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The Giving Tree --- Shel Silverstein


Once there was a tree...

and she loved a little boy.

And everyday the boy would come

and he would gather her leaves

and make them into crowns and play king of the forest.

He would climb up her trunk

and swing from her branches

and eat apples.

And they would play hide-and-go-seek.

And when he was tired,he would sleep in her shade.

And the boy loved the tree....

very much.

And the tree was happy.




But time went by.

And the boy grew older.

And the tree was often alone.

Then one day the boy came to the tree
and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb
up my trunk and swing from my branches
and eat apples and play in my shade
and be happy."
"I am too big to climb and play" said the boy.
"I want to buy things and have fun.I want some money?"
"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money.
I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them
in the city. Then you will have money
and you will be happy."

And so the boy climbed up the
tree and gathered
her apples
and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away
for a long time...
and the tree was sad.
And then one day
the boy came back
and the tree shook with joy
and she said, "Come, Boy,
climb up my trunk
and swing from my branches
and be happy."

"I am too busy to climb trees,"
said the boy.
"I want a house to keep me warm,"
he said.
"I want a wife and I want children,
and so I need a house.
Can you give me a house ?"
"I have no house," said the tree.
"The forest is my house,
but you may cut off my branches
and build a house.
Then you will be happy."

And so the boy cut off
her branches
and carried them away
to build his house.

And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away
for a long time.
And when he came back,
the tree was so happy
she could hardly speak.
"Come, Boy," she whispered,
"come and play."
"I am too old and sad to play,"
said the boy.
"I want a boat that will
take me far away
from here.
Can you give me a boat?"

"Cut down my trunk
and make a boat,"
said the tree.
"Then you can sail away...
and be happy."

And so the boy cut down her trunk

and made a boat and sailed away.

And the tree was happy...

but not really.

And after a long time
the boy came back again.
"I am sorry, Boy,"
said the tree, "but I have nothing
left to give you -

My apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak
for apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone,"
said the tree.
" You cannot swing on them - "
"I am too old to swing
on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone, " said the tree.
"You cannot climb -
"I am too tired to climb" said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree.
"I wish that I could
give you something...
but I have nothing left. I am just
an old stump. I am sorry..."

"I don't need very much now,"
said the boy.
"Just a quiet place to sit and rest.
I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree,
straightening herself up
as much as she could,
"well, an old stump is good
for sitting and resting.
Come, Boy, sit down.
Sit down and rest."

And the boy did.

And the tree was happy.






愛心樹

從前有一棵樹......
她好愛一個小男孩.
每天男孩都會跑來,收集她的葉子,
把葉子編成皇冠,扮起森林裡的國王.
男孩會爬上樹幹,抓著樹枝盪鞦韆,吃吃蘋果.
他們會一起玩捉迷藏,玩累了,男孩就在她的樹蔭下睡覺.
男孩好愛這棵樹......
樹好快樂.

日子一天天過去,男孩長大了.樹常常好孤獨.
有一天男孩來到樹下,
樹說:「來啊,孩子,來,爬上我的樹幹,抓著我的樹枝盪鞦韆,吃吃蘋果,在我的樹蔭下玩耍,快快樂樂的」
「我不是小孩子了,我不要爬樹和玩耍」男孩說
「我要買東西來玩,我要錢,妳可以給我一些錢嗎?」
「真抱歉」樹說,「我沒有錢.我只有樹葉和蘋果.孩子,拿我的蘋果到城裡去賣.這樣,你就會有錢,你就會快樂了」
於是男孩爬到樹上,摘下她的蘋果,把蘋果統統帶走了.
樹好快樂.

男孩好久都沒有再來.....
樹好傷心.
有一天男孩回來了,樹高興地發抖,
她說:「來啊,孩子,爬上我的樹幹,抓著我的樹枝盪鞦韆,快快樂樂的」
「我太忙,沒時間爬樹」男孩說
「我想要一間房子保暖」他說
「我想要妻子和小孩,所以我需要一間房子.妳可以給我一間房子嗎?」
「我沒有房子」樹說
「森林就是我的房子,不過你可以砍下我的樹枝去蓋房子,這樣你就會快樂了」
於是男孩砍下了她的樹枝,把樹技帶走去蓋房子.
樹好快樂.

可是男孩好久都沒有再來,所以當男孩再回來的時候,樹太快樂了,快樂得幾乎說不出話來.
「來啊,孩子」她輕輕地説
「過來,來玩啊!」
「我又老又傷心,玩不動了」男孩說
「我想要一條船,可以帶我遠離這裡,妳可以給我一條船嗎?」
「砍下我的樹幹去造條船吧!」樹說
「這樣你就可以遠航.....你就會快樂」
於是男孩砍下了她的樹幹,造了條船,坐船走了.
樹好快樂.......但不是真的.

過了好久好久那男孩又再回來了.
「我很抱歉,孩子我己經沒有東西可以給你了----我的蘋果沒了」樹說
「我的牙齒咬不動蘋果了」男孩說
「我的樹枝沒了,你不能在上面盪鞦韆了」樹說
「我太老了,不能在樹枝上面盪鞦韆」男孩說
「我的樹幹沒了,你不能爬」樹說
「我太累了,爬不動的」男孩說
「我很抱歉,我真希望能給你什麼....
可是我什麼也沒了,我只剩下一塊老樹根,我很抱歉......」樹說
「我現在要的不多」男孩說
「只要一個安靜,可以坐著什息的地方.我好累好累」男孩說
「好啊」樹一面說,一面努力挺直身子,
「正好呀,老樹根是最適合坐下來什息的,來啊,孩子,坐下來,坐下來休息」
男孩坐了下來.
樹好快樂.

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