A Child's Angel

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. One day the little child asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"

God answered him, "Among the many angels, I have chosen one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

"But tell me what I am going to do," asked the child, "here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile, which is enough for me to be happy."

"Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy." God reassured him.

"And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don't know the language that men talk?"

"Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you, Lord?"

"Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"I've heard that on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?"

"Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly, "Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."

"You will call your angel Mother."

(Author Unknown)

孩子的守護天使

從前，一個孩子就要誕生到人世。一天，這個小孩問上帝：“他們告訴我，你明天就要把我送到人間去，但我這么小，這么無助，到了那兒我要怎么生活??？”

上帝回答他說：“天堂里有很多天使，我挑選了一個給你。她會在那里一直等著你、照顧你?！?

“但是在天堂里，我每天除了歌唱和歡笑，其他什么事也不做，因為這樣我就非?？鞓妨耍焙⒆訂枺罢埬愀嬖V我，到了人間我該做些什么呢？”

“你的天使會每天為你歌唱，還會每天對你微笑。你會感覺到她對你的愛，那樣你就會快樂了?！鄙系郯参克f。

“那要是人們對我說話，我怎么才能聽懂呢？我不懂人類的語言啊?！?

“你的天使會對你說一些你所聽過的最美麗、最親切的話語，而且她會非常耐心仔細地教你說話。”

“可是主啊，當我想和您說話時，我該怎么辦呢？”

“你的天使會把你的雙手合在一起，教你如何禱告?！?

“我聽說人間有惡人，誰來保護我呢？”

“你的天使會保護你，即使這意味著犧牲她自己的生命?！?

在那一刻，天堂里一片靜謐，但來自人間的聲音已依稀可聞，孩子趕緊輕聲問上帝：“上帝啊，如果我現在就要離開，請告訴我這位天使的名字吧?！?

“你可以叫她媽媽?！?

（譯/張玲）

The Mother

The most beautiful word on the lips of mankind is the word "Mother", and the most beautiful call is the call of "My mother". It is a word full of hope and love, a sweet and kind word coming from the depths of the heart. The mother is everything—she is our consolation in sorrow, our hope in misery, and our strength in weakness. She is the source of love, mercy, sympathy, and forgiveness. He who loses his mother loses a pure soul who blesses and guards him constantly.

Everything in nature bespeaks[1] the mother. The sun is the mother of earth and gives it its nourishment of heat; it never leaves the universe at night until it has put the earth to sleep to the song of the sea and the hymn[2] of birds and brooks[3]. And this earth is the mother of trees and flowers. It produces them, nurses them, and weans[4] them. The trees and flowers become kind mothers of their great fruits and seeds. And the mother, the prototype[5] of all existence, is the eternal spirit, full of beauty and love.

(By Kahlil Gibran[6])

母親

人類嘴邊最美麗的詞語莫過于“母親”，而最動聽的呼喚莫過于一聲“我的母親”。“母親”這個詞滿載著希望和愛，發自人們的內心深處，甜蜜而又親切。母親就是一切——她是我們悲傷時的安慰，痛苦時的希望，脆弱時的力量。她是愛、仁慈、同情和寬恕的源泉。誰失去了母親，就失去了始終如一地庇佑與呵護他的純潔靈魂。

自然界的萬物都是母親中的一員。太陽是大地的母親，她用自己的熱量滋養著大地；夜晚，太陽母親會哄大地入睡，讓她在海洋的吟唱以及鳥兒與溪流的歡歌中進入夢鄉后才會離去。大地是樹木和花朵的母親，她孕育了她們，滋養著她們，又讓她們離開自己的懷抱獨自成長。樹木和花朵又成為豐碩果實和飽滿種子的慈母。而母親，那宇宙萬物的原型啊，就是一種充滿美麗與愛的永恒精神。

（譯/趙越）

A Five-finger Discount[7]

The Belfast, Maine of my youth was not the coastal tourist village that it is today. At the time, Belfast was still a blue-collar town. McDonald's hadn't yet moved into town. Before the supermarket existed, Cottle's, a food market where my dad worked, was the only place where my mother could do her once-a-week shopping. Because we lived a few miles from Belfast, we'd usually combine the grocery trip with a visit to see my grandmother. Of course, Grammy always had cookies ready for the grandkids.

On one particular shopping day at Cottle's, I stood behind my mother as she was unloading the grocery cart and checking her items out[8] at the register[9]. The candy displays on either side of me were full of Life Savers, Clark Bars, Tootsie Rolls, Sugar Babies[10]—you name it[11]!

"Can I get some candy?" I asked.

My mother rarely veered[12] from her list so I wasn't surprised with her response. "No."

This much I knew for certain. "No" always meant "No". There was no sense in me asking a second time. But I really, really wanted that candy!

I reached for a Sugar Baby package. My mother didn't notice. So I figured she probably wouldn't notice if I ever so coyly[13] put them into my pocket. We continued checking out and walked with the bag boy to the car where he loaded the bags into the car's trunk. No one noticed my action—not my mother, not the cashier, not the bag boy—no one! I did it! Wow! My very first shoplifting[14] experience! A five-finger discount! How exciting! How easy! How rewarding! Got my candy and didn't need one penny to get it!

I sat in the back seat as my mother drove across the bridge to where my grandmother lived. Slowly, so as not to make any unnecessary noise, I opened my prize and carefully slipped[15] a Sugar Baby into my mouth. No one piece of candy ever tasted so good! Mom might have said, "No," but I'd said, "Yes," and look who'd won!

When we pulled into my grandmother's driveway, I knew I was in the clear[16]. Miles and minutes separated me from Cottle's. As I prepared to open my car door, I confidently slipped a few more Sugar Babies into my mouth. They would tide me over[17] until I got to Grammy's cookie jar inside.

Big mistake. "Keith, what have you got in your mouth?" I looked up at the rearview mirror[18] and could see the reflection of my mother's eyes staring intently[19] back at me. "I asked you a question! What have you got in your mouth?"

Though I'd recently become skilled in the art of shoplifting, I hadn't quite mastered the art of giving false testimony[20]. "Uhhh … just some Sugar Babies."

"Sugar Babies? Where did you get the money to buy them?" Why was she asking such a foolish question? She knew I hadn't purchased them. It was no big deal. Nobody even saw me take them. It was one little package of Sugar Babies. Let's just go into Grammy's! "I … uh … didn't really buy them."

"That's what I thought!" And then, rather than just going into Grammy's house and giving me a good scolding, she began backing out of my grandmother's driveway.

As she drove away from my grandmother's house and then back across the bridge, I knew exactly where we were headed. To Cottle's! This was so stupid! We're talking twenty-five cents here! A return trip all the way[21] back there was a ridiculous waste of gas and time, if you asked me. Why was she turning this into such an emotional drama? What was she trying to prove?

I didn't have long to find out.

My mother pulled into Cottle's parking lot, cast one more glare my way, and marched me into the store. She proceeded to hunt down[22] Mr. Proulx, the store manager! Why would she want to bother an important man like Mr. Proulx about me needing to pay for some candy that any cashier could more easily just take care of?

Once she located him and got his full attention, she said, in a voice that could be heard from three aisles away, "Tell Mr. Proulx what you did!"

I knew Mr. Proulx. I liked Mr. Proulx. But on this day Mr. Proulx was taking all of his cues[23] from my mother. There was no room for doubt. I was on trial and Mr. Proulx was judge and jury! Through tears, I admitted what I had done and apologized. My mother put a quarter in my hand to give to him. Mr. Proulx listened and accepted my apology along with the twenty-five cents. He then issued a stern[24] warning, explaining what the consequences would be if there was ever a repeat performance. Snuffling[25], embarrassed, ashamed, I totally understood the significance of my actions and what they might lead to if not nipped in the bud[26]: Sugar Babies today, grand theft auto tomorrow.

