17 THE BIRDS

CHAPTER 17 THE BIRDS Hilltop Farm was home to many birds. Swallows were always swooping low over the grass and picking off insects. Crows cawed from the fields like a gang of hecklers. At night, owls glided above the countryside, silently searching for furry little meals. The robot was stuck on that farm, but the birds were free to go wherever they pleased. Lucky birds. One day, Roz was standing in the pasture, admiring a hawk as he soared through the sky, when the cows began grazing around her. Their slow footsteps crunched in the grass, their teeth chewed and chewed, their tails flicked at flies. All the while, Roz stood there, staring up at the hawk.

第十七章鸟山顶农场是许多鸟的家。 燕子总是在草地上低空俯冲，啄食昆虫。 乌鸦从田野里鸣叫，像一群诘问者。 晚上，猫头鹰在乡村上空滑翔，静静地寻找毛茸茸的小食物。 机器人被困在农场里，但鸟儿们可以自由地去他们喜欢的地方。 幸运的鸟。一天，罗兹站在牧场上，欣赏着一只在天空中翱翔的鹰，这时牛群开始在她周围吃草。 它们缓慢的脚步在草地上嘎吱作响，它们的牙齿咀嚼着又咀嚼着，尾巴轻拍着苍蝇。 罗兹一直站在那里，抬头盯着那只鹰。

And then came Lily's soft voice. "What are you thinking about, Roz?" The robot turned to the calf. "I am thinking about Brightbill," she said. "It was not so long ago that I was watching my son soar through the sky. That seems like another lifetime." "You must hate your new life," said Annabelle. "I can't say that I blame you. Farming looks like such grueling work." "Actually, I like farming," said Roz. "Somehow, it feels right to spend long hours working with machines and tools and crops and animals. But I miss my old life on the island." Tess had a mouthful of dandelions, but that didn't stop her from speaking. "Maybe you should start thinking of this farm as your home. That island is

然后传来了莉莉温柔的声音。 “你在想什么呢，罗兹？”机器人转向小牛。 “我在考虑布莱特比尔，”她说。 “就在不久之前，我还看着我的儿子在天空中翱翔。 这似乎是另一种生活。” “你一定讨厌你的新生活，”安娜贝尔说。 “我不怪你。 务农看起来是一项很累人的工作。” “事实上，我喜欢务农，”罗兹说。 “不知何故，花很长时间与机器、工具、作物和动物一起工作感觉是对的。 但我想念我在岛上的旧生活。” 苔丝满嘴都是蒲公英，但这并不妨碍她说话。 “也许你应该开始把这个农场当成你的家。 那个岛是

awfully far away. There's a good chance you'll never make it back there." "Don't say that!" cried Lily. "Roz just has to make it home! She needs to be with Brightbill and her friends!" "Tess is right," said Roz. "I may never make it home. If I were a bird, like my son, I could fly home all on my own, anytime I wanted. But I am only a robot." Nobody spoke after that. The cows went back to grazing and Roz went back to admiring the hawk. Her eyes followed the bird as he soared through the sky, free to go wherever he pleased.

太遥远了。很有可能你再也回不去了。” “别这么说！”莉莉叫道。 “罗兹一定要回家！”她需要和布莱特比尔和她的朋友们在一起！”“苔丝说得对，”罗兹说。 “我可能永远回不了家了。 如果我是一只鸟，像我儿子一样，我可以自己飞回家，只要我想。 但我只是一个机器人。”从那以后没有人说话。 奶牛又回去吃草了，罗兹又回去欣赏那只鹰了。 她的眼睛注视着这只鸟儿，它在天空中翱翔，可以自由地飞到任何他喜欢的地方。