每个生命都有享受自由的权利，杨紫琼为大家朗读的华裔女作家蒋吉丽的童书绘本《荷花和羽毛》，虽以英文所著，但小故事里满满都是中国元素。这是一个叫“荷花”的哑巴女孩，救起一只名为“羽毛”的仙鹤后发生的故事……杨紫琼读书的声音温暖而有力量，情感真实而感人。不得不说，有些离别，是为了更好的重逢。当荷花意识到她必须压抑下自己所有的不舍，放走羽毛，让它去和家人团聚，她已经为之后的重逢做了最好的准备。这个故事也告诉我们，我们要时刻记住野生动物也和我们一样，享有自由的权利。人和动物，和谐共处，才是这个大自然生生不息的根本所在……
《荷花和羽毛》
Lotus walked home from school by herself yet again. These days no one invited her to play. Ever since a winter illness had taken her voice, the other kids treated her like a strange creature.
这天放学后，荷花又是一个人回家。这段时间都没有小朋友跟她玩。自从冬天病了一场，嗓子哑了，再也不能说话，其他的小朋友都把她当怪物。
Lotus lived with her grandfather, a craftsman who made beautiful baskets out of reeds. Grandpa understood Lotus’s loneliness. He stroked her hair and invited her to go boating with him on the nearby lake.
荷花和爷爷生活，爷爷是个手艺人，会用芦苇编很多漂亮的篮子。爷爷看穿了荷花的孤独。
摸了摸她的头发，叫她一起去附近的湖上划船。
“This lake used to be so alive,” Grandpa said. “Lotus flowers swayed in the breeze, fish jumped into the boat, birds sang in the sky, and foxes watched from the shore. But now”—he looked around the deserted landscape and sighed—“It has been ruined by greedy fishermen and hunters, and by ignorant people who took over land where animals once lived.”
“这湖以前可热闹了，”爷爷说。“荷花在微风中摇曳，鱼扑通扑通跳上船，鸟儿叽叽喳喳在空中歌唱，狐狸静静呆在岸上，注视着一切。可现在”—爷爷环顾四周的荒地，叹了口气—
“贪婪的渔民和猎人把这一切都毁了，无知的人们侵占了动物的家园。”
Lotus blew a whistle made out of a reed. The sound drifted around the empty lake like a wisp of sorrow.
荷花吹着芦苇做成的哨子。哨声飘扬在空荡荡的湖面，带着一丝淡淡的忧愁。
One morning, Lotus went to collect reeds for Grandpa. She stopped in awe when she saw a big bird, as white as fresh snow, standing in the marsh grass. Its wide wings were edged with black Feathers, like lace on a dress. Above the long, curved neck, its head was covered with a red top like a dazzling ruby. A crane! Lotus shouted silently. She had heard many stories about the endangered cranes from Grandpa, but she had never seen one. They had stopped coming because the wetland was disappearing.
一天早晨，荷花出门给爷爷割芦苇。突然，她看见一只大鸟，惊奇地停住了脚步，这只鸟通体雪白，站在沼泽草地上。翅膀大大的，边缘有一圈黑色的羽毛，就像裙子上的花边。脖子长长的，优雅地弯曲着，头顶着一团火红，活像一颗璀璨的红宝石。是鹤！荷花默默惊叹道。她听爷爷讲过许多故事，说鹤已经濒临灭绝了，但这还是她第一次亲眼见到。湿地日益减少，鹤也不往这边来了。
BLAM! A loud gunshot startled her. Lotus turned around and saw a man with a hat made out of reeds aiming his barrel straight at the bird.
砰！突然传来一声枪响，把荷花吓了一跳。荷花转过身，只见一个男人戴着芦苇帽，手里的枪直直地瞄准着那只鹤。
Lotus couldn’t utter any sound, but she crouched down and drummed her metal pail with her reed cutter, making a noise like thunder.
荷花嗓子坏了，发不出声音，但她慢慢蹲下身，用割芦苇的刀，使劲敲打脚边的铁桶，那声音像极了雷声。
The hunter fled, dropping his hat and never looking back.