To this day, often while in a checkout lane near a candy rack, I think back to the lesson I learned from my mother. Thanks, Mom, for keeping me from a life of crime.

(By Keith Smith)

順手牽“糖”

我小的時候，緬因州的貝爾法斯特還不是如今這樣的海濱旅游小鎮。那個時候，貝爾法斯特還是一座藍領小鎮，麥當勞都還沒有進駐。在超市出現前，爸爸工作的科特爾食品商場成了媽媽每周一次購物唯一可去的地方。由于我們住得離貝爾法斯特有幾英里遠，所以我們常常在購物的時候順便去看望外婆。當然啦，外婆總是為我們這些孩子準備好餅干吃。

有一天去科特爾商場購物時，媽媽在收銀臺前從購物車里拿出所買的貨品逐項結賬，我站在她身后。在我兩旁的貨架上擺滿了各式各樣的糖果——Life Saver薄荷糖、Clark Bar牛軋糖、Tootsie Roll咀嚼糖、Sugar Baby牛奶焦飴糖——各種品牌，應有盡有！

“能給我買點兒糖嗎？”我問媽媽。

媽媽的注意力幾乎沒從清單上移開，因此她回答“不行”的時候我并不意外。

對此我十分肯定?！安恍小本鸵馕吨安恍小薄Ｎ以賳柕诙楹翢o意義。但是我真的真的很想吃糖！

我把手伸向一包Sugar Baby糖，媽媽并未注意到。因此我想，如果我假裝害羞然后把它們塞進衣服口袋里，媽媽很可能不會發現。我們繼續結賬，然后隨著打包服務員一起走到車前，服務員把購物袋放進后備廂。誰也沒有發現我的偷竊行為——無論是我媽媽、收銀員還是打包服務員——沒有任何人發現！我成功了！哇！我平生第一次體驗商店行竊！一次順手牽羊！多么令人激動！多么輕而易舉！多么有收獲！我分文未花就得到了這些糖！

媽媽開車通過一座橋，向外婆家駛去，我坐在車后座上。為了避免發出不必要的聲音，我慢慢地打開自己的戰利品，然后小心翼翼地把一塊Sugar Baby糖偷偷塞進了嘴里。再沒有比這更好吃的糖啦！媽媽或許說過“不行”，但是我卻說“行”，看看最終是誰贏了！

當我們駛入外婆家的車道時，我以為我安全了——距離上和時間上我都遠離了科特爾商場。我一邊準備打開車門，一邊安心地又塞了幾塊Sugar Baby糖到嘴里。它們甜美的味道會一直伴隨我進入外婆家直到我拿起餅干罐。

這樣做真是大錯特錯！“基思，你嘴里在吃什么東西？”我抬頭看向后視鏡，發現媽媽正從鏡子里目不轉睛地盯著我。“我問你呢！你嘴里在吃什么東西？”

雖然我剛剛熟練掌握了入店行竊術，但我卻尚不精于提供假證詞。“呃……就是一些Sugar Baby糖。”

“Sugar Baby糖？你哪來的錢買糖？”媽媽怎么會問我這樣一個愚蠢的問題？她知道我根本就沒買過。沒什么大不了的，根本就沒人看見我拿糖了。不就是一小袋Sugar Baby糖嘛。趕緊進外婆家吧！“我……呃……其實我并沒買。”

“果然不出我所料！”接著，媽媽既沒有進外婆家，也沒有狠狠批評我，而是把車倒出了外婆家的車道。

等媽媽將車駛離了外婆家然后再次穿過那座橋的時候，我清楚地知道我們將前往何處。去科特爾商場！真是太傻了！不過是一包25美分的糖而已！如果你問我，我會說：開車大老遠原路返回真夠可笑的，既費油又費時。為什么媽媽要小題大做呢？她想要證明什么呢？

沒過多久我就找到了答案。

媽媽把車停入科特爾商場的停車場，又瞪了我一眼，帶著我走進商場。她開始四處尋找商場經理普羅克斯先生。我要補付糖果錢，任何收銀員都能輕松處理，她何必要麻煩像普羅克斯先生這樣重要的人呢？

媽媽一發現普羅克斯先生并且讓他把注意力完全轉移到我們身上后，她就用三個過道以外都能聽得見的大嗓門說道：“告訴普羅克斯先生你的所作所為！”

我認識普羅克斯先生。我喜歡他。但是那天他完全領會了媽媽的意圖。毋庸置疑，我在受審，而普羅克斯先生就是法官和陪審團！我流著眼淚承認了之前所做的一切并道了歉。媽媽把25美分放到我手里，讓我交給普羅克斯先生。他聽著我的講述，接受了我的道歉，收下了那25美分。然后，他向我提出嚴厲警告，告訴我如果再犯后果將會如何。我抽噎著，尷尬不已，羞愧難當，完全意識到了自己行為的嚴重性，也知道了如果沒有將它扼殺在萌芽中最終會導致什么結果——今天偷糖小賊，明天竊車大盜。

直到今天，通常當我站在糖果架附近的付款通道時，我還是會想起媽媽給我上的這一課。謝謝你，媽媽，是你讓我遠離了犯罪的道路。

（譯/劉克）

Off the Shelf

When I was ten years old, I lived with my family in a small ranch house[27] in rural South Jersey. I often accompanied my mother to the A&P[28]to buy groceries. We did not have a car, so we walked, and I would help her carry the bags.

My mother had to shop very carefully, as my father was on strike. She was a waitress, and her salary and tips barely sustained us. One day, while she was weighing prices, a promotional[29]display for the World Book Encyclopedia caught my eye. The volumes were cream-colored, with forest-green spines[30] stamped in gold. Volume I was ninety-nine cents with a ten-dollar purchase.

All I could think of, as we combed the aisles for creamed corn, dry milk, cans of Spam, and shredded[31] wheat, was the book, which I longed for with all my being. I stood at the register with my mother, holding my breath as the cashier rang up[32] the items. It came to over eleven dollars. My mother produced a five, some singles[33], and a handful of change. As she was counting out the money, I somehow found the courage to ask for the encyclopedia. "Could we get one?" I said, showing her the display. "It's only ninety-nine cents."

I did not understand my mother's increasing anxiety; she did not have enough change and had to sacrifice a large can of peas to pay the amount. "Not now, Patricia," she said sternly. "Today is not a good day." I packed the groceries and followed her home, crestfallen[34].

The next Saturday, my mother gave me a dollar and sent me to the A&P alone. Two quarts of milk and a loaf of bread—that's what a dollar bought in 1957. I went straight to the World Book display. There was only one first volume left, which I placed in my cart. I didn't need a cart, but took one so I could read as I went up and down the aisles. A lot of time went by, but I had little concept of time, a fact that often got me in trouble. I knew I had to leave, but I couldn't bear to part with the book. Impulsively I put it inside my shirt and zipped up[35] my plaid[36] windbreaker[37]. I was a tall, skinny kid, and I'm certain the shape of the book was obvious.

I strolled[38] the aisles for several more minutes, then went through the checkout, paid my dollar, swiftly bagged the three items, and headed home with my heart pounding.

Suddenly I felt a heavy tap on my shoulder and turned to find the biggest man I had ever seen. He was the store detective, and he asked me to hand it over. I just stood in silence. "We know you stole something—you will have to be searched." Horrified, I slid the heavy book out from the bottom of my shirt.

He looked at it quizzically[39]. "This is what you stole, an encyclopedia?"

"Yes," I whispered, trembling.

"Why didn't you ask your parents?"

"I did," I said, "but they didn't have the money."

"Do you know it's wrong?"

"Yes."

"Do you go to church?"

