《荞麦》，1842 年
the buckwheat, 1842
常常在一场猛烈的雷暴雨过后，一片荞麦地会显得黑乎乎的，像是被烧焦了一样，仿佛有一股火焰从上面掠过。
Very often, after a violent thunder-storm, a field of buckwheat appears blackened and singed, as if a flame of fire had passed over it.
乡下人说这种情形是闪电造成的；但我要给你们讲讲麻雀是怎么说的，而麻雀是从一棵长在荞麦地附近的老柳树那儿听来的，那棵柳树现在还在那儿呢。
the country people say that this appearance is caused by lightning; but I will tell you what the sparrow says, and the sparrow heard it from an old willow-tree which grew near a field of buckwheat, and is there still.
它是一棵高大可敬的树，尽管因为年久有些残缺了。
It is a large venerable tree, though a little crippled by age.
树干已经裂开了，裂缝里长出了草和荆棘。
the trunk has been split, and out of the crevice grass and brambles grow.
树稍微向前弯着，树枝垂下来一直碰到地面，就像绿色的头发一样。
the tree bends for-ward slightly, and the branches hang quite down to the ground just like green hair.
周围的田里种着谷物，不仅有黑麦和大麦，还有燕麦 —— 漂亮的燕麦，成熟的时候，看起来就像许多小金丝雀栖息在树枝上。
corn grows in the surrounding fields, not only rye and barley, but oats,-pretty oats that, when ripe, look like a number of little golden canary-birds sitting on a bough.
谷物们都面带微笑的样子，颗粒最饱满、最丰硕的麦穗都低垂着头，仿佛怀着虔诚的谦卑。
the corn has a smiling look and the heaviest and richest ears bend their heads low as if in pious humility.
从前也有一片荞麦地，这片地正好在那棵老柳树的对面。
once there was also a field of buckwheat, and this field was exactly opposite to old willow-tree.
荞麦不像其他谷物那样低头，而是骄傲而僵硬地把脑袋挺在茎秆上。
the buckwheat did not bend like the other grain, but erected its head proudly and stiffly on the stem.
“我和其他谷物一样有价值，” 它说，“而且我比它们好看多了；我的花就像苹果花的盛开一样美丽，看着我们是一种享受。
“I am as valuable as any other corn,” said he, “and I am much handsomer; my flowers are as beautiful as the bloom of the apple blossom, and it is a pleasure to look at us.
你知道有什么比我们更漂亮的吗，你这棵老柳树？”
do you know of anything prettier than we are, you old willow-tree?”
柳树点了点头，好像在说：“我当然知道。”
And the willow-tree nodded his head, as if he would say, “Indeed I do.”
但是荞麦骄傲地舒展着自己，说道：“这棵笨树；它太老了，身上都长出草来了。”
but the buckwheat spread itself out with pride, and said, “Stupid tree; he is so old that grass grows out of his body.”
一场非常可怕的暴风雨来临了。
there arose a very terrible storm.
所有的野花都把花瓣合拢起来，或者低下它们小小的脑袋，当暴风雨掠过它们时，但是荞麦却骄傲地挺立着。
All the field-flowers folded their leaves together, or bowed their little heads, while the storm passed over them, but the buckwheat stood erect in its pride.
“像我们这样低下头吧。” 花儿们说。
“bend your head as we do,” said the flowers.
“我没必要这样做。” 荞麦回答道。
“I have no occasion to do so,” replied the buckwheat.
“像我们这样低下头吧。” 麦穗们喊道；“暴风雨天使就要来了；他的翅膀从天空伸展到大地。
“bend your head as we do,” cried the ears of corn; “the angel of the storm is ing; his wings spread from the sky above to the earth beneath.
在你来得及求饶之前他就会把你击倒。”
he will strike you down before you can cry for mercy.”
“但我不会低下头的。” 荞麦说。
“but I will not bend my head,” said the buckwheat.
“合上你们的花朵，低下你们的叶子。” 老柳树说。
“close your flowers and bend your leaves,” said the old willow-tree.
“当云层破裂时不要看闪电；连人都做不到这一点。
“do not look at the lightning when the cloud bursts; even men cannot do that.
在一道闪电中，天堂敞开了，我们可以往里看；但那景象甚至会让人类失明。
In a flash of lightning heaven opens, and we can look in; but the sight will strike even human beings blind.
如果我们胆敢这样做，那我们这些只是从土里长出来的、比人类低等得多的东西，又会怎样呢？”
what then must happen to us, who only grow out of the earth, and are so inferior to them, if we venture to do so?”
“低等，真是的！” 荞麦说。
“Inferior, indeed!” said the buckwheat.
“现在我打算窥视一下天堂。”
“Now I intend to have a peep into heaven.”
它骄傲而大胆地抬起头来，这时闪电划过天空，仿佛整个世界都着了火。
proudly and boldly he looked up, while the lightning flashed across the sky as if the whole world were in flames.
当可怕的暴风雨过去后，花儿和谷物在清新的宁静空气中抬起了它们低垂的脑袋，被雨水滋润得精神焕发，但荞麦却像田里的野草一样躺着，被闪电烧得漆黑。
when the dreadful storm had passed, the flowers and the corn raised their drooping heads in the pure still air, refreshed by the rain, but the buckwheat lay like a weed in the field, burnt to blackness by the lightning.
老柳树的树枝在风中沙沙作响，大颗的水珠从它的绿叶上掉落下来，仿佛老柳树在哭泣。
the branches of the old willow-tree rustled in the wind, and large water-drops fell from his green leaves as if the old willow were weeping.
于是麻雀们问它，周围一切似乎都那么欢快，它为什么要哭泣呢。
then the sparrows asked why he was weeping, when all around him seemed so cheerful.
“看，” 它们说，“太阳多明亮，云朵在蓝天上飘浮。
“See,” they said, “how the sun shines, and the clouds float in the blue sky.
你难道没有闻到花儿和灌木丛散发的甜美香气吗？
do you not smell the sweet perfume from flower and bush?
你为什么哭泣呀，老柳树？”
wherefore do you weep, old willow-tree?”
然后柳树就给它们讲了荞麦的傲慢自大，以及随之而来的惩罚。
then the willow told them of the haughty pride of the buckwheat, and of the punishment which followed in consequence.
这就是一天傍晚我请求麻雀们给我讲个故事时，它们讲给我听的故事。
this is the story told me by the sparrows one evening when I begged them to relate some tale to me.