天文家

我不過說：“當(dāng)傍晚圓圓的滿月掛在迦曇波的枝頭時，有人能去捉住它么？”

哥哥卻對我笑道：“孩子呀，你真是我所見到的頂頂傻的孩子。月亮離我們這樣遠(yuǎn)，誰能去捉住它呢？”

我說：“哥哥，你真傻！當(dāng)媽媽向窗外探望，微笑著往下看我們游戲時，你也能說她遠(yuǎn)么？”

哥哥還是說：“你這個傻孩子！但是，孩子，你到哪里去找一個大得能逮住月亮的網(wǎng)呢？”

我說：“你自然可以用雙手去捉住它呀?！?/p>

但是哥哥還是笑著說：“你真是我所見到的頂頂傻的孩子！如果月亮走近了，你便知道它是多么大了?！?/p>

我說：“哥哥，你們學(xué)校里所教的，真是沒有用呀！當(dāng)媽媽低下臉兒跟我們親嘴時，她的臉看來也是很大的么？”

但是哥哥還是說：“你真是一個傻孩子?！?/p>

THE ASTRONOMER

I ONLY said,“When in the evening the round full moon getsentangled among the branches of that Kadam tree,couldn’tsomebody catch it?”

But dada[elder brother]laughed at me and said,“Baby,youare the silliest child Ihave ever known.The moon is ever so farfrom us,how could anybody catch it?”

I said,“Dada how foolish you are!When mother looks out ofher window and smiles down at us playing,would you call her faraway?”

Still said,“You are astupid child!But,baby,where could youfind anet big enough to catch the moon with?”

I said,“Surely you could catch it with your hands.”

But dada laughed and said,“You are the silliest child Ihaveknown.If it came nearer,you would see how big the moon is.”

I said,“Dada,what nonsense they teach at your school!Whenmother bends her face down to kiss us does her face look verybig?”

But still dada says,“You are astupid child.”

1. 迦曇波，原名Kadam，亦作Kadamba，學(xué)名Namlea Cadamba，意譯“白花”，即曇花。