"Yes, twice a week."

"Well, you're going to have to tell your parents what you did."

"No, please."

"Then I will do it. What's the address?" I was silent.

"Well, I'll have to walk you home."

"No, please, I will tell them."

"Do you swear?"

"Yes, yes, sir."

My mother was worried when I arrived home. "Where were you? I needed the bread for your father's sandwiches. I told you to come right home."

And suddenly everything went green, like right before a tornado. My ears were ringing, I felt dizzy, and I threw up[40].

My mother tended to me immediately, as she always did. She had me lie on the couch and got a cold towel for my head and sat by me with her anxious expression.

"What is it, Patricia?" she asked. "Did something bad happen?"

"Yes," I whispered. "I stole something." I told her about my lust for the book, my wrongdoing, and the big detective. My mother was a good mother, but she could be explosive[41], and I tensed, waiting for the barrage[42] of verbal punishment, the sentencing that always seemed to outweigh the crime. But she said nothing. She told me that she would call the store and tell the detective I had confessed, and that I should sleep.

When I awoke, sometime later, the house was silent. My mother had taken my siblings to the field to play. I sat up and noticed a brown-paper bag with my name on it. I opened it and inside was the World Book Encyclopedia, Volume I.

(By Patti Smith)

竊書記

我10歲的時候，和家人一起住在南澤西郊區一個低矮的小平房里。我經常陪媽媽到A&P超市去買日用品。我們沒有車，所以都是走著去的，而我都會幫她拎袋子。

媽媽買東西必須精打細算，因為爸爸當時正在罷工。她是一個服務員，工資和小費加在一起也就勉強夠維持我們的生活。一天，當她在超市里比較價格時，《世界百科全書》的促銷展示吸引了我的注意。那是一套奶白色的書，暗綠色的書脊上面燙著金字。購物滿10美元就可以用99美分買這套書的第一冊。

當我們穿梭在超市貨架通道之間尋找著奶油玉米、奶粉、斯帕姆午餐肉罐頭和脆麥片條時，我滿腦子想的都是那本書，一門心思就想得到它。我和媽媽站在收銀臺旁，我屏住呼吸，看著收銀員輸入那些東西的金額結賬。總金額超過了11美元。媽媽拿出一張5美元、幾張1美元和一把零錢。在她數錢的時候，我不知怎的鼓起了勇氣問她要那本百科全書。“我們買一本行嗎？”我一邊說，一邊指著那個促銷展示讓她看，“只要99美分。”

我當時并不理解媽媽漸增的焦慮不安——她帶的零錢不夠，不得不放棄一大罐豌豆才夠付款?！艾F在不行，帕特里夏，”她厲聲說道，“今天不行?！蔽野奄I的雜貨都裝進袋子里，垂頭喪氣地跟著她回了家。

接下來的那個周六，媽媽給了我1美元，派我獨自去A&P超市買東西。我要買兩夸脫牛奶和一長條面包，在1957年，1美元可以買到這些。我徑直走到了《世界百科全書》的展臺。第一冊只剩下了一本，我把它放進了我的購物車。我并不需要購物車，但我卻推了一個，因為這樣我就能一邊看書一邊推著它在過道里走來走去。很長時間過去了，但我這個人向來沒有什么時間觀念——這經常讓我惹上麻煩。我知道我得走了，但又實在舍不得放下那本書。于是我一時沖動，將那本書塞進了我的襯衫里面，然后拉上了我那件印有格子圖案的防風夾克的拉鏈。那時的我長得又高又瘦，我敢肯定書的輪廓一定特別明顯。

我在過道里又轉悠了幾分鐘，然后走到收銀臺，付了1美元，迅速將三樣東西裝進袋子里，然后回家。我的心怦怦直跳。

突然，我覺得有人在我肩膀上重重拍了一下，我轉過身去，發現是一個大個子男人，那是我見過的塊頭最大的人。他是那家超市的保安，他讓我把東西交出來。我一聲不吭地站在那兒?！拔覀冎滥阃盗藮|西，你得讓我們搜身。”我嚇壞了，把那本厚重的書從襯衣下擺處滑了出來。

他大惑不解地看著那本書?！斑@就是你偷的東西，一本百科全書？”

“是的。”我小聲回答，身體有點兒發抖。

“為什么不讓你的父母買給你呢？”

“我問過，”我說，“但他們沒有錢?！?

“你知道這是不對的嗎？”

“我知道?！?

“你去教堂做禮拜嗎？”

“是的，每周去兩次?！?

“好吧，你得告訴你的父母你都做了什么?！?

“不要，求求你了。”

“那我來告訴他們。你們家住哪兒？”我沒回答。

“好吧，那我就得送你回家了。”

“不要，求你了，我會告訴他們的。”

“你發誓？”

“是的，是的，先生?！?

當我到家的時候，媽媽急壞了?！澳闳ツ膬毫?？我等著用面包給你爸爸做三明治呢。我告訴過你要直接回家的啊?！?

突然，我感覺眼前的一切都變暗了，就好像龍卷風即將來臨前一樣。我的耳朵嗡嗡作響，我覺得頭昏眼花，然后就吐了。

媽媽立刻開始照顧起我來，就像她經常做的那樣。她讓我躺在沙發上，拿了一條冷毛巾敷在我的額頭上，然后一臉擔心地坐在我身邊。

“怎么了，帕特里夏？”她問，“是不是發生了什么不好的事兒？”

“是的，”我低聲說，“我偷東西了。”我告訴了她我對那本書的渴望，我犯下的錯，還有那個大個子保安的事兒。我媽媽是一個好媽媽，不過她脾氣火爆，所以我很緊張，等著她大罵我一頓，等著接受那似乎總比所犯的錯要重的懲罰。但她什么都沒說。她告訴我她會給超市打電話，告訴那個保安我已經坦白了，然后讓我好好睡一覺。

我睡了一段時間醒來后，發現屋子里靜悄悄的。媽媽帶我的兄弟姐妹們去院子里玩了。我坐起身來，看到了一個寫著我名字的棕色紙袋。我打開袋子，里面正是那本《世界百科全書》第一冊。

（譯/張玲）

The Shaved Eyebrows

It was evening and time for my little sister and me to take our showers and get ready for bed. As I passed the mirror in the bathroom, there it was—a wild hair right in the middle of my forehead, threatening to be the beginning of the third eyebrow. I went into the shower trying to think of a solution, and then I spotted a razor. I took it and started trying to shave off the savage hair.

Usually I would trust my mom's advice about what to do in this sort of situation, but this was just too complicated for her—or so I thought. Well, while I was shaving that hair off, the razor slipped, and I ended up shaving off half my eyebrow! Then I did what any girl would do in this situation—I tried to even them out[43]. When I was finished, I looked in the mirror. It was a disaster! I tried to figure out if there was any way to fix this mess. Thankfully, I found a way to hide my mistake. I put my bangs[44] over my eyebrows. It worked perfectly!

Just then my parents called me to come and say good night. Nobody noticed my eyebrows, but they did notice my little sister's eyebrows! It turned out that while I was fighting the stray hair, she had found another razor in the drawer and began copying me. Now her eyebrows were completely missing! My parents were very confused until they finally noticed that half my eyebrows were gone as well[45]. After a lot of questioning, I broke down[46] and confessed to what had happened.

I thought that my parents would be mad at me until my mom took me aside to tell me that when she was a preteen, she had done a similar thing. In her case, it was her underarms[47]. While away at camp on a swimming day, she was extremely embarrassed because she had some long hairs in her armpits[48]. My grandma, her mom, had told her she was too young to shave yet. But she went against her mom's wishes and borrowed her friend's razor and shaved her armpits. Then she wrote her mom a confession letter telling her that she had done a terrible thing and that she was very sorry. At the very end of this long two-page letter, she finally told her mom what she had done. As my grandma read through the letter, she was so worried about this terrible thing that her daughter had done that by the end of the letter she laughed, because she was just so relieved[49] to find out about what had actually happened. My grandmother totally understood how my mom had felt, just like my mom now understood me.