猎人吓得帽子都掉了，头也不回地逃走了。
Lotus hurriedly waded across the wetland toward the bird. When the crane spotted her, it tried to run but collapsed instead.
荷花赶紧趟过湿地，朝大鸟跑去。可鹤一看见荷花，就准备跑，却摔倒在地上。
Lotus gathered up the heavy bird, “Hold on! Hold on, please.” She pleaded silently.
荷花抱起这只重重的大鸟，“坚持住！请一定坚持住。”她默默地恳求道。
She tottered home to Grandpa, who had rescued other animals before. Carefully, Grandpa wrapped the bird’s wound. “He’s lost a lot of blood, but he will survive,” he said.
荷花踉踉跄跄地往家跑去找爷爷，爷爷之前救过很多别的动物。爷爷小心翼翼地给大鸟包扎了伤口。“它流了很多血，但活下来肯定没问题，”爷爷说。
Lotus trusted Grandpa, but still she was worried. The crane barely moved and didn’t open his eyes, not even when Grandpa fed him rice soup.
荷花相信爷爷的话，但还是很担心。鹤几乎动不了，眼睛也睁不开，就连爷爷喂它喝米汤，它也闭着眼。
Lotus tucked the bird into the soft nest she had made for him and gently stroked him, just like Grandpa used to do when she was sick.
荷花给它做了一个软软的窝，小心地把它放了进去，轻轻地抚摸着它，她生病的时候，爷爷也是这样照顾她的。
For two days, Lotus watched the bird anxiously and hardly slept. On the third day, she fell asleep by the nest.
整整两天，荷花一直焦虑地守在大鸟身边，几乎没合眼。第三天，她趴在小窝旁睡着了。
She awoke when she felt the air stir. The crane lifted his head for the first time and looked straight at her.
醒来的时候，她感觉脸旁生风，一看，鹤抬起了头，直勾勾地盯着她。
Gently, Lotus put her small fingers on his head. The bird stretched his neck, and rubbed her cheeks gently.
荷花轻轻地，用小小的手指摸了摸它的头。大鸟伸长着脖子，轻轻地蹭着她的脸。
Lotus’s heart pounded, and tears sprang to her eyes. “Feather” was the name Lotus chose for her new friend. When she helped wash his wound, Feather stared at her. When she whistled with her reed, Feather rubbed her cheek with his head. Filled with happiness, Lotus searched the rocks and climbed trees to find food for him.
荷花的心脏怦怦直跳，眼泪不自觉地流下来。荷花给她的新朋友取名为“羽毛”。荷花为它清理伤口的时候，羽毛就温柔地看着她。荷花叼着芦苇吹起口哨的时候，羽毛用头去蹭她的脸。满满的幸福，荷花在岩石间攀爬，爬上高高的树，给羽毛找吃的。
At night she often stroked him until he fell into sleep. One day, slowly and cautiously, Feather took his first step. Lotus jumped and swirled and hugged Grandpa blissfully.
晚上，她便一下一下轻轻拍着羽毛，哄它睡觉。终于有一天，羽毛又慢又小心地迈出了第一步。荷花高兴得又蹦又跳，紧紧抱着爷爷。
Soon, Feather was following Lotus everywhere. Her reed whistle, like a magic wand, made him move up, down, slow, and fast.
没过多久，羽毛就能跟着荷花到处走了。她的芦苇哨子，就像个魔杖，能告诉羽毛往上，往下，慢一点，快起来。
Lotus loved her new friend so much that she didn’t want to leave him for school. Grandpa shook his head firmly, Feather as if he understood what was happening, pushed her outside with his long neck. Then he followed her all the way to school. Feather waited outside Lotus’s classroom. AS soon as school was over, Lotus blew her whistle, and here Feather came. When Lotus whistled short notes, Feather pranced on his long, thin, legs in rhythm. When Lotus whistled long notes, he dipped his neck and opened his wings wide. He could not yet fly, but he could dance!
