萬物之母 The Mother of All Things

萬物之母The Mother of All Things

万物之母

在這經過離亂底村裏，荒屋破籬之間，每日只有幾縷零零落落的炊烟冒上來；In this village that had passed through war and upheaval, amid ruined houses and broken fences, only a few scattered wisps of cooking smoke rose up each day;

在这经过离乱底村里，荒屋破篱之间，每日只有几缕零零落落的炊烟冒上来；

那人口底稀少可想而知．你一進到無論那個村裏，最喜歡遇見底，是不是村童在阡one could well imagine how sparse its population was. Whenever you entered any village at all, was not what you most loved to encounter the village children, out among the

那人口底稀少可想而知．你一进到无论那个村里，最喜欢遇见底，是不是村童在阡

陌間或園圃中跳來跳去；footpaths between the fields or in the gardens, leaping about;或走在你前頭，或隨着你步後模仿你底行動？or walking ahead of you, or trailing behind your steps imitating your movements?村裏若沒有If a village has no

陌间或园圃中跳来跳去；或走在你前头，或随着你步后模仿你底行动？村里若没有

孩子們，就不成村落了．在這經過離亂底村裏，不但沒有孩子，而且有向你要求孩子！children, it cannot be called a village. In this village that had passed through war and upheaval, there were not only no children, but there was even someone demanding a child of you!

孩子们，就不成村落了．在这经过离乱底村里，不但没有孩子，而且有向你要求孩子！

這里住着一個不滿三十歲底寡婦，一見人來，便要求，說，『善心善行的人，求你Here lived a widow not yet thirty years old, who, the moment she saw anyone coming, would make her plea, saying, 'Kind and good-hearted person, I beg you,

这里住着一个不满三十岁底寡妇，一见人来，便要求，说，『善心善行的人，求你

對那位總爺說，把我底兒子給囘．我那穿虎紋衣服，戴虎兒帽底便是我底兒子』．tell that commanding officer to give my son back to me. The one wearing tiger-striped clothes and a tiger-cub cap — that one is my son.'

对那位总爷说，把我底儿子给囘．我那穿虎纹衣服，戴虎儿帽底便是我底儿子』．

他底兒子被亂兵殺死已經多年了．她從不會忘記：總爺把無情的劍拔出來底Her son had been killed by the rebel soldiers many years before. She could never forget: the moment the commanding officer drew out his merciless sword,

他底儿子被乱兵杀死已经多年了．她从不会忘记：总爷把无情的剑拔出来底

時候，那穿虎紋衣服底可憐兒還用雙手招着，要她摟抱．她要跑去接底時候，她底精the poor child in the tiger-striped clothes was still beckoning with both hands, wanting her to hold him. Just as she rushed forward to catch him, her spirit

时候，那穿虎纹衣服底可怜儿还用双手招着，要她搂抱．她要跑去接底时候，她底精

神已和黃昏底霞光一同麻痹而熟睡了．唉，最慘的事豈不是人把寡婦懷裏底獨生had already grown numb together with the evening glow and fallen into a deep sleep. Ah, is not the most tragic thing of all when someone snatches a widow's only

神已和黄昏底霞光一同麻痹而熟睡了．唉，最惨的事岂不是人把寡妇怀里底独生

子奪過去，且在她面前害死嗎？son from her arms and kills him right before her eyes?要她在醒後把這事完全藏在她記憶底多寶箱裏，可以說，比剖芥子來藏須彌還難．To ask her, once she woke, to hide this thing entirely away in the jeweled casket of her memory — one might say this is harder than splitting open a mustard seed to hide Mount Sumeru inside it.

子夺过去，且在她面前害死吗？要她在醒后把这事完全藏在她记忆底多宝箱里，可以说，比剖芥子来藏须弥还难．

她底屋裏排列了許多零碎的東西；In her room were arrayed many odds and ends;當時她兒子玩過底小囝也在其中．在黃昏among them was even the little toy her son had once played with. At dusk

她底屋里排列了许多零碎的东西；当时她儿子玩过底小囝也在其中．在黄昏

時候，她每把各樣東西抱在懷裏說，『我底兒，母親豈有不救你，不保護你底？she would often gather each of these things into her arms and say, 'My child, how could your mother fail to save you, fail to protect you?你現在You are now

时候，她每把各样东西抱在怀里说，『我底儿，母亲岂有不救你，不保护你底？你现在

在我懷裏咧．不要作聲，看一會人來又把你奪去．』可是一過了黃昏，她就立刻醒悟here in my arms. Don't make a sound — in a moment someone may come and snatch you away again.' But as soon as dusk had passed, she would at once come to her senses

在我怀里咧．不要作声，看一会人来又把你夺去．』可是一过了黄昏，她就立刻醒悟

過來，知道那所抱底不是她底兒子．and realize that what she held was not her son after all.