This ended up bringing my mom and me even closer together. I still wouldn't ever recommend trying to shave your eyebrows. I suggest that you find a different way to get closer to your mom!

As for my little sister, it took a long time for her eyebrows to grow back in. From then on, I've learned to be a better example to her because she still copies everything I do!

(By Ariel Subrahmanyam)

眉毛刮掉以后

某一天晚上，我和妹妹是時間去洗個澡，準備上床睡覺了。當我從浴室的鏡子前走過時，我看到了它——我前額正中間的那綹亂發，似乎要長成我的第三條眉毛了。我一邊洗澡，一邊努力想著解決辦法，然后我看見了剃刀。我拿起它，開始試著把那綹亂發剃掉。

通常，我都會聽從媽媽關于如何處理這類問題的建議，但這個問題對她來說太復雜了——或者我是這樣認為的。然而就在我剃那綹頭發的時候，剃刀一滑，結果我的半條眉毛被剃掉了！然后，我做了任何一個女孩在這種情況下都會做的事——我試圖將兩邊的眉毛修成一樣的。弄完后，我照了照鏡子，卻發現慘不忍睹！我努力想找個法子搞定這一團糟。謝天謝地，我找到了一個辦法來掩飾這個失誤。我用前額的劉海遮住了眉毛。效果好極了！

就在那時，父母喊我去和他們道晚安。誰都沒有注意到我的眉毛，但他們卻都注意到了妹妹的眉毛！原來，就在我處理那綹散亂的頭發時，妹妹在抽屜里又找了把剃刀，開始照著我的樣子做。現在，她的眉毛完全沒了！父母非常困惑，直到他們最終發現我的一半眉毛也不見了。經過一番追問，我哭了，坦承了發生的一切。

我以為父母會生我的氣，但媽媽卻把我帶到一邊，告訴我她在十一二歲時也做過類似的事情。只不過她那次是發生在腋下。在外出露營游泳的時候，她覺得非常難為情，因為她的腋毛太長了。她的媽媽，也就是我的外婆曾告訴過她，她還沒到該刮腋毛的年齡。但她違背外婆的意愿，借了朋友的一把剃刀，把自己的腋毛刮掉了。然后，她給外婆寫了一封懺悔信，說自己做了一件很可怕的事，感到非常抱歉。在那封長達兩頁的信的末尾，她才最終告訴外婆自己做了什么。外婆讀那封信時，一直在擔心自己女兒所做的那件可怕的事情，但讀到信的結尾時，她笑了。因為她終于知道到底發生了什么，長長地松了一口氣。外婆完全理解媽媽那時的感受，就像媽媽現在理解我一樣。

這件事讓我和媽媽變得更親密了。我仍然無論何時都不會贊成你試著刮掉自己的眉毛。建議你另找一個方法來拉近你和媽媽之間的距離！

至于我的小妹妹，過了很長一段時間她的眉毛才長回原樣。從那時起，我學會了為她樹立一個更好的榜樣，因為她仍然會模仿我做的一切！

（譯/朱孝萍）

Oh, to Be Rich with Mom's Cake!

I lay on my bed, legs propped up[50] against the wall, desperately wishing my mother would call. But I remembered the last time I'd seen her, right before the train for Providence pulled out[51] of the station, "You know how expensive it is to call," she said, then squeezed me tight and said good-bye.

This was my first birthday away from home. I missed my mom, missed my sister, and most certainly missed the special pound cake[52] my mother always made for my birthday. Since getting to college that year, I would watch jealously as the other freshmen received care packages from their parents on their birthdays—and even on ordinary days. Big boxes containing summer slacks[53] and blouses, packages of M&M's and Snickers[54], things they needed and things they didn't. Instead of feeling thrilled about my upcoming eighteenth birthday, I felt empty. I wished my mom would send me something, too, but I knew that she couldn't afford presents or the postage. She had done her best with my sister and me—raising us by herself. The simple truth was there just was never enough money.

But that didn't stop her from filling us with dreams. "You can be anything you want to be," she would tell us. "Politicians, dancers, writers—you just have to work for it; you have to get an education."

For a long time, because of my mother's resourcefulness[55], I didn't realize that we were poor. She did so much with so little. She owned and took care of our house. She clothed and fed us. She found ways to get us scholarships so that we could take violin, piano and viola[56] lessons from some of the best teachers in Philadelphia. She never missed an opportunity to have a tête-à-tête[57] with our schoolteachers, and she attended all our plays and musical performances. My mother had high hopes for my sister and me. She saw the way out of poverty for us was education. We didn't play with the other children on the street, didn't jump double-dutch[58] or stay out late on the porch laughing and talking with our neighbors. We were inside doing our homework and reading books. She sat with us while we did our work and taught us how to learn what she didn't know by plowing through[59] the World Book Encyclopedia or visiting the library.

She did it all on 800 dollars a month and what a struggle it was for her.

"Please, Mom, can we go to the movies?" We'd beg.

"No, we can watch a movie at home," she'd say, turning to the movie channel.

"Can't we get nicer pants than these ugly green things?" We'd say as we went through the black plastic bag filled with hand-me-downs[60] from our cousins.

"These will do you fine[61] for now," Mom would say.

"Why can't I have money to buy French fries after school?" I would plead, my nostrils full with the remembered smell of sizzling[62] grease and freshly salted potatoes.

"No, you don't need that mess. Besides, I've made pea soup with carrots and potatoes."

She never bought anything that she could make herself.

I felt our lack most deeply after Christmas, when the other kids talked about the new games and expensive outfits[63] they had found tucked under their live Christmas trees. I didn't mention our silver tree that we unpacked and repacked every year, or that there were only a couple of items for me under the tree: some books, socks, maybe a pair of shoes that I needed. And because my dad wasn't around, Mom pressed me into service[64]—I would wrap my younger sister's gifts so that she could wake up excitedly, believing that Santa had left gifts for her under the tree.

Thanks to my mom's sacrifices and big dreams, I'd made it to the Ivy League: Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Yet I was afraid that I wouldn't measure up to[65] the other students. They seemed to exude[66] confidence and the smell of money. I felt so lost, so far away, as if my mom had said, "Well, if you're old enough to go six hours away, you're old enough to take care of yourself."

As I was recalling these things, my roommate joined me on the bed. "Hey. After we study, let's buy ice cream and cake." I nodded, closed my eyes, and imagined the cake Mom would have made. She would take out her mixer and the chrome[67] bowl, then add the butter that she'd let sit out[68] until it was soft. She would pour in the sugar grains[69] in a narrow stream. Mmm. I could see the golden yellow of each of the twelve eggs, swallowed under the rapid blur of the spinning beaters, and I could almost smell the vanilla and nutmeg filling the house while the cake baked.

As I daydreamed, there was a knock on the door. My roommate opened it to find a deliveryman asking for me. He handed her a large box, which she carefully placed on the desk near my bed. "Open it." I did, and inside was a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. In icing were the words: "Happy Birthday, Sande! Love, Mom." My skin tingled[70] with excitement, as if Mom were right there hugging me close. How had she managed to afford it? I felt as if I were back at home with her, safe and secure while she sang and told me how much she loved having me in her life. I ran out to the hall and knocked on my dormmates' doors. "Birthday cake," I called. As I cut cake for the students gathered in my room, then watched their faces as they ate, I didn't need to eat to feel both full and rich inside.