她太喜欢这个新朋友了，不愿意去上学了，说不想和羽毛分开。爷爷听了直摇头，羽毛像是听懂了似的，伸长了脖子推着荷花往外走，跟着荷花往学校走去。荷花上课的时候，羽毛就在教室外面等，一放学，荷花一吹哨子，羽毛就来了。荷花吹短音，羽毛就会欢快地蹦跶起来，又细又长的腿跳跃着。荷花吹长音，羽毛就把脖子伸得长长的，大大的翅膀扑腾着。它还不会飞，但会跳舞啦！
The astonished kids clapped and cheered. They all joined in, dancing in a circle. Lotus’s heart swelled with pride. She blew her whistle long and high, like the melody at the Chinese New Year celebration.
小朋友们惊讶得合不拢嘴，一边鼓掌一边欢呼，都加入了进来，围成一个圈，一起跳舞。荷花的心里满满的都是骄傲。她的哨声既悠长，音调又高，像极了中国春节的欢庆旋律。
Feather walked to school with Lotus every day after that. And every day the other kids danced with them. Lotus’s whistle was no longer sad, but full of joy.
打那之后，羽毛每天都跟荷花一起走路去学校。每天，小朋友们都和他们一起跳舞。荷花的哨声中再也没有忧愁，充满了喜悦和欢乐。
One night, Lotus was awakened by Feather’s urgent crows. Grandpa opened the door to find their front steps underwater. A faraway earthquake had vibrated the lake and flooded the village. “We have to alert the neighbors,” said Grandpa. He and Lotus jumped into their boat. Feather stood tall on the bow. “Wake up! The lake has flooded!” Grandpa shouted as they poled past the dark homes. Lotus struck the metal pail with a bamboo stick, again making a noise like thunder. Feather crowed. House by house, neighbors came out and jumped into their boats. Over three hundred villagers were saved.
一天夜里，荷花被羽毛急促的叫声惊醒了。爷爷打开门，发现门前的台阶被水淹了。远处的地震影响到了湖，湖水正漫向村庄。“我们必须叫醒我们的邻居们，”爷爷说道。爷爷和荷花跳上小船。羽毛高高地站在船头。“快醒醒啊！湖水淹过来了！”爷爷高声喊道，他们撑着杆，经过一户户黑漆漆的民房。荷花用竹竿使劲敲打铁桶，再次发出了雷鸣一般的声响。羽毛也高声啼叫着。家家户户的村民都跑出来，跳上他们的小船。那天，300多个村民得以脱险。
Feather was the hero.
羽毛成了大英雄。
Feather’s story was reported in the local newspaper and he became famous throughout the province. People stopped by to see the rare bird and hear the story again.
本地的报纸报道了羽毛的故事，它在省里也声名鹊起。人们纷纷到访，想看看这只珍禽，亲耳听听它的传奇。
Grandpa told them how the crane had been shot. He asked for their help in keeping hunters away from the lake.
爷爷向大家讲述羽毛被猎人伤害的故事，并呼吁大家帮忙，不让猎人再靠近湖区。
Lotus always blew her whistle and let Feather dance for the guests.
荷花常常吹响哨子，羽毛伴着哨声为客人舞蹈。
March arrived. Birds began appearing in the sky, migrating back north. Feather’s wings were still too weak for flying, but he watched the flocks until they disappeared.
不知不觉，三月了。鸟儿从天空飞过，向北方迁徙。羽毛的翅膀还没有恢复好，还不能飞，但它常呆呆地看着成群的鸟儿飞过，消失在天际。
Will Feather leave us? Lotus asked Grandpa with her hands. She was frightened by Feather’s longing stare.
羽毛会离开我们吗？莲花打着手语问爷爷。羽毛渴望的目光，让她惊慌不安。
“That’s where his home is,” Grandpa said.
“天空才是它的家呀，”爷爷说。
Lotus looked down. She didn’t want her friend to leave but she knew she would never separate him from his home and family. Quietly, she searched more rocks and climbed more trees to find him food; at night, she stroked him longer and hugged him tighter.
莲花低下了头。她不想要朋友离开。但她知道，她不能阻止它回到自己的家，与家人团聚。她静静地在岩石间攀爬，爬上更多的树，给羽毛找吃的。夜晚，她拍着羽毛入睡的手，更不舍得停下，更紧地把羽毛抱在怀里。
Then one day, Feather spread his wings wide and leaped into the sky. He didn’t go far, but Lotus could see that he was completely healed. She stroked his wing, and her tears dripped onto his soft feathers. She knew the time had come for him to leave. Lotus walked slowly behind Grandpa as he carried Feather to the lake. He held Feather high and tossed him gently into the air. Feather flew up, circled a few times, but landed back at Lotus’s feet. Granpa tried again. Again Feather returned.
