LESSON 13

PICCOLA

皮克拉

By Celia Laighton Thaxter, who was born at Portsmouth, N. H., June 29, 1836. Much of her childhood was passed at White Island, one of the Isles of Shoals, off the coast of New Hampshire. “Among the Isles of Shoals” is her most noted work in prose. She published a volume of poems, many of which are favorites with children. She died in 1894.

1. Poor, sweet Piccola! Did you hear

What happened to Piccola, children dear?

’T is seldom Fortune such favor grants

As fell to this little maid of France.

2. ’T was Christmas time, and her parents poor

Could hardly drive the wolf from the door,

Striving with poverty’s patient pain

Only to live till summer again.

3. No gift for Piccola! sad were they

When dawned the morning of Christmas day!

Their little darling no joy might stir ;

St. Nicholas nothing would bring to her!

4. But Piccola never doubted at all

That something beautiful must befall

Every child upon Christmas day,

And so she slept till the dawn was gray.

5. And full of faith, when at last she woke,

She stole to her shoe as the morning broke;

Such sounds of gladness filled all the air,

’T was plain St. Nicholas had been there.

6. In rushed Piccola, sweet, half wild—

Never was seen such a joyful child—

“See what the good saint brought!” she cried,

And mother and father must peep inside.

7. Now such a story I never heard!

There was a little shivering bird!

A sparrow, that in at the window flew,

Had crept into Piccola’s tiny shoe!

8. “How good poor Piccola must have been!”

She cried, as happy as any queen,

While the starving sparrow she fed and warmed,

And danced with rapture , she was so charmed .

9. Children, this story I tell to you

Of Piccola sweet and her bird, is true.

In the far-off land of France, they say, Still do they live to this very day.

EXERCISES.—What is meant by“ driving the wolf from the door”? In the third stanza, what does“ St.” before Nicholas mean? Who is St. Nicholas? What did Piccola find in her shoe on Christmas morning?

【中文阅读】

西莉亚•莱顿•萨克斯德著。她1836年6月2日生于新罕布什尔州朴茨茅斯市。她的大部分童年时光是在新罕布什尔州海边“多鱼群岛”中的怀特岛度过的。《海岛生活》是她最著名的作品之一。她还曾出版过很多诗集，广受小朋友们喜爱，于1894年去世。

1. 可怜的，可爱的皮克拉！你们听说

皮克拉出什么事了，孩子们？

很少有人遭遇的这种不幸，

却发生在了这个法国小女孩身上。

2. 现在是圣诞节，她的父母都很贫穷，

不能摆脱困境，

与贫穷的痛苦斗争着，

只为再次活着迎接夏天的到来。

3. 没有礼物给皮克拉！他们非常悲伤

随着圣诞节清晨的来临！

他们的小宝贝不快乐；

圣诞老人没有东西带给她！

4. 但皮克拉深信不疑

漂亮的东西会

在圣诞日赠给每个孩子，

所以她一直到天快亮才睡着。

5. 当她最终醒来，信心满怀，

天空破晓，她偷拿来鞋子；

空气中都充满欢快的声音，

显然圣诞老人来过了。

6. 匆忙的皮克拉，内心甜蜜又按捺不住——

从来没见过这么愉快的孩子——

“看看圣诞老人带来了什么！”她叫着，

妈妈和爸爸都往里面看去。

7. 现在是我从未听过的故事了！

有一只颤抖的小鸟！

一只小麻雀，从窗子飞进来，

爬进了皮克拉的小鞋子！

8. “可怜的皮克拉一定是多么善良啊！”

她大声叫着，像女王一样欢乐，

饥饿的小麻雀被她喂饱了，温暖着，

她手舞足蹈地跳起舞来，多么高兴啊。

9. 孩子们，我告诉你们的

关于可爱的皮克拉和她的小鸟的故事是真实的。

据说，在遥远的法国，

她们今天仍然健在。