The Worry Tree

刘嘉琦

其实我们好多人都会有一种错误的做法，就是心情不好时会对最亲近的人发泄情绪。文中的主人公会将自己的烦恼挂在烦恼树上，第二天再将烦恼带走。但是他说，等他第二天想带走所有烦恼的时候会有一个奇怪的发现！

Paresh， an Indian carpenter I once hired to help me restore my old farmhouse， had just finished a difficult and hard first day on the job. A flat tyre on his lorry made him lose an hour of work， his electric saw packed in， and now his ancient pick up truck refused to start. While I drove him home， Paresh sat in stony， thoughtful silence.

① On arriving， Paresh invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door， he paused briefly at a small tree， touching the tips of the branches with both hands.

②When opening the door to his home， he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

After a cup of tea， he walked me to my car. We passed the tree and my curiosity ③got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

“Oh， thats my worry tree，”Paresh replied. “I know I cant help having troubles on the job， but one thing for sure， troubles dont belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again. Funny thing is，” he smiled， “when I come out in the morning to pick them up， there arent nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”

精彩译文：

烦 恼 树

帕莱什，是一个我雇来帮我翻修老房子的印度木匠。他刚刚忙完艰难的第一天工作。结果他的卡车车胎瘪了又让他忙活了一个小时。好不容易把电锯装上车了，结果他那个古董皮卡车又打不着火了。没办法，我只好开车送他回家。一路上，他坐在那儿，铁青着脸，一言不发，一声不吭。

一到家，帕萊什就邀请我见见他的家人。当我们走向他家前门的时候，他在一棵小树前停了下来，双手抚摸树梢。

当门被打开的一刻，帕莱什顿时变成了另外一个人。他黝黑的脸上绽放了笑容。只见他一把搂过两个年幼的孩子，并吻了妻子一下。

过了一盏茶的时间，我起身告辞，他送我出门。当我们经过那棵小树的时候，我经不住好奇心的引诱，问起他刚才的举动。

“哦，那是我的烦恼树，”帕莱什答道，“我知道，工作中难免会遇到不顺心的事，但有一点是肯定的，那就是，这些烦恼不属于我的家人，不属于我的妻子和孩子。因此每晚回家时，我都把这些烦恼挂在树上。早上再去取回。有意思的是，”他微笑着说，“当我在早上出门去取回它们时，它们已经完全不像我记得的昨晚挂的那么多了。”

难点解析：

①On arriving， Paresh invited me in to meet his family. 一到家，帕莱什就邀请我见见他的家人。

on/upon doing sth 一……就…… 例如：

On arriving at school， he got down to his work.他一到学校，就开始工作。

②When opening the door to his home， he underwent an amazing transformation.当门被打开的一刻，帕莱什顿时变成了另外一个人。

When引导的时间状语从句中，若从句主语与主句主语一致并且从句中有be动词则可以省略从句中的主语和系动词。例如：

When crossing the street， you must be careful.

当过马路的时候，你一定要加小心。

③get the better of sb.占上风，胜过。例如：

We can let our fears get the better of us.我们会被忧虑打败。