有一天，羽毛张开翅膀，跃上蓝天。它没有走远，但荷花知道，它已经痊愈了。她轻轻地抚摩着羽毛的翅膀，泪珠滚落到它柔软的羽毛上。她知道，羽毛要离开了。爷爷抱着羽毛往湖边走去，荷花慢慢地跟在后面。爷爷把羽毛高高举起，轻轻地抛向空中，羽毛飞起来，转了几圈，又回来，停在荷花脚边。爷爷又试了一次，可羽毛还是回来了。
“He is waiting for you,” Grandpa said, handing Feather to Lotus. Lotus buried her head in Feather’s warm body for a long time. When she heard another flock of birds passing overhead, she hugged Feather one more time, and then threw him into the sky.
“他是在等你呢，”爷爷说道，把羽毛交到荷花手中。荷花把头埋在羽毛温暖的身子里，静默良久。突然，她听到头顶有一群鸟飞过，她最后一次紧紧拥抱了羽毛，随即把它抛向空中。
Feather hovered and circled, circled and hovered. Lotus waved goodbye, holding her tears back. With a long crow, Feather flapped his big wings and soared north, disappeared into the horizon.
羽毛飞起来，盘旋了一圈又一圈，一圈又一圈，荷花向它挥手告别，忍住不让眼泪流下来。伴随着一声悠长的啼叫，羽毛张开大大的翅膀，向北方飞去，消失在了天际。
Lotus missed Feather. So did her schoolmates. When Lotus climbed up the hill that faced north, her friends followed. They sat around her and listened to her whistle. Her notes, filled with love and yearning, floated into the sky. They all believed Feather could hear them, wherever he was.
荷花非常想念羽毛，她的同学们也一样。荷花爬上山顶，向北方眺望，小伙伴们都跟着她一起。他们围坐在荷花身边，听她吹口哨。她的哨声中充满了爱和思念，在天空中飘扬。他们都相信，不管羽毛在哪，它一定能听见。
One early morning in autumn, Lotus heard a crow outside. She jumped off her bed, ran to the door, and pushed it open...Feather, as white as snow, stood on the doorstep. Behind him was a beautiful red-beaked female, and a chick. Feather’s family!
秋天到了，一天清晨，荷花听见外面有一阵啼叫，她从床上跳起来，冲向门口，推开门，羽毛站在门外，通体雪白。它的身后站着一只红嘴雌鸟，还有一只小鸟。羽毛全家都来了！
Moving slowly, so as not to frighten the birds, Lotus held out her hand. Feather stretched his neck over and rubbed her palm. Then, Lotus heard a commotion. She looked up and gasped. She tugged on Grandpa’s arm and they ran to the lake.
荷花生怕吓到他们，慢慢往前走，伸出了手。羽毛伸长了脖子，在荷花的手心撒娇般地蹭着。突然，荷花听到一阵骚动，她抬起头，深吸了一口气。抓住爷爷的胳膊就往湖边跑去。
The sky turned white as it was filled by hundreds of cranes. They were circling and diving, singing and dancing around them.
天空中聚集着成百上千只鹤，整片天都成了白色。它们围着荷花和爷爷转圈，一会儿钻进湖里，一会儿绕着他们又唱又跳。
“Feather has brought his entire flock! Another miracle!” Grandpa said, “The lake will not be lonely this year!” Lotus grinned. She twirled and pranced with Feather and his friends. Her whistle, accompanied by the birds’ singing, echoed far, far away in the golden sky.
“羽毛把整个族群都带来了！这简直是另一个奇迹！”爷爷说道：“今年咱们的湖可热闹喽。”荷花咧开嘴笑了。她和羽毛还有它的朋友们一起转圈，一起跳跃。她的哨声，伴着鸟儿的歌唱，回荡在金灿灿的天空中，飘得很远，很远……
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