橋邊 By the Bridge

橋邊By the Bridge

桥边

我們住底地方就在桃溪溪畔．夾岸是桃林：桃實、桃葉映入水中，更顯出溪邊The place we lived was right on the bank of Taoxi. Peach groves lined both banks, the peach fruit and leaves reflected in the water, making the creek's edge seem

我们住底地方就在桃溪溪畔．夹岸是桃林：桃实、桃叶映入水中，更显出溪边

底靜謐．眞想不到倉皇出走底人還能享受這明媚的景色！all the more tranquil. Who would have thought that people fleeing in such haste could still enjoy such radiant scenery!我們日日在林下遊玩；Every day we played beneath the trees;有sometimes

底静谧．真想不到仓皇出走底人还能享受这明媚的景色！我们日日在林下游玩；有

時踱過溪橋，到朋友底蔗園裏找新生的甘蔗吃．we would stroll across the creek bridge to our friend's sugarcane field to look for freshly grown canes to eat.

时踱过溪桥，到朋友底蔗园里找新生的甘蔗吃．

這一天，我們又要到蔗園去，剛踱過橋，便見阿芳——蔗園底小主人——很憂One day, we were on our way to the sugarcane field again, and just as we crossed the bridge, we saw Ah Fang — the young master of the sugarcane field — sitting

这一天，我们又要到蔗园去，刚踱过桥，便见阿芳——蔗园底小主人——很忧

鬱地坐在橋下．under the bridge, looking very despondent.

郁地坐在桥下．

『阿芳哥，起來領我們到你園裏去．』他舉起頭來，望了我們一眼，也沒有說什'Brother Ah Fang, get up and take us to your field.' He raised his head, glanced at us, but didn't say

『阿芳哥，起来领我们到你园里去．』他举起头来，望了我们一眼，也没有说什

麽．anything.

么．

我哥哥說：『阿芳，你不是說你一到水邊就把一切的煩悶都洗掉了嗎？My brother said, 'Ah Fang, didn't you say that the moment you reach the water's edge, all your worries get washed away?你不是Didn't you

我哥哥说：『阿芳，你不是说你一到水边就把一切的烦闷都洗掉了吗？你不是

說，你是水邊底蜻蜓麽？say that you're a dragonfly by the water?你看歇在水葒花上那隻蜻蜓比你怎樣？』Look at that dragonfly resting on the smartweed flower — how does it compare to you?'

说，你是水边底蜻蜓么？你看歇在水荭花上那只蜻蜓比你怎样？』

『不錯．然而今天就是我第一次底憂悶．』'That's true. But today is the first time I've ever felt this troubled.'

『不错．然而今天就是我第一次底忧闷．』

我們都下到岸邊，圍繞住他，要打聽這囘事．他說：『方才紅兒掉在水裏了！We all went down to the bank and gathered around him, wanting to hear what had happened. He said, 'Just now Hong'er fell into the water!紅兒是Hong'er is

我们都下到岸边，围绕住他，要打听这囘事．他说：『方才红儿掉在水里了！红儿是

他底腹婚妻；his betrothed, promised to him since before either of them was born;天天都和他在一塊兒玩底．我們聽了他這話．都驚訝得很．哥哥說：they played together every day. When we heard him say this, we were all very startled. My brother said:

他底腹婚妻；天天都和他在一块儿玩底．我们听了他这话．都惊讶得很．哥哥说：

『那麽，你還能在這里悶坐着嗎？'Then how can you just sit here moping?還不趕緊去叫人來？』Why not hurry and go call people to help?'

『那么，你还能在这里闷坐着吗？还不赶紧去叫人来？』

『我一囘去，我媽心裏底憂鬱怕也要一顆一顆地結出來，像桃實一樣了．我寧'If I go back, I'm afraid the sorrow in my mother's heart will also form, one by one, like peach fruits. I'd rather

『我一囘去，我妈心里底忧郁怕也要一颗一颗地结出来，像桃实一样了．我宁

可獨自在此憂傷，不忍使我媽媽知道．』grieve here alone than bear to let my mother know.'

可独自在此忧伤，不忍使我妈妈知道．』

我底哥哥不等說完，一股氣就跑到紅兒家裏．這里阿芳還在縐着眉頭，我也眼Before he even finished speaking, my brother rushed off in one breath to Hong'er's house. Here Ah Fang was still knitting his brows, and I too

我底哥哥不等说完，一股气就跑到红儿家里．这里阿芳还在绉着眉头，我也眼

巴巴地望着他，一聲也不響．gazed at him anxiously, not making a sound.

