the bookcase and pulled out a pair of binoculars. Into their sights came the figure of a large Canada goose, very still, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice.
Then from the dark skies, she saw a line of swans. They moved in their own singular formation, graceful, intrepid, and free. They crossed from the west of the broad creek high above the house, moving steadily to the east.
As my friend watched, the leader swung to the right, and then the white string of birds became a white circle. It floated from the top of the sky downward. At last, as easy as feathers coming to earth, the circle landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life it still had might be pecked out by those great swan beaks.
Instead, amazingly instead, those beaks began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again; it went on for a long lime. At last, the goose was rimmed by a narrow margin of ice instead of the entire creek. The swans raised again, following the leader, and hovered in that circle, awaiting the results of their labors.
The goose’s head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing on the ice. It was moving its big webbed feet slowly. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if it had cried, “I can not fly.” Four of the swans came down around it. Their powerful beaks scraped the goose’s wings from top to bottom, scuttled under its wings and rode up its body, chipping off the ice held in the feathers.
The goose spread its wings as far as they would go. When at last the wings reached their fullest, the four swans took off and joined the hovering group. They resumed their eastward journey, in perfect formation, to their secret destination.
Behind them, rising with incredible speed and joy, the goose moved into the sky. It followed them, flapping double time, until it caught up, until it joined the last end of the elegant line.
My friend watched them until they disappeared over the tips of the farthest trees. Only then did she realize that tears were running down her cheeks and had been for how long she didn’t know. This is a true story. I do not try to interpret it here. I just often think of it in the bad moments, and tell myself: “If so for birds, why not for man?”
我们居住在马里兰州的东岸，涓涓的河水就像手指般流进流出，流进柔软手掌般的小湾。
加拿大的黑天鹅知道这个地方，连飞入切萨皮克湾中的白天鹅和鸭子也知道。秋天，成千上万的天鹅移居到这里过冬。
白天鹅以一种尊贵的滑翔姿势飞来这里，它们高扬着头，骄傲而无所畏惧。它们将长长的脖子深进水中，用强硬的喙在水底觅食。骄傲的白天鹅和多产的黑天鹅，是一种差别，几乎存在一种蔑视。
在这个区域，每年会出现一次或两次的雪和冰雹。如果是在狭窄的河道或是浅溪中出现这类天气，就会结冰。
就在这样的一个早晨，临近牛津的马里兰镇，我的一个朋友在一个能俯视特爱温河的大窗口旁摆放了早餐桌。穿过河流，越过码头，皑皑大雪使整条河有了白色的花边。一会儿工夫，她就悄悄地站了起来，看着夜晚的暴风雪所绘出的美丽画面。
突然，她向前倾着身子，透过被霜覆盖的窗户向外眺望。“真的是。”她大声叫道，“那儿有一只黑天鹅。”她从书架上取出一个望远镜。进入她视线的是一只大的加拿大黑天鹅，非常安静，它的翅膀紧紧地折在两侧，它的脚冻在了冰里。
渐渐地天黑了，她看到了一列天鹅。它们移动着属于它们自己的独特队列，优美，勇猛，自由。它们穿越西部宽阔的溪流和建筑高耸的天空，坚定不移地来到东方。
我的朋友观察到领头的那只天鹅拍着翅膀转向了右边，然后这列天鹅又组成了一个白色的圈。这个圈从高空往下滑落。最终，就像羽毛飘落在地上似的落在冰面上。朋友立刻站起来，不可思议地用手捂住了嘴。那只冰中的黑天鹅被这群白天鹅包围了，她担心这只黑天鹅会被那群白天鹅啄伤。
相反，令人震惊的是，这群天鹅的喙开始在冰上工作。长长的脖子频繁地上下移动，经过了很长时间。最终，冻住那只黑天鹅的那块冰成了小溪，天鹅们跟随领头的那只天鹅一跃而起，盘旋成圈状，等待检验它们的劳动成果。
那只黑天鹅抬起头来，拽着身子。它从冰中解脱了出来。它慢慢地移动着它的大脚蹼。在空中盘旋的那群天鹅望着它。随后那只黑天鹅好像叫了一声“我飞不起来。”空中的四只天鹅又飞向它，用它们强有力的喙在那只天鹅的翅膀上从上到下地蹭着，拱着它的身体，啄掉翅膀上的冰。
那只黑天鹅竭尽全力展开翅膀。当它的翅膀终于完全展开时，那四只天鹅又飞了回去，加入队伍当中。它们继续向东行进，以完美的队列飞向它们神秘的目的地。
在它们后面，那只黑天鹅以惊人的速度和喜悦飞向天空。追随在那群天鹅身后，以两倍的力量拍打着翅膀，直到追上它们，最终加入这雅致的线条中。
我的朋友凝视着它们，直到它们消失在最远处。然后她才意识到泪水已经流到两颊了。这是一个真实的故事，我并不试图解释什么。我只是在艰难的时候会想起，而且告诫我自己：“鸟亦如此，人亦如何？”
记忆填空
1. The Canada geese this place, as do the swans and the ducks who ride an inch above the of Chesapeake Bay as they skim their into harbor. In the , by the thousands, they come home for the winter.
2. Once or each year, snow and sleet move into the area. When this happens, if the is at its narrowest, or the creek shallow, there a freeze which hardens the water to ice.
3. The goose spread its as far as they would go. When at last the wings reached their , the four swans took off and the hovering group.
佳句翻译
1. 天鹅以一种尊贵的滑翔姿势飞来这里，它们高扬着头，骄傲而无所畏惧。
2. 它们穿越西部宽阔的溪流和建筑高耸的天空，坚定不移地来到东方。
3. 它们继续向东行进，以完美的队列飞向它们神秘的目的地。
短语应用
1. Where we live, on the Eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips.
in and out：进进出出；来来去去
2. The goose spread its wings as far as they would go.
as far as：至于，直到，远到；就……而言