雙語故事連載:沉默的歌手 The Mute Singer(上篇)

Every year at this time, the peasants began their long religious pilgrimage to Geed-leh, to visit the church there, and to pray for God's help. They walked or rode in wagons; they crowded the roads leading to the holy town, for Geed-leh was famous in Poland as a place where God did miracles. The cool autumn days also brought many beggars to Geed-leh. The peasants gave away more of their money on such a religious holiday as this. Some of the beggars were blind, some had no feet or arms. Some were very old and seemed like lost children looking for their mothers.
每年這個時候，農民們都開始前往Geed-leh的朝聖之旅，去拜訪那兒的教堂，並祈禱上帝的庇護。他們或是走路或是乘車，人們擠滿了通往聖城的道路，因爲Geed-leh在波蘭非常有名，那是一個上帝昭顯神蹟的地方。清冷的秋天也將很多乞丐趕到Geed-leh。農民們在這樣的宗教節日會多施捨些錢。有些乞丐是瞎子，有些人沒有了腳或胳膊，有些乞丐很老，看上去就像走失的孩子在尋找他們的母親。

There was one among them who was called "the Mute Singer". He was given this name because he could not speak. There was a time when he was able to sing, while playing his guitar. But he lost his voice. Now he played the guitar and sang, but no sounds came from his throat. His lips just moved with the music.
乞丐之中有個人叫做“沉默的歌手”，人們之所以這樣叫他，因爲他不能說話。曾有一段時間他能邊彈吉他，邊唱歌。但是他後來啞了。現在他也彈奏吉他、唱歌，但是嗓子裏不能發出聲音，嘴脣卻隨着音樂張合。

The Mute Singer was a tall, strange-looking man. His face and hands were brown, like the color of copper. He had white hair and a white beard: he looked like one of the wise men you read about in the Bible.
“沉默的歌手”是個高個，面色有些古怪。他的臉和手都是棕色的，就像是銅的顏色。他有着白髮和白色的鬍鬚，他看起來就像你在聖經中讀到過的智者。

Early one morning I saw the Mute Singer washing himself at the river. He smiled and touched the ground with his hand, meaning that I should sit down. Then, he pointed his finger straight up, to tell me that he had a surprise for me.
一天上午的早些時候，我看見沉默的歌手在河邊洗漱。他微笑着並用手輕觸着地面，示意我坐下。然後他豎起手指，表示他要給我個驚喜。

Suddenly, he put his hand into the water and rubbed two of his fingers together, making a strange sound, exactly like the sound of a croaking frog. He did it many times, then he lightly hit the top of the water, sending little ripples of waves across the water to the other side.
他突然將手放進手中，摩擦着2個手指，發出奇怪的聲音，就像是哇哇叫的青蛙發出的聲音。他這樣做了很多次，然後輕輕擊打水面，將蕩起的漣漪傳到河岸的另一側。

Suddenly, everything around us seemed to be moving. I could not believe that it was real. Thousands of frogs came racing toward us, jumping, and r the water and on top of the water. I began to shake with excitement.
突然間，我們周圍的一切彷彿都在移動，我甚至無法相信那是真的。成千只青蛙向我們蹦來，跳啊，遊啊……在水裏，在水面。我開始興奮地顫抖。

The frogs crowded around us, I could see their heads and eyes showing above the top of the water.
青蛙圍攏在我們周圍，我可以看見它們露出水面的頭和眼睛。

The Mute Singer found some snails and cut them into small pieces and began to feed the frogs. They came closer and closer, and the Mute Singer started to play his guitar. As he did so, the frogs became quiet and listened. And then they, too, started to sing. Young frogs, old y one of them began to sing. I never heard anything like it. Not a frog moved: they all just sat and sang.
他發現了一些蝸牛，便將蝸牛切成小片喂青蛙。青蛙靠得越來越近，沉默的歌手開始彈奏吉他，這時青蛙突然變得安靜下來，靜靜地聽着。青蛙也開始唱起歌來。年輕的，年老的，每隻青蛙都唱起歌來，我從未聽見過這樣的歌聲。沒有一隻青蛙移動，它們都坐在那裏唱歌。