NOT EVERY BLOSSOM BECOMES A PLUM
并非开花的都结果
1.One day，when Hattie and her father were walking in the garden，admiring the spring flowers and fruit-blossoms，they came to a plum-tree that was all white with its opening buds.
2“O，father，”said the little girl，“see there！How pretty thattree looks！”
3.“It is indeed beautiful，my child，”said her father.“Do youknow what kind of a tree it is？”
4.“O，yes，”replied Hattie；“it is a plumtree.Shall we not have plenty of plums？”
5.“What makes you think that we shall？”
6.“Because the tree is so full of blossoms.”
7.“And do you really think，”said her father，“that the tree will have as many plums on it as it has blossoms？”
8.“To be sure I do；don‘t you？”was Hattie’s reply.
9.“No，my child，I do not think it will.I never knew a tree to have as many plums as it had blossoms.Blossoms do not always bear fruit.”
10.Just then there came a sudden gust of wind，which shook the tree under which they were standing，and sent a shower of blossoms to the ground，where they lay like so many flakes ofsnow.
11.“We shall have lots of plums yet，”said Hattie，“for thetree is still full of blossoms.”
12.In a few days the blossoms had all disappeared；but when Hattie looked closely into the tree，she saw the little green plums growing out from the ends of the stems，and promising an abundance of fruit.
13.But there were some things in the way that Hattie had not thought of.For there came storms，and caterpillars，and brown rot，destroying her fruit，and disappointing her hope.
14.Oh！what a contrast between May and September！She expected to get “lots of plums”-she got only a quart！She could have cried about it，if that would have done any good.But tears never yet made plums，so she wisely concluded not to cry，but to make the most of what she had.
15.Hattie‘s father thought he could turn this to good account.So he said to her one day，“Hattie，do you know why you are like this plum-tree？”
16.“Like a plum-tree！“said Hattie，laughing.“I’m sure I‘mnot like a plum-tree；I don’t look like one，do I？”
17.“You certainly do not look like a plumtree，my child.But still you are very much like this one.
18.”Do you remember，Hattie，“said he，“how much work you planned for last Saturday？One would have thought，to hear you，that you expected to out-work a dozen common girls.And do you remember how，when the day was gone，you had done little or nothing？Plenty of blossoms，you see，but not many plums.
19.”And look at your little garden.Last spring I dug it up for you，and helped you to transplant flowers，and for a time you kept the weeds down.But you soon grew weary，and for a long while it has been all choked with weeds.Here again are blossoms and but little fruit.
20.“It is just so with your studies.Your teacher tells me that you can learn as easily as any girl in the school，if you choose.But she also says that you soon get tired of trying.You study haled for a while，and then give it up.Here again are many blossoms and few plums.
21.”I fear，too，that you are not so careful as you ought to be about keeping your promises.You are more ready to promise than to perform.This tree，last spring，promised much fruit，but see how little has come from it！“22.Poor girl！she little thought while watching her plum-tree，and sorrowing because it had so little fruit，that her dear parents were watching her，and sorrowing because she had fallen into evil ways.
23.But when her father thus kindly and plainly told her，she saw it all，and resolved from that moment，with God‘s help，to change her course.
24.And this time the blossoms changed into fruit；for she not only resolved，but kept her resolution，and became a better girl.When she planned work，she kept at it until it was done.
25.Her garden was weeded out，although the season was late，and kept clear till frost came.Her studies were attended to until she reached the head of her class；and she became specially careful of her promises.
26.When she showed any signs of carelessness in these things，（and it was not very often，）one simple saying of her father always set her right again：“Remember，Hattie，IT IS NOT EVERY BLOSSOM THAT BECOMES A PLUM.”
【中文阅读】
1.一天，海蒂和爸爸一起走在花园里欣赏着春天的各色花朵和果树上的花朵。这时他们来到一棵李子树下，上面绽放着密密麻麻的白色花蕾。
2.“爸爸，”小姑娘说，“看那里！多漂亮的树啊！”
3.“确实很漂亮，孩子。”父亲说，“你知道这是什么树吗？
4.”知道，“海蒂回答，”这是李子树。我们今天肯定会收获很多李子吧？“5.”你为什么这么想呢？“6.”因为树上开满了花啊。“
7.”你真的认为，“爸爸说，”这棵树开多少花就会结多少果吗？“8.”我当然这么想了，难道您不这么认为吗？“海蒂回答。
9.”不，孩子，我不这么认为。我从来都没有想过一棵树开多少朵花就会结多少果，要知道，并不是所有的花都能结果。“10.就在这时，突然刮来了一阵风，树枝颤动，树上的花朵纷纷落下，他们站在树下沐浴着花雨，仿佛漫天飘着雪花一般。
11.”我们今年会收获很多李子的，“海蒂说，”因为这棵树开满了花。“12.几天后，花朵都掉落了。但是当海蒂走近仔细看的时候，发现树枝上已经长着小小的绿色李子了，这预示着李子丰收在望了。
13.但是，有些问题海蒂没有考虑到。因为有暴风雨、毛毛虫、褐斑病捣乱，李子纷纷掉落，她的希望破灭了。
14.哦！五月和九月是多么鲜明的对比啊！她本来以为能有个大丰收，结果却只收获了一夸脱李子！如果哭能补救，那么她会大声哭出来。但是眼泪不会让李子多结一些，所以她没有哭泣，而是充分利用所有的收获。
15.海蒂的爸爸认为正好能用这来教育她，所以他对海蒂说：“海蒂，你知道你为什么像李子树吗？”
16.“像李子树！”海蒂笑着说，“我敢肯定我不像李子树，我看起来不像李子树啊，不是吗？”
17.“你长得当然不像李子树，孩子。但是你确实非常像这一棵。”
18.“海蒂，你记得吗？”他说，“上周六你计划要做多少事情？听到你计划的人还以为你能做出十几个女孩子的活呢。可是你记得这几天你是怎么过的吗？你记得你什么都没做吗？你看，那么多的花，但是没结多少果。
19.”再看看你的小花园，去年春天，我给你开垦了这片花园，帮你移栽了一些花，过了一阵，你又种了一些种子。可是时间不长，你就感觉无聊了，很长时间，你不再播撒种子。这就是只开花，不结果了。
20.“你的学习也是如此。你的老师告诉我，如果你想学习的话，你会和别的女孩子一样聪明。但是她还说你总是很快就厌烦努力，你每次只能坚持一会儿，然后就放弃了。这又是只开花，不结果。
21.”恐怕，你也没有那么细心去信守你的承诺。你说的承诺远多于你实际去做的。去年春天，这棵树承诺要多结果，但是看，它实际怎么样呢！“22.可怜的孩子！她从来就没想到过，在她观察李子树、因为李子树结果少而伤心的时候，她的父母却正在观察她，并在因为她没有走正路而伤心。
23.爸爸与她一番亲切、坦诚的交谈之后，她一下子就明白了，而且下定决心在上帝的帮助下，要让自己有所改变。
24.这次，花都结了果。因为她不仅下定了决心，而且还付诸行动，变成了好孩子。每次她要做一件事情，总会坚持做完。
25.她的花园都种上了种子，尽管相对于季节来说有点晚了，但她还是在霜冻之前完成了工作。她的学习成绩也排到了全班同学的前面。每个承诺她都会认真完成。
26.每当她又不注意这些问题时（不经常这样），爸爸的一句话总会提醒她：“记住，海蒂，开花未必都能结果。”