过来，知道那所抱底不是她底儿子．

那天，她又出來找她底「命」．月底光明矇着她，使她在不知不覺間進入村後That day, she went out again to search for her 'fate.' The moonlight, dim about her, led her without her even noticing into the mountains behind the village.

那天，她又出来找她底「命」．月底光明蒙着她，使她在不知不觉间进入村后

底山裏．那座山，就是白天也少有人敢進去，何況在盛夏底夜間，雜草把樵人底小徑That mountain was one few dared to enter even by day, let alone on a midsummer night, when the tangled weeds had sealed the woodcutters' paths

底山里．那座山，就是白天也少有人敢进去，何况在盛夏底夜间，杂草把樵人底小径

封得那麽嚴！so completely shut!她一點也不害怕，攀着小樹，緣着蔦蘿，慢慢地上去．She was not the least bit afraid; grasping at saplings and clinging to trailing vines, she made her way slowly upward.

封得那么严！她一点也不害怕，攀着小树，缘着茑萝，慢慢地上去．

她坐在一塊大石上歇息，無意中給她聽見了一兩聲底兒啼．她不及判別，便說，She sat down on a large rock to rest, and quite without meaning to, heard one or two cries of a child weeping. Without pausing to judge, she said at once,

她坐在一块大石上歇息，无意中给她听见了一两声底儿啼．她不及判别，便说，

『我底兒，你藏在這里麽？'My child, are you hiding here?我來了，不要哭啦．』I have come — don't cry anymore.'

『我底儿，你藏在这里么？我来了，不要哭啦．』

她從大石下來，隨着聲音底來處，爬入石下一個洞裏．但是裏面一點東西也沒有．她很疲乏，不能再爬出來，就在洞裏睡了一夜．She climbed down from the great rock and, following the direction the sound had come from, crawled into a cave beneath the rock. But there was nothing at all inside. She was so exhausted she could not climb back out, and so slept the whole night in the cave.

她从大石下来，随着声音底来处，爬入石下一个洞里．但是里面一点东西也没有．她很疲乏，不能再爬出来，就在洞里睡了一夜．

第二天早晨，她醒時，心神還是非常恍惚．她坐在石上，耳邊還留着昨晚上底兒The next morning, when she woke, her mind was still utterly dazed. She sat on the rock, and in her ears there still lingered the sound of the child's

第二天早晨，她醒时，心神还是非常恍惚．她坐在石上，耳边还留着昨晚上底儿

啼聲．這當然更要動她底心，所以那方從靄雲被裏攢出來底朝陽無力把她臉上和weeping from the night before. This, naturally, stirred her heart all the more, so that the morning sun, just then pushing its way out from beneath the misty clouds, had no power to dry the beads of dew on her face and

啼声．这当然更要动她底心，所以那方从霭云被里攒出来底朝阳无力把她脸上和

鼻端底珠露曬乾了．她在瞻顧中，才看出對面山岩上坐着一個穿虎紋衣服底孩子．at the tip of her nose. As she looked about her, she at last made out, sitting on the rocky cliff opposite, a child wearing tiger-striped clothes.

鼻端底珠露晒干了．她在瞻顾中，才看出对面山岩上坐着一个穿虎纹衣服底孩子．

可是她看錯了！But she had seen wrongly!那邊坐着底，是一隻虎子；What sat over there was a tiger cub;他底聲音從那邊送來很像兒啼．她立即離its cry, carried across to her, sounded very much like a child weeping. She at once left

可是她看错了！那边坐着底，是一只虎子；他底声音从那边送来很像儿啼．她立即离

開所坐底地方，不管當中所隔底谷有多麽深，儘管攀緣着向那邊去．不幸早露未乾，the place where she was sitting, and heedless of how deep the ravine dividing them might be, went on clambering toward that side. Unfortunately the morning dew had not yet dried,

开所坐底地方，不管当中所隔底谷有多么深，尽管攀缘着向那边去．不幸早露未干，

所依附底都很溼滑，一失手；and everything she clung to was slick and slippery — with one slip of her hand,就把她溜到谷底．she slid all the way down to the bottom of the ravine.