(By Sande Smith)

媽媽的蛋糕

我躺在床上，雙腿靠在墻上，拼命希望媽媽會打電話來。但我想起了我上一次見她時——就在開往普羅維登斯的火車即將駛出車站時——她對我說：“你知道打電話有多貴?！比缓缶o緊地抱了抱我就道別離開了。

這是我離開家過的第一個生日，我想念媽媽，想念妹妹，當然，我最想念的還是我過生日時，媽媽總會為我做的那個特別的重糖重油蛋糕。自從那年上大學后，我總會妒忌地注視著其他新生在過生日的時候，甚至是平常的日子里，收到他們的父母寄來的愛心包裹。一大盒一大盒的夏季長褲和休閑衫，一包包的M&M's巧克力豆和士力架——他們需要的和不需要的東西。對于即將到來的18歲生日，我不但沒有感到興奮，反而覺得空虛。我希望媽媽也會寄些東西給我，但我知道她買不起禮物，也付不起郵資。她獨自撫養我和妹妹已經盡了全力了。事實很簡單：我們的錢永遠不夠花。

但那并沒有阻止她給我們灌輸夢想?！澳銈兿氤蔀槭裁礃拥娜司湍艹蔀槭裁礃拥娜耍彼龝@樣告訴我們，“政治家、舞蹈家、作家——你們只需要為之努力奮斗，你們必須受教育。”

很長一段時間，因為母親的足智多謀，我并沒有意識到我們的貧窮。她用那么少的錢卻做了那么多的事。她買下并打理著我們的房子。她讓我們有衣穿，有飯吃。她想辦法讓我們拿到獎學金，好讓我們去上費城一些最好的老師教授的小提琴、鋼琴和中提琴課。她從來不會錯過和我們的老師私下交流的機會。她觀看我們所有的比賽和音樂演奏會。媽媽對我和妹妹寄予了厚望。她明白只有教育才能讓我們擺脫貧窮。我們不和其他孩子一起在街上玩耍，不跳交叉繩，也不在屋外的門廊上和鄰居們說笑到很晚。我們都待在家里做作業、看書。我們做作業的時候，媽媽就坐在一旁，教我們如何通過查閱《世界百科全書》或者去圖書館學習她不懂的內容。

她每個月只用800美元就做成了所有這些事。對她來說，這多么不容易啊！

“求你了，媽媽，我們可以去看電影嗎？”我們會這樣懇求。

“不行。我們可以在家看電影?！彼龝@樣回答，同時把電視調到電影頻道。

我們翻著黑塑料袋里親戚們穿過的那些舊衣服時，會說：“這些綠褲子太難看了，難道我們就不能穿比這好看一點的褲子嗎？”

“這些衣服你們現在穿正合適?！眿寢寱@樣說。

“為什么不能給我點兒錢，讓我放學后買薯條吃呢？”我會這么懇求，鼻子里滿是記憶中咝咝作響的熱油和新炸出來的加鹽薯條的香味。

“不，你不需要吃那些亂七八糟的東西。而且，我已經做了加胡蘿卜和土豆的豌豆湯給你喝。”

凡是她能自己動手做的東西，她從來不會花錢去買。

最讓我深切地感到我們物質匱乏是在圣誕節之后，那個時候別的孩子都在大談特談他們在真正的圣誕樹下找到的那些新玩具和昂貴的套裝。我從不跟別人提及我們那棵每年過圣誕節時拆開包裝、過了圣誕節再包起來的銀色圣誕樹，也不提圣誕樹下為我準備的只有幾個零星小物件：幾本書、襪子，也許還有我需要的一雙鞋。因為爸爸不在身邊，所以媽媽就硬讓我幫著干活——給妹妹包裝禮物，好讓她在第二天早上興奮地醒來，相信圣誕老人在圣誕樹下給她留了禮物。

感謝媽媽的犧牲和她的那些大夢想，我考上了常春藤盟校：位于羅得島州普羅維登斯的布朗大學。但我擔心我不能和其他學生相比。他們似乎全身上下洋溢著自信和錢的味道。我感到那么迷惘、那么遠離人群，就好像媽媽曾說過：“唔，如果你已經長大了，能到六小時路程以外的地方去，那你也就到了能照顧好自己的年紀了。”

在我回想這些的時候，我的室友坐到了我床上?！班耍粤暫?，我們去買冰淇淋和蛋糕吃吧！”我點了點頭，閉上眼睛，想象著媽媽會做的那種蛋糕。她會取出她的攪拌器和那只鉻碗，然后把她早已放在一邊變得松軟的黃油加入其中。然后，她會將細砂糖如小溪流般倒進去。嗯。我仿佛看見那12個雞蛋的每一個金黃色的蛋黃在那高速旋轉的攪拌器的攪拌下被吞沒。我幾乎能夠聞到正在烘焙的蛋糕發出的香草和肉豆蔻的香味，充滿了整個屋子。

正當我做著白日夢的時候，傳來了一陣敲門聲。我的室友打開門，看到一個郵遞員，是找我的。他遞給我的室友一個大大的盒子，她小心翼翼地將它放在我床邊的桌上?！按蜷_它?！蔽掖蜷_盒子，里面是一個撒著巧克力糖霜的香草味蛋糕。蛋糕的糖衣上寫著：“生日快樂，桑德！愛你的媽媽。”我的皮膚因興奮而感到一陣陣發麻，好像媽媽就站在這兒緊緊地抱著我一樣。她是怎么設法付的錢呢？我感到自己好像又回到了家，和媽媽在一起，媽媽為我唱著生日歌，并且告訴我她多么高興這輩子有我這個女兒，我感到平安無憂。我跑到大廳里，敲開舍友們的門?！吧盏案?！”我喊道。當我為聚集在我宿舍里的同學們切好蛋糕，然后看著她們吃的時候，我不需要吃蛋糕就覺得肚子飽飽的，心里滿滿的。

（譯/李荷卿）

The Best Mother

Terri Wilson stomped[71] her foot. She was the only student left in the schoolyard. And it was raining. Finally, her mother's car turned into the parking lot.

"You're late!" Terri said as she got in the car.

"Sorry. I had to take Snowball to the veterinarian[72] for his shots," her mother said. "I almost didn't come. I thought you'd be walking home. Then I remembered you wouldn't wear your raincoat this morning."

Terri scowled[73]. No one in sixth grade wore raincoats!

Their small white dog pawed at her knee. "Snowball! Get down! Bad dog! You're getting hair all over me."

"Terri, he's just glad to see you."

Terri sighed and patted the trembling animal. "Sorry, boy. I didn't mean to yell."

Mrs. Wilson stopped the car in the driveway. Terri helped carry the groceries into the kitchen. Grumbling[74] to herself, she pulled a carton of milk, some cans of apple juice, and a box of oatmeal from a bag. Why couldn't her mother buy chocolate milk and carbonated[75] drinks and sugar-frosted[76] puffs like Mrs. Hanson bought for Laurie?

Her two older brothers trooped into the kitchen. "We're starving. Is there anything to eat?"

Mrs. Wilson pointed to the fruit bowl and the boys grabbed the last two apples. Half a dozen oranges remained in the bowl. Terri clenched[77]her fists. She hated peeling oranges. Wishing she were an only child like Jill MacDonald, she stomped off to her room.

Where was her tape player? She pawed aimlessly through the scattered piles of papers, books, and tapes littering her floor. Her mother refused to clean her bedroom; she said eleven-year-olds should be responsible for their own things. Terri snorted. Susan Brown was twelve, and her mother still picked up for her.

That evening Terri turned her basket of clean clothes upside down. The only pajamas she could find were the red flannel ones. She loved the soft feel of the material, but she hated the bright color. She called down the hall. "Did you do a wash today?"

"Yes."

"Did you wash my blue pajamas?"

