The Little Fir Tree

The Little Fir Tree, adapted by Annette Carruthers from Hans Christian Andersen's The Fir Tree. Illustrated by John Kastner.

《小枞树》，安妮特·卡拉瑟斯改编自汉斯·克里斯蒂安·安徒生的《枞树》。 约翰·卡斯特纳 绘

A Young Tree The young, pencil -thin fir tree stood admiring his neighbors. The tall oak made him want to be taller and grander. The other evergreen trees seemed to laugh at him for being so small. He watched year after year as bigger trees were taken away each winter. He was sure that wherever they were going must be a magical place. It seemed that each tree taken away was special. The little fir tree's greatest hope was that he could be special too.

小枞树 这棵细细直直像铅笔似的小枞树，站在那里羡慕着他的邻居们。 高大的橡树让他也想长得更高、更雄伟。 别的常绿树都好像在笑他长得太瘦小。 年复一年，他看着每年冬天都有更大的树被运走。 他敢肯定，那些树去的地方一定是个充满魔力的地方。 好像每棵被带走的树都特别了不起。 小枞树最大的愿望就是，自己也能变得特别。

He just knew there was more to life than birds bothersome flitting through his branches, the sun's overly bright rays shining on the meadow, and the moon's waxing and waning each month. Every year when the snow came and the oak tree had no leaves, the fir tree watched as happy people chose special trees. A bird told the fir tree a wonderful tale of seeing evergreens in warm homes, dressed in finery. The people would laugh and sing around the tree. The fir tree thought this was the grandest image. He imagined it every day as more and more seasons passed, and he grew taller still.

他一直觉得，生活不应该只是这样：烦人的鸟儿在枝桠间飞来飞去，太阳刺眼的光芒照着草地，月亮每个月圆了又缺。 每年下雪、橡树落光叶子的时候，小枞树就看着开心的人们挑选特别的树。 有一只小鸟给小枞树讲了个很棒的故事：他见过常绿树待在温暖的房子里，穿得漂漂亮亮的。 人们会围着这棵树唱歌欢笑。 小枞树觉得这是最美好的景象了。 季节换了一回又一回，小枞树也越长越高，他天天都幻想着这一天。

A winter adventure. The fir tree was sure this would be the year he was chosen. His branches trembled as he waited. The snow came, and then the happy people came. Group by group, they chose evergreens from the forest. As he trembled, the snow fell from his branches. As the sun nearly faded away, a group of laughing people gathered at his trunk.

一场冬日奇遇。 小枞树肯定，今年他一定会被选中。 他等着的时候，树枝都忍不住发抖。 雪落下来了，开心的人们也来了。 一群接着一群，他们在森林里挑选常绿树。 他抖呀抖，雪从枝桠上落了下来。 太阳快落山的时候，一群笑着的人围到了他的树干旁。

At last, they took out an axe and chopped him down. The happy people had taken the fir tree from his roots. The fir tree's trembling didn't stop as they strapped him to a shiny, red car that moved like the wind. A short while later, the fir tree was carried into a warm home. They stood him upright in some kind of stand. The happy people tightened screws around his trunk. They talked about his fine needles falling all over the floor. Hearing this, the fir tree vowed to stop trembling. He didn't want to shake off his needles because the happy people might not want him anymore.

终于，他们拿出斧子，砍倒了小枞树。 开心的人们把小枞树连根带干带走了。 小枞树一直抖个不停，他们把他绑在一辆闪闪发亮、开得如风一般快的红色汽车上。 没过多久，小枞树被抬进了一间温暖的房子。 他们把他竖直立在一个树架上。 人们拧紧了树干周围的螺丝。 他们聊起松针掉满地的事。 听到这话，小枞树发誓再也不抖了。 他不想掉松针，不然这些开心的人们可能就不要他了。

Later that night, the people took boxes down from closets. First, they placed shiny bulbs in every color of the rainbow in a string around him. The bulbs winked and twinkled at the fir tree. This made him glow inside and out. Next, the children placed ornaments of wood upon his bows, while the adults placed those of glass. Strings of popcorn, cranberries, and sprigs of holly followed.

当天夜里晚些时候，人们从壁橱里搬出了盒子。 首先，他们把一串彩虹般五颜六色的亮灯珠绕在了他身上。 灯珠对着小枞树一闪一闪眨眼睛。 这让他从里到外都暖融融亮堂堂的。 接着，孩子们把木头挂件挂上枝桠，大人们挂上玻璃挂件。 之后又挂上了爆米花串、蔓越莓串和冬青枝。