5 The monster's tale

Chapter 5 The monster's tale The first thing I can remember was a bright light. I think it must have been the sun. I followed it until it became too hot, and then I looked around for somewhere to rest. Eventually I found myself in a forest. I didn't know how to live, and I was miserable. But slowly I learned to eat berries when I was hungry, to drink from a stream when I was thirsty, and to cover myself when it was cold.

我记得的第一件事是一道亮光。 我想一定是太阳。 我跟着它走，直到它变得太热了，然后我环顾四周寻找可以休息的地方。 最后我发现自己在一片森林里。 我不知道如何生活，我很痛苦。 但是慢慢地，我学会了饿的时候吃浆果，渴的时候喝溪水，天冷的时候把自己遮盖起来。

I longed for company. One day I met a shepherd, but he ran away. I followed him to his village. It looked like heaven, full of neat cottages and happy people- but the villagers shouted and threw stones to drive me away. I hid in a ruined hut. From the hut, I could see a remote cottage. An old man and his children lived there. The old man was blind, and his children looked after him.

我渴望有人陪伴。有一天我遇到了一个牧羊人，但他跑掉了。 我跟着他到了他的村子。 它看起来像天堂，到处都是整洁的小屋和快乐的人们——但村民们大喊大叫，扔石头把我赶走。 我躲在一间破茅屋里。从茅屋望去，我能看到一座偏僻的小屋。 一位老人和他的孩子们住在那里。 这位老人双目失明，由他的孩子们照顾他。

They were very poor and rarely had enough to eat, but they were always kind to each other. Sometimes they sang to each other, and I thought it was the sweetest sound there could be. The music filled me with emotions I didn't understand. Sometimes they read aloud from books. At first I didn't know the words, but slowly I leared.

他们很穷，很少有足够的食物，但他们总是善待彼此。 有时他们互相唱歌，我认为这是最甜美的声音。 音乐让我充满了我无法理解的情感。 有时他们大声朗读。 起初我不认识这些词，但慢慢地我学会了。

I longed to be part of their family, but I didn't dare show myself. Instead, I left them gifts of firewood and berries. I admired their faces- they seemed beautiful to me. I was terrified when I saw my own ugliness reflected in a pool of water. No wonder everyone drove me away! The more I watched the family, the more lonely I felt. I needed company, and I dreamed of meeting them- of winning their friendship with gentle words.

我渴望成为他们家的一员，但我不敢表现出来。 相反，我给他们留下了木柴和浆果作为礼物。 我羡慕她们的脸——在我看来她们很美。 当我看到自己的丑陋倒影在一池水里时，我吓坏了。 难怪大家都把我赶走了！我越关注这个家庭，就越感到孤独。 我需要陪伴，我梦想着见到他们——用温柔的话语赢得他们的友谊。

So I decided to approach the old man. Being blind, at least he wouldn't hate the sight of me. I waited until he was alone, then knocked at the door. I told him I was a stranger, and weary, and he invited me to share his fire. He was the first person ever to speak to me with kindness.

所以我决定去找那个老人。 双目失明，至少他不会讨厌看到我。 我一直等到他独自一人时，才敲了敲门。 我告诉他我是一个陌生人，而且很累，他邀请我一起分享他的火。 他是第一个对我说好话的人。

But then the children returned and there was no time to explain. They were horrified to see me. The girl fainted, and the boy attacked me. I could have torn him limb from limb, but instead I fled into the woods, howling in misery. Where could I go? Who would take me in? And then I remembered my creator. My father. You! Surely you would accept me? So I set off to find you. In a pocket of the coat I was wearing, there were some letters. From these, I knew you came from Geneva, so I made my way there.

但是孩子们回来了，没有时间解释了。 他们看到我都吓坏了。 女孩晕倒了，男孩袭击了我。 我本可以把他撕成碎片，但我却逃进了树林，痛苦地嚎叫着。 我能去哪里？谁会收留我？ 然后我想起了我的创造者。 我的父亲。你!你肯定会接受我吧？ 所以我出发去找你。在我穿的大衣的一个口袋里，有一些信。 通过这些，我知道你是从日内瓦来的，所以我去了那里。