How the Robin Stole Fire

How the Robins Stole Fire, an Australian -Aborigine folk tale retold by William Harriman, illustrated by Anique McGrory.

《知更鸟盗火》，澳大利亚原住民民间故事，威廉·哈里曼改写，安妮克·麦格罗里绘图

Ages ago, in the Dream Time, the ancient time when the world was created, the first people lived on Earth as birds and other animals. They created the culture and traditions of today. This is a story from that time.

很久很久以前，在创世的梦幻时代，最早的先民以鸟类和其他动物的形态生活在地球上 他们创造了流传至今的文化与传统 这个故事就发生在那个时代

One day, near sunset, a group of hunter birds were returning to their village when they met a very old man. The old man was carrying a spear and an empty day pack called a dilly bag. When the old man approached the hunter birds, he stuck his spear into the ground as a sign of peace.

一天临近日落，一群猎鸟在返回村落的路上遇到了一位年长的老人 老人随身带着一根长矛，还有一个名叫迪利袋的空背囊 老人走近猎鸟群后，把长矛插在地上，以此表达和平的善意

The old man began to speak to the birds. I have come a great distance, my brothers, and many moons have passed. I have traveled to the place where the water speaks with the voice of thunder. I have passed beyond the mist -hidden mountains to the great red plains, and I have traveled to the land that lies beyond the dawn. I have had many adventures.

老人开始对鸟儿们说话 兄弟们，我长途跋涉而来，已经过去了好多个月 我走到过水声如雷鸣的地方 我穿过雾气笼罩的群山，来到红色大平原，还到过黎明尽头的土地 我一路上经历了许许多多奇遇

The leader among the birds decided to take the old man back to their village and give him some food. A wonderful meal was quickly prepared. When everyone had finished eating, the tribe gathered around the old man and waited for him to speak.

鸟群的首领决定把老人带回村落，给他准备一些食物 一顿丰盛的餐食很快就做好了 大家吃完饭后，部落众人围在老人身边，等着他开口说话

No one knew about fire during this time. When living things enjoyed the warmth of the sun, they often wondered how to take fire from the sky to provide warmth when the snows came. They didn't know how to use fire to cook food or harden spears, but they knew fire would keep them warm.

那个时候，还没有人知道火是什么 当生灵们享受太阳的温暖时，他们总在想，怎么把天上的火取下来，让下雪天也能保暖 他们还不知道可以用火做饭、硬化长矛，但他们清楚火能帮他们取暖