所依附底都很湿滑，一失手；就把她溜到谷底．

她昏了許久才醒囘來．小傷總免不了，卻還能夠走動．她爬着看見身邊暴露了She lay senseless for a long while before coming to. Minor injuries were unavoidable, but she could still move about. As she crawled, she saw lying exposed beside her

她昏了许久才醒囘来．小伤总免不了，却还能够走动．她爬着看见身边暴露了

一付小髑髏．a small skull.

一付小髑髅．

『我底兒，你方才不是還在山上哭着麽？'My child, weren't you just now still up on the mountain crying?怎麼你母親來得遲一點，你就變成這How is it that your mother came only a little late, and already you have become like

『我底儿，你方才不是还在山上哭着么？怎么你母亲来得迟一点，你就变成这

樣？』她把髑髏抱住，說，『呀，我底苦命兒，我怎能把你醫治呢？』悲苦儘管悲苦，然而，this?' She clasped the skull to her breast, saying, 'Ah, my poor ill-fated child, how can I ever heal you now?' Sorrowful as it was, however,

样？』她把髑髅抱住，说，『呀，我底苦命儿，我怎能把你医治呢？』悲苦尽管悲苦，然而，

自她丟了孩子以後，不能不算這是她第一次底安慰．since she had lost her child, this could not but be counted as her first moment of comfort.

自她丢了孩子以后，不能不算这是她第一次底安慰．

從早晨直到黃昏，她就坐在那里，不但不覺得餓，連水也沒喝過．零星幾點，已懸在天空，那天就在她底安慰中過去了．From morning until dusk she simply sat there; not only did she feel no hunger, she did not so much as drink water. A scattering of stars already hung in the sky, and that day passed away amid her comfort.

从早晨直到黄昏，她就坐在那里，不但不觉得饿，连水也没喝过．零星几点，已悬在天空，那天就在她底安慰中过去了．

她忽想起幼年時代，人家告訴她底神話，就立起來說，『我底兒，我抱你上山頂，She suddenly remembered a myth people had told her in her childhood, and rose up saying, 'My child, I will carry you up to the mountaintop,

她忽想起幼年时代，人家告诉她底神话，就立起来说，『我底儿，我抱你上山顶，

先爲你摘兩顆星星下來，嵌入你底眼眶，敎你看得見；first plucking down two stars for you and setting them into your eye sockets, so that you may see;然後給你找香象底皮肉來補then I will find you the flesh and hide of a fragrant elephant to mend

先为你摘两颗星星下来，嵌入你底眼眶，教你看得见；然后给你找香象底皮肉来补

你底身體．可是你不要再哭，恐怕給人聽見，又把你奪過去．』your body with. But you must not cry anymore — I fear someone will hear you and snatch you away from me again.'

你底身体．可是你不要再哭，恐怕给人听见，又把你夺过去．』

『敬姑，敬姑．』找她底人們在滿山中這樣叫了好幾聲，也沒有一點影響．'Jing Gu! Jing Gu!' Those searching for her called out like this again and again all through the mountain, but there was not the slightest response.

『敬姑，敬姑．』找她底人们在满山中这样叫了好几声，也没有一点影响．

『也許她被那隻老虎吃了．』'Perhaps she has been eaten by that tiger.'

『也许她被那只老虎吃了．』

『不，不對．前晚那隻老虎是跑下來捕雲哥圈裏底牛犢被打死底．如果那東西'No, that's not right. The tiger that came down the other night to seize a calf from Yun Ge's pen was killed for it. If that creature

『不，不对．前晚那只老虎是跑下来捕云哥圈里底牛犊被打死底．如果那东西

把敬姑吃了，决不再下山來赴死．我們再進深一點找罷．』had eaten Jing Gu, it would certainly not have come down the mountain again to meet its death. Let us go in a little deeper and search further.'

把敬姑吃了，决不再下山来赴死．我们再进深一点找罢．』

唉，他們底工夫白費了！Ah, but their labor was spent in vain!縱然找着她，若是她還沒有把星星抓在手裏，她心裏怎能平安，怎肯隨着他們囘來？Even had they found her, if she had not yet caught the stars in her hand, how could her heart be at peace, how could she be willing to go back home with them?

唉，他们底工夫白费了！纵然找着她，若是她还没有把星星抓在手里，她心里怎能平安，怎肯随着他们囘来？