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你是哪种建造者？ 陈荣生 译
（图片欣赏——区怡摄/湛江） 从前，生活在毗邻农庄的两兄弟发生了冲突。这是40年来他们之间首次产生的严重分歧，过去他们肩并肩地耕种，在需要的时候，会毫不犹豫地分享耕作机械，交换劳力和货物。 后来，这种长期合作瓦解了。它从一个小的误解开始，变成了一个大的差异，最后，爆出令人痛苦的对骂，接着是几个星期的互不说话。 一天早上，有人敲约翰家的门。他开门后，看到一个带着木匠工具箱的男人。“我在找几天短工做，”他说。“也许你这里有些小活我可以帮忙的？我能帮你吗？” “是的，”约翰，也就是两兄弟中的哥哥说。“我的确是有一份活给你干。你看小河对面的那个农庄。那是我的邻居。其实，是我的弟弟！一周前，我们之间隔着的是一片草地。他最近用推土机筑起一道河堤，现在我们之间隔着的是一条小河了。嗯，他这样做也许是为了刁难我，但我要给他一个更好看的。看到谷仓里那堆木材了吗？我想让你给我建一个2.5米高的篱笆，这样我就再也不用看到他那个地方或他的脸面了。” 木匠说：“我想我明白这种状况了。带我去看看钉子和桩坑挖掘器吧，我能做出一份让你满意的活。” 约翰有事得进城，所以他帮助木匠备好材料，然后就离开了。木匠辛勤地干了一整天——测量、锯木和打钉。到了傍晚约翰回来时，木匠刚好做完他的工作。约翰眼睛睁得大大的，惊讶得下巴都掉下来了。 那里根本就没有篱笆。 那是一座桥，一座从小河这边延伸到另一边的桥！是一件很完美的作品，连扶手都有！约翰的邻居，也就是他弟弟，正在朝着他们走过来，并且伸出手来。 “你真了不起，我说了那些话做了那些事，你竟然还建造了这座桥。”他弟弟说。 两兄弟先是站在各自一端的桥头，然后走到桥中央相会，互相握手言和。他们转过身来，看到木匠把工具箱吊到了肩膀上。 “不，等等！再呆几天吧。我有很多其他工程给你做，”约翰说。 “我倒是想留下来，”木匠说，“但我还有很多其它桥要建。” （作者佚名，译自《寓意故事》） 您若认为此文对教育有益，敬 请 传 阅、推 荐、转 载。 原文如下，若有问题，可留言，我将尽量回答。 What kind of builder are you? Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side-by-side,sharing machinery and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference and finally, it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox: "I'm looking for a few days' work," he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor. In fact, it's my younger brother! Last week there was a meadow between us. He recently took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence an 8-foot fence – so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore." The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day – measuring, sawing and nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge... A bridge that stretched from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all! And the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched.. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each others hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have many more bridges to build." |
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