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第3章 架起心靈之橋

Building Bridges

佚名 / Anonymous

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch.

Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days work,” he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?”

“Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. See that pile of lumbering by the barn? I want you to build me a fence — an 8-foot fence — so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow.”

The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the posthole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you. ”

The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.

There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge... a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work handrails and all — and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched.

“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you, ”said the older brother.

“I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but, I have so many more bridges to build.”

從前,在相鄰的農場里住著兩兄弟,他們之間發生了沖突。這是40年來他們第一次產生嚴重的隔閡。這40年里,他們共用機器,按需交換勞力和物品,日子過得很和美。

然而,長久的合作消失了。這次矛盾起因于一個小誤會,后來誤會漸漸惡化,最后發展到相互詛咒,以至于幾個星期互不理睬。

一天早晨,有人敲了哥哥約翰的門,他打開門看到一個帶著工具箱的木匠。“我是來找活兒干的。”他說,“你有需要我干的零碎活兒嗎?”

“有。”這位哥哥說,“我這里有一份活兒。看到小河那邊的農場了嗎?那是我的鄰居,事實上他也是我的弟弟。上個星期兩農場之間還是一塊草地,他用推土機推倒河岸,現在我們之間就有了這條小河。他這樣做是為了讓我難過,我要讓他更加難堪。看到谷倉旁的木材了嗎?你給我做個8英尺高的圍欄,我不想再看到他的農場,不管怎樣,我一定不搭理他了。”

木匠說:“我知道你的要求了,告訴我釘子和樁洞在哪兒,我定能做出讓你滿意的活兒來。”

這位哥哥進城采購,他把木匠要用到的材料準備好,就出去了,整整出去了一天。

木匠辛苦地工作了整整一天,不是量就是鋸,要不就是釘。一直到了天黑,農民回來,木匠才剛剛完成他的工作。農民看到木匠做完的活兒,驚呆了。

那根本不是圍欄,而是一座橋,一座橫跨小溪的橋。扶手和其他所有部位都制作得非常精細。他的弟弟正張開手從橋那邊走來。

“我過去那么傷害你,你卻建了一座橋,我真是……”

兄弟倆從橋的兩端走到橋中央,握著對方的手。他們轉過頭來去看木匠,卻看到他背起工具箱要走。“等等,再待幾天吧,我還有好多活兒讓你做呢。”哥哥說。

“我也想多待幾天的。”木匠說,“但是,還有許多橋等我去建造呢。”

1. Then the_______collaboration fell apart. It began_______a small misunderstanding and it grew into a_______difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange_______bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

2. The carpenter worked_______all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. _______sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter_______just finished his job. The farmer’s_______opened wide, his jaw dropped.

3. The two_______stood at each end of the bridge, and_______they met in the middle, taking each other’s_______. They turned to see the carpenter hoist ______ toolbox on his shoulder.

1. 從前,在相鄰的農場里住著兩兄弟,他們之間發生了沖突。

2. 他這樣做是為了讓我難過,我要讓他更加難堪。

3. 那根本不是圍欄,而是一座橋,一座橫跨小溪的橋。

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