"I don't think so. In fact, I don't think I washed anything of yours. Did you put your clothes in the hamper[78]?"

Terri ground her teeth. She hated carrying her dirty clothes to the stupid hamper in the utility room. Why couldn't her mother gather up her laundry? After all, she walked by Terri's room at least fifty times a day. Amanda Cummings' mother always made sure her favorite clothes were clean. Once Amanda wore the same purple capris[79] every day for two weeks. She said her mom washed it every night and had it ready for her to wear the next day.

Terri pulled on the red pajamas and snuggled[80] up to Buster, her teddy bear. Mom will have to sew his poor arm on again, she thought, closing her eyes.

Moments later, she heard a noise. Someone was vacuuming[81]. She opened one eye, then bolted[82] upright. There was Susan Brown's mother, cleaning the bedroom in the middle of the night?

Terri looked around the room, confused. Mrs. Brown had picked up all her clothes and toys and lined her shelves with books and tapes.

"I can't sew this threadbare[83] thing!" yelled Mrs. Brown. She was swinging Buster Bear around her head by one ragged ear. "We'll just have to throw it away!"

"I can't throw out Buster. He's my friend. I've had him since I was six months old."

"Then you've had him long enough. You'll sleep much better without this piece of rubbish. And remember, Snowball stays in his doghouse. If I find one white hair on your bed, it's off to the pound[84] with him." Mrs. Brown sniffed and disappeared in a flash of light.

"Terri, I have a present for you." Amanda Cummings' mother appeared, holding a pair of designer[85] jeans. Terri whooped with delight. She tried to hug Mrs. Cummings, but the woman pushed her away. "Be careful! You'll wrinkle[86] my blouse!"

The pants fit perfectly, but they didn't feel right. "Uh, Mrs. Cummings, they're stiff[87]."

"Well, of course. That's the very latest fashion."

"But I like only soft clothes. Couldn't you do what my mother does and run them through the washing machine a few times before I start to wear them?"

"Certainly not. What's the point of buying the newest styles if you're going to ruin them right away? As soon as you get home, change clothes so you don't ruin those jeans."

Terri nodded miserably[88]. She hated changing clothes after school. Then she heard Jill MacDonald's mother call her to supper. Holding the jeans, Mrs. Cummings vanished.

Terri looked down and found herself at the kitchen table. She saw scalloped[89] potatoes, broccoli with a yucky[90] cheese sauce, and a chicken cutlet on her plate. Mrs. MacDonald asked her what was wrong.

"My brothers and I don't like scalloped potatoes, so my mom doesn't make them. We don't like cheese sauce either, so she just gives us plain broccoli."

Mrs. MacDonald raised an eyebrow. "Well, my husband and I like scalloped potatoes and cheese sauce. I'm not going to change our diet just to accommodate[91] one child. You may leave the table if you don't wish to eat what is being served."

Suddenly, Mrs. Hanson was in the kitchen. For breakfast she put out frosted puffs and soda. They tasted terrific. Terri had two big bowls of the cereal and three tall glasses of the drink. But, later, at gym class, she couldn't finish the relay race. Her legs felt wobbly[92] and her stomach was queasy[93]. She groaned[94].

"Terri, honey! Wake up!"

Terri opened her eyes. Snowball was standing on her chest, licking her face, and Buster Bear was lying on her pillow.

Her mother leaned over the bed. "I heard you call out. Were you having a dream?"

Terri shuddered[95]. "It was more like a nightmare."

"Shall I make you some warm milk?"

Terri shook her head. She reached up and hugged her mother. "Could you just stay with me for a minute?"

Mrs. Wilson smiled and sat down, her arms around her daughter. "This is nice. Lately, I've been thinking you were all grown-up and didn't want hugs anymore."

"Oh, Mom! I'll never be so grown-up that I won't need hugs from you. You're the best mother in the world."

(By Liddell Sharen)

最棒的媽媽

特麗·威爾遜使勁跺著腳。校園里只剩下她一個學生了。天還在下著雨。終于，她媽媽的車轉進了停車場。

“你來晚了！”特麗邊上車邊說。

“對不起。我得帶雪球去獸醫那兒打針，”她媽媽解釋說，“我差點就不來了。我以為你會自己走回家呢。后來想起來你今天早上出門時不愿意穿雨衣?！?

特麗皺了皺眉頭。六年級生中才沒人穿雨衣呢！

他們家的小白狗把爪子搭在她的膝蓋上。“雪球！下去！你這只臭狗！你弄得我渾身都是狗毛。”

“特麗，它只是很高興看見你。”

特麗嘆了口氣，輕輕拍了拍嚇得瑟瑟發抖的小狗?！皩Σ黄?，小家伙。我不是故意朝你吼的。”

威爾遜太太把車停在了家門口的車道上。特麗幫忙把買的食品拿進廚房。她一邊從袋子里拽出一盒牛奶、幾罐蘋果汁和一盒燕麥片，一邊嘀嘀咕咕地發著牢騷。她的媽媽怎么就不能像漢森太太給勞麗買東西那樣，買些巧克力牛奶、碳酸飲料還有糖霜泡芙呢？

她的兩個哥哥一起走進廚房。“我們餓死了。有沒有吃的?。俊?

威爾遜太太指了指果盤，兩個男孩搶走了最后兩個蘋果。果盤里就剩下六個橙子了。特麗氣得攥緊了拳頭。她討厭剝橙子皮。她使勁跺著腳，回到了自己的房間。她多么希望自己和吉爾·麥克唐納一樣是家里的獨生女??！

她的錄音機在哪兒呢？她像一只無頭蒼蠅似的在地板上左一堆右一堆的紙啊、書啊、磁帶里翻找起來。她的媽媽拒絕為她打掃房間，說11歲大的孩子應該自己負責自己的事情了。特麗不屑地哼了一聲。蘇珊·布朗都12歲了，她媽媽還幫她收拾房間呢。

那天晚上，特麗把她那一籃干凈衣服翻了個底朝天，可是只找到了那套紅色法蘭絨睡衣。她很喜歡法蘭絨那種柔軟的感覺，但她不喜歡那種鮮亮的顏色。她朝樓下客廳喊道：“你今天洗衣服了嗎？”

“洗了啊。”

“那你洗我的藍色睡衣了嗎？”

“好像沒洗。實際上，我洗的衣服里沒有一件是你的。你把衣服放到洗衣籃里了嗎？”

特麗氣得咬牙切齒。她討厭把臟衣服拿到雜物間，放到那只丑得要命的洗衣籃里。媽媽為什么就不能幫她收一下要洗的衣服呢？不管怎么說，她一天至少要路過特麗的房間50次。阿曼達·卡明斯的媽媽總是確保阿曼達最喜歡的衣服是干凈的。有一次阿曼達連續兩個星期每天都穿同一條紫色的緊身褲。她說她媽媽每天晚上幫她把褲子洗好，準備好第二天給她穿。

特麗套上紅色睡衣，然后依偎在她的泰迪熊巴斯特旁邊。媽媽得再把巴斯特可憐的胳膊縫一下了，她一邊想著，一邊閉上了眼睛。

過了一會兒，她聽到一陣聲響，是有人在用吸塵器。她睜開一只眼睛，然后迅速坐直了身子。是蘇珊·布朗的媽媽，她怎么深更半夜打掃臥室?。?

特麗看了看房間四周，困惑不已。布朗太太把她的所有衣服和玩具都收拾好了，還把她的書和磁帶整整齊齊地擺在了書架上。

“這破玩意兒我可縫不了！”布朗太太喊道。她拎著大熊巴斯特的一只破耳朵，在她腦袋邊晃來晃去?！霸蹅儼阉拥羲懔?！”

“我可不能把巴斯特扔掉。他是我的朋友。我六個月大的時候他就跟著我了?！?

