The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit

The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit. Written by Catherine Follett. Illustrated by Alessandra Fousi. Focus Question. What does the sea spirit help Isabella learn?

《老婆婆和海精灵》 作者：凯瑟琳·福利特 绘者：亚历山德拉·福西 重点问题 海精灵帮助伊莎贝拉懂得了什么道理？

Isabella was old. Her garden was too big for her tired back. Her children were grown. No one needs me anymore, she thought. She left her village. She moved into a small shack by the seashore where she lived alone.

伊莎贝拉年纪大了， 打理大花园累得她腰背酸痛， 她的孩子们都长大了。 “再也没人需要我了。”她心想。 她离开了村子， 搬进了一间小小的海边棚屋，一个人住。

One night there was a storm. The sea wolves came out to hunt, as they only did when the ocean was fierce. They howled, riding the rough waves. The next morning the beach was littered with clams that had washed ashore. What a feast, Isabella thought.

一天夜里刮起了风暴， 海狼都出来捕猎了—— 它们只有在大海暴怒的时候才会出现。 它们嘶吼着在汹涌的浪头里穿梭。 第二天早上，海滩上到处都是被冲上岸的蛤蜊。 “太棒了，可以饱餐一顿啦。”伊莎贝拉心想。

She picked up a shell. Inside was a tiny, frightened child. She had silver hair and a silver fish's tail. You must be a little spirit of the sea, Isabella said. I bet you are hiding from those sea wolves, she murmured.

她捡起一个贝壳， 里面藏着个吓坏了的小娃娃， 她长着银色的头发，还有一条银色的鱼尾巴。 “你一定是个小海精灵吧。”伊莎贝拉说。 “我猜你是在躲那些海狼对不对？”她轻声说。

Word -wise, sirena means mermaid in Spanish. Isabella brought the sea spirit to a calm pool near her shack. The little girl danced in the shallow water. The sea spirit stayed with Isabella, who named her Sirena. Isabella shared her clams. She sang songs from her village. Sirena sang songs from the sea. They grew to be like mother and daughter.

小知识：“sirena”在西班牙语里是美人鱼的意思。 伊莎贝拉把海精灵带到了她棚屋附近一处平静的水潭里。 小娃娃在浅水里蹦蹦跳跳的。 海精灵留了下来陪伊莎贝拉，伊莎贝拉给她取名叫塞莲娜。 伊莎贝拉把自己的蛤蜊分给她吃。 她唱自己村子里的童谣。 塞莲娜就唱大海里的歌。 她们渐渐像母女一样亲密了。

One year later, Isabella saw a flash of silver in the waves. It was Sirena's mother. Sirena leaped over the rocks. She swam through the waves. Isabella saw how strong Sirena was now. She was proud.

一年之后，伊莎贝拉看见浪里闪过一道银光。 那是塞莲娜的妈妈。 塞莲娜蹦跳着越过礁石。 她钻进海浪里游向妈妈。 伊莎贝拉看见塞莲娜现在长得可结实了。 她心里骄傲极了。