巴巴地望着他，一声也不响．

『誰掉在水裏啦？』'Who fell into the water?'

『谁掉在水里啦？』

我一聽，是紅兒底聲音，速囘頭一望，果然哥哥攜着紅兒來了！As soon as I heard it, it was Hong'er's voice; I quickly turned to look, and sure enough, my brother had brought Hong'er along with him!她笑瞇瞇地走到芳哥跟Smiling sweetly, she walked up to Brother Fang,

我一听，是红儿底声音，速囘头一望，果然哥哥携着红儿来了！她笑瞇瞇地走到芳哥跟

前，芳哥像很驚訝地望着她．很久，他才出聲說，『你底話不靈了麽？and Brother Fang looked at her as if greatly astonished. After a long while, he finally spoke, 'Have your words stopped being true?方才我貪Just now, I was so eager

前，芳哥像很惊讶地望着她．很久，他才出声说，『你底话不灵了么？方才我贪

着要到水邊看看我底影兒，把他擱在樹㧎上，不留神輕風一搖，把他搖落水裏．他隨to go to the water's edge to look at my reflection that I set him down on a fork of the tree, and without noticing, a light breeze shook him down into the water. He drifted

着要到水边看看我底影儿，把他搁在树㧎上，不留神轻风一摇，把他摇落水里．他随

着流水往下流去；along with the current, floating downstream;我囘頭要抱他，他已不在了．』when I turned to pick him up, he was already gone.'

着流水往下流去；我囘头要抱他，他已不在了．』

紅兒才知道掉在水裏底是她所贈與底小囝．她曾對阿芳說那小囝也叫紅兒，Only then did Hong'er realize that what had fallen into the water was the little doll she had given him. She had once told Ah Fang that the doll was also named Hong'er,

红儿才知道掉在水里底是她所赠与底小囝．她曾对阿芳说那小囝也叫红儿，

若是把他丟了，便是丟了她．所以芳哥這麽謹慎看護着．and that if he ever lost him, it would be as if he had lost her. That was why Brother Fang guarded him so carefully.

若是把他丢了，便是丢了她．所以芳哥这么谨慎看护着．

芳哥實在以紅兒所說底話是千眞萬眞的，看今天底光景，可就敎他懷疑了．他Brother Fang had truly believed every word Hong'er said was absolutely true, but the way things looked today made him doubt it. He

芳哥实在以红儿所说底话是千真万真的，看今天底光景，可就教他怀疑了．他

說：『哦，你底話也是不準的！said, 'Oh, so your words weren't reliable either!我這時才知道丟了你底東西不算丟了你，眞把你丟了Only now do I realize that losing something of yours doesn't count as losing you — only truly losing you

说：『哦，你底话也是不准的！我这时才知道丢了你底东西不算丢了你，真把你丢了

才算．』would count.'

我哥哥對紅兒說：『無意的話倒能敎人深信：芳哥對你底信念，頭一次就在無My brother said to Hong'er, 'It's strange how a careless remark can make someone believe so deeply — Brother Fang's faith in you has, for the first time,

我哥哥对红儿说：『无意的话倒能教人深信：芳哥对你底信念，头一次就在无

意中給你打破了．』been broken unintentionally by you yourself.'

意中给你打破了．』

紅兒也不着急，只優游地說，『信念算什麽？Hong'er wasn't flustered at all, and said leisurely, 'What good is faith?要眞相知才有用哪．……Only truly knowing each other is of any use. ...也好，我藉Well, that's fine too — through this

红儿也不着急，只优游地说，『信念算什么？要真相知才有用哪．……也好，我藉

着這個就知道他了．我們還是到蔗園去罷．』I've come to know him. Let's just go to the sugarcane field after all.'

着这个就知道他了．我们还是到蔗园去罢．』

我們一同到蔗園去，芳哥方才的憂鬱也和糖汁一同吞下去了．We went together to the sugarcane field, and Brother Fang's earlier melancholy was swallowed down along with the sugarcane juice.

我们一同到蔗园去，芳哥方才的忧郁也和糖汁一同吞下去了．