天文家

我不过说：“当傍晚圆圆的满月挂在迦昙波 的枝头时，有人能去捉住它么？”

哥哥却对我笑道：“孩子呀，你真是我所见到的顶顶傻的孩子。月亮离我们这样远，谁能去捉住它呢？”

我说：“哥哥，你真傻！当妈妈向窗外探望，微笑着往下看我们游戏时，你也能说她远么？”

哥哥还是说：“你这个傻孩子！但是，孩子，你到哪里去找一个大得能逮住月亮的网呢？”

我说：“你自然可以用双手去捉住它呀。”

但是哥哥还是笑着说：“你真是我所见到的顶顶傻的孩子！如果月亮走近了，你便知道它是多么大了。”

我说：“哥哥，你们学校里所教的，真是没有用呀！当妈妈低下脸儿跟我们亲嘴时，她的脸看来也是很大的么？”

但是哥哥还是说：“你真是一个傻孩子。”

CLOUDS AND WAVES

Mother, the folk who live up in the clouds call out to me——

“We play from the time we wake till the day ends.

We play with the golden dawn, we play with the silver moon.”

I ask, “But, how am I to get up to you?”

They answer, “Come to the edge of the earth, lift up your hands to the sky, and you will be taken up into the clouds.”

“My mother is waiting for me at home,” I say. “How can I leave her and come?”

Then they smile and float away.

But I know a nicer game than that, mother.

I shall be the cloud and you the moon.

I shall cover you with both my hands, and our house-top will be the blue sky.

The folk who live in the waves call out to me ——

“We sing from morning till night; on and on we travel and know not where we pass.”

I ask, “But, how am I to join you?”

They tell me, “Come to the edge of the shore and stand with your eyes tight shut, and you will be carried out upon the waves.”

I say, “My mother always wants me at home in the evening—— how can I leave her and go?”

Then they smile, dance and pass by.

But I know a better game than that.

I will be the waves and you will be a strange shore.

I shall roll on and on and on, and break upon your lap with laughter.

And no one in the world will know where we both are. /PbqpqZ3omzty/Md3BUWGR1yNrtoiNFBv7gPCUVx1azHIm6eCIfXmX52BaEHxo3z