【正見網2004年12月20日】
謝爾・西爾維斯坦
| 從前有一棵樹，喜愛一個男孩。 在她那裡玩耍，男孩每天都來： 在樹枝上晃蕩，在樹陰裡靜躺， 歡笑中送走夏季的時光。 於是他們這樣互相喜愛。 啊，樹感到高興。 啊，樹感到愉快。 男孩很快長大了，有天他來對樹講： 「樹啊，能給我點錢嗎？買一點我中意的東西。」 「我沒有錢」，樹說，「只有萍果、樹枝和樹葉。」 「但是男孩，你可以拿我的萍果到城裡去買。」 於是他把樹的萍果拿去賣。 啊，樹感到高興。 啊，樹感到愉快。 但不久男孩又回來，他對樹說： 時光過得快，男孩走回來，眼裡帶著悲哀。 多少年後男孩走回來，他們雙方都已經老邁。 |
【譯文賞析】
這個故事就像一付擔子兩個筐，兩個筐中裝著兩個極端的形像：一個是極端的無私，一個是極端的自私。在這種極端的對比中，反差之大已經到了無以復加的程度。因此，再麻木的心也可能受到震動，從而喚醒先天的良知和善念。
一味的給予和奉獻，不但毫無保留沒有怨言，而且總是守著「愉快」「高興」的心態，直到自己的存在都只是象徵性的一截樹樁時，還在熱情邀請別人把自己當作板凳來坐，以此為別人提供一個休息的便利。樹可如此，人能作到嗎？能。在當今60多個國家中，修煉法輪功的人數還在不斷增加，他們正是象奉獻樹一樣，時時刻刻為著他人的利益而奉獻著。
「奉獻樹」一書使得許多兒童和成年人都受到感動，從而反省現代人對人的生存價值的看法，從中獲得教益。然而，能被「奉獻樹」感動，就證明許多人的心還沒有死，人類敗壞的濁浪還沒有完全淹沒人心中先天的真純，人類還有可救之人。而拯救人類的第一步，就是要人類學會奉獻，決不能象那個男孩那樣永遠只知道索取。
【作者簡介】
謝爾・西爾維斯坦(Shel Silverstein) (公元1930-1999)， 美國著名兒童作家、劇作家、卡通畫家、歌曲(詞、曲)作家和歌手。他從12-14歲時就開始寫作。五十年代參軍去過日本和朝鮮。他寫作並自己插畫的兒童故事「奉獻樹」(The Giving Tree)被視為美國當代兒童文學的經典。我們這裡賞析的是原故事的歌詞版本。
【原文參考】
Once there was a tree who loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer’s hours away.
And so they love,
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I』ve found?"
"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I』m now a man and I must have a house that’s all my home."
"I can』t give you a house" she said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home"
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My life has turned so cold," he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I』ve nothing but my trunk," she says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really cannot help you if you ask for another gift."
"I』m nothing but an old stump now. I』m sorry but I』ve nothing more
to give"
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the trees was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