“那他陪你的時間也夠長的了。沒有這件垃圾陪著你，你會睡得更好。還有記住，雪球必須待在它的狗屋里。如果我在你床上發現一根白色的狗毛，我就馬上把這根狗毛和雪球一起送到動物收容所去?！辈祭侍懿恍嫉卣f完這番話，然后消失在一道光里。

“特麗，我有份禮物給你?！卑⒙_·卡明斯的媽媽出現了，手里拿了一條出自名設計師之手的牛仔褲。特麗高興地歡呼起來。她想抱抱卡明斯太太，可這個女人一下子把她推開了?！靶⌒狞c兒！你會把我的衣服弄皺的！”

褲子很合身，但穿著感覺有點不對勁?！斑?，卡明斯太太，褲子有點兒硬?！?

“對啊，那當然。那才是最新流行款式啊?！?

“但我只喜歡柔軟的衣服。你就不能像我媽媽那樣，在我穿新衣服之前把它們放到洗衣機里轉幾次嗎？”

“當然不行。要是像你這樣買回來之后馬上就把衣服毀了，那我們買最新款的衣服還有什么意義啊？你一回到家就要換衣服，這樣才不會把牛仔褲弄壞?！?

特麗痛苦地點了點頭。她討厭放學回家后就換衣服。然后她又聽見吉爾·麥克唐納的媽媽叫她吃晚飯。而卡明斯太太拿著牛仔褲消失不見了。

特麗低頭看了看，發現自己坐在了餐桌前。她看見自己的盤子里擺著加味烤土豆，澆了令人厭惡的芝士醬的西蘭花，還有雞排。麥克唐納太太問她哪里不對勁。

“我哥哥和我都不喜歡吃加味烤土豆，所以我媽媽不做。我們也不喜歡芝士醬，所以她給我們做的西蘭花什么也不放。”

麥克唐納太太豎起眉毛，說：“但是，我先生和我都喜歡加味烤土豆和芝士醬。我可不打算為了伺候一個小孩而改變我們的飲食習慣。你要是不想吃桌上的這些東西，可以離開餐桌。”

突然，漢森太太出現在了廚房里。她端出糖霜泡芙和蘇打水當早餐。太美味了！特麗吃了兩大碗麥片粥，喝了三大杯飲料。但是后來，在體育課上，她都沒法跑完接力賽了。她雙腿發顫，胃里感到一陣陣惡心。她哼哼起來。

“特麗，寶貝兒！醒醒！”

特麗睜開眼睛。雪球趴在她胸口上舔她的臉，而大熊巴斯特則躺在她的枕頭上。

她媽媽站在床邊，俯下身來?！拔覄偛怕犚娔愦舐暯袉?。你是不是做夢了？”

特麗打了個寒顫。“更像是個噩夢?！?

“要不要我給你倒點熱牛奶？”

特麗搖搖頭。她起身摟著媽媽。“你能不能就陪我待一分鐘？”

威爾遜太太微微一笑，坐下來，雙手摟著她的女兒?！罢婧冒　Ｗ罱疫€一直以為，你們都已經長大了，都不想再要我抱了呢。”

“哦，媽媽！不管我長多大，我都需要你的擁抱。你是世界上最棒的媽媽！”

（譯/雷起鳳）

How the Moon Was Kind to Her Mother

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[96] dress that rustled[97] 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[98] 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[99] with all its yellow hair in disdain[100] 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[101] 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[102] 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[103].

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[104] 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[105], but you shall wax[106] 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, and bright, and beautiful.

(By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey)

月亮對母親的愛

從前，在很久很久以前，太陽、風和月亮是三姐妹，她們的母親是黑暗夜空中遙遠地閃爍著的一顆很淡卻又很美麗的星星。

有一天，三姐妹的叔叔和嬸嬸，也就是雷公和電母，邀請三姐妹去和他們共進晚餐，母親也允許她們去赴約。她說她會等著她們，在她們歸來之前不會落下，還要聽她們聊聊這次愉快的拜訪。

于是，太陽穿上金色的衣服，風穿上一件拖尾裙，走過時發出沙沙的聲響，月亮穿上一件漂亮的銀色長禮服，三姐妹出發前往雷公和電母的宴會。哦，這真是一頓令人難忘的晚餐！餐桌上鋪著彩虹桌布。冰塊好似山頂上的白雪，蛋糕似云朵一樣柔軟、潔白，還有來自世界各地的水果。三姐妹吃得很飽，尤其是太陽和風兩個貪吃鬼，盤子里連面包屑也沒有剩下。只有體貼的月亮惦記著她的母親。她把自己晚餐的一部分藏在了纖長、白皙的手指里，準備帶回家和她的星星母親分享。

然后，三姐妹向雷公和電母道別回家。她們到家時，看見星星母親還在那里閃爍著，等著她們，正如她之前所承諾的一樣。

她問：“你們都從晚宴上給我帶回來什么好吃的了？”

太陽把滿頭的金發輕蔑地一甩，回答自己的母親。

“我為什么要給你帶吃的？”她問，“我出去玩是為了自己開心，不會想到你?！?

風的態度和太陽的如出一轍。她裹上飄拂的長袍，轉身背對著自己的母親。

“我也是為了自己開心才出去玩的，”她說，“母親，你又沒和我在一起，為什么我要想到你呢？”

但月亮和她兩個貪婪自私的姐姐截然不同。她將白皙甜美的臉龐轉向母親，向她伸出纖長的手。

“母親，你看，”月亮大聲說，“我把盤子里的每一種美食都給你帶了一部分。我只吃了一半，因為我想和你一起分享?！?

于是母親端來一個金盤子，將她無私的女兒月亮帶回來的食物堆得高高的。母親吃完食物，轉過身面向她的三個孩子，她有重要的話要對她們說。她首先對著太陽說話了。

“你粗心又自私，我的女兒，”她說，“你出去只顧著自己玩樂，卻不會想到有人獨自留在家中。今后不會再有人愛你了。你的光線會變得滾燙和灼熱，任何東西碰到它都會被灼傷。當你出現的時候，人們都抱著自己的頭，跑得遠遠地躲著你?！?

這就是為什么直到今天，太陽滾燙且熾熱的原因。

接下來，母親對風說：

“你也一樣，我的女兒，一直以來都無情且貪婪，”她說，“你也只顧著自己開心，不會考慮到其他任何人。你將在你太陽姐姐的灼熱里刮起風來，你所碰觸到的萬物都將凋謝、枯萎。不但從此沒有人會喜歡你，而且所有人都會討厭你并躲著你?！?

這也是為什么直到現在，天氣炎熱時刮起的熱風令人如此不舒服的原因。

但是最后，母親對著她善良的女兒月亮說：

“你掛念著母親，一點都不自私，”她說，“那些惦記著自己母親的人會得到美好的祝福。你的光線將一直涼爽、靜謐而美麗。你會虧缺，但也會再轉盈。你照亮黑夜，所有人都認為你是神圣的。”

正因為如此，今天的月亮才能如此清涼、明亮和美麗。

（譯/黃德宗）

The Meanest Mother

I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal[107], eggs or toast[108]. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from the other kids' also. But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang[109]. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less—not one hour and one minute.

We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath . The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults[110] because she made our clothes herself, just to save money.

The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept—my mother actually had the nerve[111] to break the Child Labor Law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook, all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.

Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. Our marks in school had to be up to par[112]. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would settle for[113] nothing less than[114] ugly black marks.

As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out.

My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested or divorced. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country.

She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. Using this as a background, I am now trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children call me mean. Why? Because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the whole world.

