月亮对母亲的爱

卡罗琳·舍温·贝利

Once upon a time， a long， long while ago， the Sun， the Wind， and the Moon were three sisters， and their mother was a pale， lovely Star that shone， far away， in the dark evening sky.

One day their uncle and aunt， who were the Thunder and Lightning， asked the three sisters to have supper with them， and their mother said that they might go. She would wait for them， she said， and would not set until all three returned and told her about their pleasant visit.

So the Sun in her dress of gold， the Wind in a trailing dress that rustled as she passed， and the Moon in a wonderful gown of silver started out for the party with the Thunder and Lightning. Oh， it was a supper to remember！ The table was spread with a cloth of rainbow. There were ices like the snow on the mountain tops， and cakes as soft and white as clouds， and fruits from every quarter of the earth. The three sisters ate their fill， especially the Sun and the Wind， who were very greedy， and left not so much as a crumb on their plates. But the Moon was kind and remembered her mother. She hid a part of her supper in her long， white fingers to take home and share with her mother， the Star.

Then the three sisters said good-bye to the Thunder and Lightning and went home. When they reached there， they found their mother， the Star， waiting and shining for them as she had said she would.

“What did you bring me from the supper？” She asked.

The Sun tossed her head with all its yellow hair in disdain as she answered her mother.

“Why should I bring you anything？” She asked. “I went out for my own pleasure and not to think of you.”

It was the same with the Wind. She wrapped her flowing robes about her and turned away from her mother.

“I， too， went out for my own entertainment，” she said， “and why should I think of you， mother， when you were not with me？”

But it was very different with the Moon who was not greedy and selfish as her two sisters， the Sun and the Wind， were. She turned her pale sweet face toward her mother， the Star， and held out her slender hands.

“See， mother，” cried the Moon， “I have brought you part of everything that was on my plate. I ate only half of the feast for I wanted to share it with you.”

So the mother brought a gold plate and the food that her unselfish daughter， the Moon， had brought her heaped the plate high. She ate it， and then she turned to her three children， for she had something important to say to them. She spoke first to the Sun.

“You were thoughtless and selfish， my daughter，” she said. “You went out and enjoyed yourself with no thought of one who was left alone at home. Hereafter you shall be no longer beloved among men. Your rays shall be so hot and burning that they shall scorch everything they touch. Men shall cover their heads when you appear， and they shall run away from you.”

And that is why， to this day， the Sun is hot and blazing.

从前，在很久很久以前，太阳、风和月亮是三姐妹，她们的母亲是一颗在遥远黑暗夜空中闪烁着的很淡却又很美丽的星星。

有一天，三姐妹的叔叔和婶婶，也就是雷公和电母，邀请三姐妹去和他们共进晚餐，母亲也允许她们去赴约。她说她会等着她们，在她们归来之前不会落下，还要听她们聊聊这次愉快的拜访。

于是，太阳穿上金色的衣服，风穿上一条拖尾裙，走过时发出沙沙的声响，月亮穿上一条漂亮的银色长礼服，三姐妹出发前往雷公和电母的宴会。哦，这真是一顿令人难忘的晚餐！餐桌上铺着彩虹桌布。冰块好似山顶上的白雪，蛋糕似云朵一样柔软、洁白，还有来自世界各地的水果。三姐妹吃得很饱，尤其是太阳和风两个贪吃鬼，盘子里连面包屑也没有剩下多少。只有体贴的月亮惦记着她的母亲。她把自己晚餐的一部分藏在了纤长、白皙的手指里，准备带回家和她的星星母亲分享。

然后，三姐妹向雷公和电母道别回家。她们到家时，看见星星母亲还在那里闪烁着，等着她们，正如她之前所承诺的一样。

她问：“你们都从晚宴上给我带回来什么好吃的了？”

太阳把满头的黄发轻蔑地一甩，回答自己的母亲。

“我为什么要给你带吃的？”她说，“我出去玩是为了自己开心，不会想到你。”

风的态度和太阳如出一辙。她裹上飘拂的长袍，转身背对着自己的母亲。

“我也是为了自己开心才出去玩的，”她说，“母亲，你又没和我在一起，为什么我要想到你呢？”

但月亮和她两个贪婪自私的姐姐太阳和风截然不同。她将白皙甜美的脸庞转向星星母亲，向她母亲伸出纤长的手。

“母亲，你看，”月亮大声说，“我把我的盘子里每一种美食都给你带了一部分。我只吃了一半，因为我想和你一起分享。”

于是母亲端来一个金盘子，将她无私的女儿月亮带回来的食物堆得高高的。母亲吃完食物，转过身面向她的三个孩子，她有重要的话要对她们说。她首先对着太阳说话了。

“你粗心又自私，我的女儿，”她说，“你出去只顾着自己玩乐，却不会想到有人独自留在家中。今后不会再有人爱你了。你的光线会变得滚烫和灼热，任何东西碰到它们都会被灼伤。当你出现的时候，人们都抱着自己的头，跑得远远地躲着你。”

这就是为什么直到今天，太阳滚烫且炽热的原因。

Next the mother spoke to the Wind，

“You， too， my daughter， have been unkind and greedy，” she said. “You， also， enjoyed yourself with no thought of anyone else. You shall blow in the parching heat of your sister， the Sun， and wither and blast all that you touch. No one shall love you any longer， but all men will dislike and avoid you.”

And that is why， to this day， the Wind， blowing in hot weather， is so unpleasant.

But， last， the mother spoke to her kind daughter， the Moon，

“You remembered your mother， and were unselfish，” she said. “To those who are thoughtful of their mother， great blessings come. For all time your light shall be cool， and calm， and beautiful. You shall wane ， but you shall wax again. You shall make the dark night bright， and all men shall call you blessed.”

That is why， to this day， the Moon is so cool， bright， and beautiful.

接下來，母亲对风说：

“你也一样，我的女儿，一直以来都无情且贪婪，”她说，“你也只顾着自己开心，不会考虑到其他任何人。你将在你太阳姐姐的灼热里刮起风来，你所碰触到的万物都将凋谢、枯萎。不但从此没有人会喜欢你，而且所有人都会讨厌你并躲着你。”

这也是为什么直到现在，天气炎热时刮起的热风令人如此不舒服的原因。

但是最后，母亲对着她善良的女儿月亮说：

“你挂念着母亲，一点都不自私，”她说，“那些惦记着自己母亲的人会得到美好的祝福。你的光线将一直凉爽、静谧而美丽。你会亏缺，但也会再转盈。你将照亮黑夜，所有人都认为你是神圣的。”

正因如此，今天的月亮才能如此清冷、明亮和美丽。

Vocabulary

greedy adj. 贪婪的;贪心的;贪吃的;渴望的

toss v. 甩（头，以表示恼怒或不耐烦）

heap v. 在……上放很多（东西）

scorch v. （把……）烫坏，烧煳;烤焦（物体表面）

wither v. （使）枯萎，凋谢

blast v. 使（植物等）毁于疾病（或寒冷、酷热等）