(By Bobbie Pingaro)

最無情的母親

我有全世界最無情的母親。別的孩子早餐吃糖果，我必須吃谷類食品、雞蛋或吐司。別的孩子午餐喝可樂、吃糖果，我必須吃三明治。可想而知，我的晚餐也和別的孩子不同。不過，好在我不是一個人受這些苦。我還有一個姐姐和兩個哥哥，他們和我一樣有一個無情的母親。

我的母親堅持要隨時對我們的行蹤了如指掌。你一定覺得我們是一幫被拴在同一條鏈子上的囚犯。她必須知道我們的朋友們是誰、我們打算去哪里。她堅持認為如果我們說要出去一小時，就只能在外面待一小時或少于一小時——不能是一小時零一分。

我們必須每天都穿干凈的衣服，并且每天洗澡。而其他孩子的衣服總是一穿就好幾天。最讓我們感到丟臉的是，為了省錢，我們的衣服都是她自己做的。

最糟的還在后面呢。我們每晚都必須9點以前睡覺，第二天早晨8點起床。我們不能像朋友們一樣睡到中午才起床。所以當他們在睡覺時，我的母親實際上正在勇敢地違反童工法。她讓我們干活。我們得洗盤子、鋪床、學做飯和其他各種各樣痛苦的事情。我相信她一定是徹夜不眠地盤算著如何無情地折磨我們。

這么多年來，這樣的狀況沒有得到絲毫改善。我們不能像朋友們一樣，躺在床上裝病來逃課。我們在學校的成績必須達標。朋友們的成績單上總是有各種漂亮的顏色，黑色表示及格，紅色表示不及格。而我的母親在這一點上仍是與眾不同，她只滿足于那些難看的黑乎乎的分數。

時間一年年地過去，母親的所作所為讓我們各個兄弟姐妹感到無地自容。我們全都高中畢業了。由于母親在身后不停地嘮叨、打罵并要求得到尊重，我們中沒人享受到輟學的樂趣。

作為母親，我的媽媽是一個徹頭徹尾的失敗者。我們四個孩子中，有兩個獲得了接受高等教育的機會。我們中沒有人被捕，也沒有人離婚。我的哥哥們都服了兵役，為國效力。

她迫使我們成長為虔誠的、有教養的、誠實的成年人。利用這樣的人生背景，如今的我正在努力撫養我的三個孩子。當我的孩子們說我很無情時，我的心中充滿了自豪。為什么呢？因為現在我每天都會感謝上帝，謝謝他賜予了我一個世界上最無情的母親。

（譯/雷起鳳）

The Potato Puppy

My four-year-old son, Shane, had been asking for a puppy for over a month, but his daddy kept saying, "No dogs!"

One day I was peeling[115] potatoes for dinner, and Shane was sitting on the floor at my feet asking for the thousands time, "Why won't Daddy let me have a puppy?" "Because they'll bring us trouble. Don't cry. Maybe Daddy will change his mind someday," I encouraged him. "No, he won't, and I won't have a puppy in a million years," Shane cried. I looked at his dirty, tearful face and said, "I know a way to make Daddy change his mind." "Really?" Shane wiped away his tears.

I handed him a potato. "Take this and carry it with you until it turns into a puppy," I whispered[116]. "Keep it with you all the time, and on the third day, tie a string around it and take it around the yard and see what happens!"

Shane took the potato with both hands. "Mama, how do you turn a potato into a puppy?" He turned it over and over in his little hands.

"Shh! It's a secret!" I whispered and sent him on his way. I knew what I must do to keep peace in my home.

Shane carried his potato around everywhere for two days. He slept with it, bathed with it and talked to it.

On the third day I said to my husband, "We really should get a pet for Shane." "What makes you think he needs a pet?" my husband asked. "Well, he's been carrying a potato around with him for days. He calls it Wally and says it is his pet. He sleeps with it on his pillow and right now he has a string tied to it and he's dragging it around the yard," I said. "A potato?" My husband asked and looked out of the window and watched Shane taking his potato for a walk." It will break his heart when the potato goes bad," I said and started getting lunch ready. "Besides, every time I try to peel potatoes for dinner, Shane cries because he says I'm killing Wally's family." My husband asked, "My son has a pet potato? That's crazy!" "Maybe you're right, but explain to me why he is taking that potato around the yard on a string," I said. My husband watched our son for a few more minutes. "I'll bring home a puppy tonight. It's better than a potato."

That night Shane's daddy brought home a puppy. Everyone was happy. My husband thought he'd saved his son from going crazy. Shane had a puppy and believed that his mother had magical powers that could change a potato into a puppy. And I was happy because I got my potato back and cooked it for dinner.

Everything was perfect until one evening when I was cooking dinner, Shane asked, "Mama, do you think I could have a horse for my birthday?" I looked into his sweet little face and said, "Well, first we have to take a watermelon…."

(Author Unknown)

土豆小狗

一個多月以來，我四歲的兒子沙恩一直要求養一只小狗，但他爸爸總是說：“不許養狗！”

一天，我在削土豆準備做飯，沙恩坐在我腳邊的地板上，他第一千次問我：“為什么爸爸不讓我養小狗呢？”“因為小狗會給我們帶來麻煩。不要哭了，說不定爸爸哪天就會改變主意呢?！蔽夜膭钏?。“不，他不會的，再過一百萬年我也不會有一只小狗?！鄙扯骺拗f。我望著他臟兮兮、淚汪汪的小臉說道：“我知道一個方法，可以讓爸爸改變主意?！薄罢娴?？”沙恩這才抹掉眼淚。

我遞給他一個土豆?！澳弥@個土豆，隨身帶著，直到它變成一只小狗，”我低聲說道，“不論什么時候都帶在身上，等到第三天，往上面拴一根細繩，然后帶著它在院子轉圈，看看會怎樣！”

沙恩雙手接過土豆。“媽媽，你怎么把土豆變成小狗??？”他的小手拿著土豆，翻來覆去地看。

“噓！這是秘密！”我低聲說道，然后讓他拿著土豆走了。為了維護家里的安寧，我知道我必須要做的事情。

隨后的兩天里，沙恩不論到哪里都帶著他的土豆。他跟土豆一起睡覺，一起洗澡，還跟它說話。

第三天，我對丈夫說：“我們真的該給沙恩買只小狗了?！薄澳銥槭裁凑J為他需要一只小狗呢？”我丈夫問道。“呃，他和一顆土豆形影不離，都好幾天了。他管土豆叫沃利，還說它是自己的寵物。他睡覺時把土豆放在枕頭上，現在他還給土豆拴了根繩，正拉著它在院子里遛彎呢?！蔽艺f。“一顆土豆？”我丈夫問道，并向窗外望了望，看到沙恩正牽著他的土豆散步。“等到土豆爛了，他會傷透心的，”我說著便開始準備午飯，“還有，每次我要削土豆準備做飯時，沙恩就哭，他說我在殘害沃利的家人。”我丈夫問道：“我兒子有一個寵物土豆？太離譜了！”“也許你說得對，但解釋一下為什么他用繩子拽著土豆在院子里遛彎。”我說道。我丈夫又盯著兒子看了幾分鐘。“我今晚會帶回來一只小狗，它總比一顆土豆好?！?

那天晚上，沙恩的爸爸帶回家一只小狗。一家人都很高興。我丈夫認為他拯救了快要發瘋的兒子。沙恩擁有了一只小狗，并且相信他媽媽具有把土豆變成小狗的魔力。我也很高興，因為我拿回了土豆，并且用它做了飯。

一切都很完美，直到一天晚上我正在做飯的時候，沙恩問道：“媽媽，你覺得我過生日的時候能得到一匹馬嗎？”我望著他可愛的小臉說：“呃，首先我們得買個西瓜……”

（譯/隨帆）