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 housetop will be the blue sky.
云与浪
母亲，那些住在云端的人对我喊道——
“我们从早晨醒来玩到天黑。我们与金色的曙光嬉戏，我们与皎洁的月亮嬉戏。”
我问：“但是，我怎样才能到你那里呢？”
他们回答说：“你到大地的边缘来，对着天空举起双手，就会被接上云端。”
“我妈妈在家里等我呢,”我说,“我怎能离她而去呢？”
于是他们微笑着飘走了。
但是，母亲，我知道一个比这个更好玩的游戏。
我做云，你做月亮。
我用双手遮住你，我们的屋顶就是湛蓝的天空。
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 break upon your lap with laughter.
And no one in the world will know where we both are.
那些住在波浪上的人对我喊道——
“我们从一早唱歌直到晚上；我们不停地前进旅行，不知将要经过什么地方。”
我问:“但是，我怎样才能加入到你们的队伍中呢？”
他们告诉我:“来到海边，紧闭双眼站在那里，你就会被带到波浪上来了。”
我说:“黄昏时，妈妈常常要我待在家里——我怎能离她而去呢？”
于是他们笑着，舞着，离去了。
但是我知道一个比这个更好玩的游戏。
我做波浪，你做陌生的岸。
我奔腾前进，大笑着撞碎在你的膝上。
世上没有人知道我们俩在什么地方。
The Champa Flower
Supposing I became a champa flower, just for fun, and grew on a branch high up that tree, and shook in the wind with laughter and danced upon the newly budded leaves, would you know me, mother?
You would call, “Baby, where are you?” and I should laugh to myself and keep quite quiet.
I should slyly open my petals and watch you at your work.
When after your bath, with wet hair spread on your shoulders, you walked through the shadow of the champa tree to the little court where you say your prayers, you would notice the scent of the flower, but not know that it came from me.
When after the midday meal you sat at the window reading Ramayana, and the tree’s shadow fell over your hair and your lap, I should fling my wee little shadow on to the page of your book, just where you were reading,
But would you guess that it was the tiny shadow of your little child?
When in the evening you went to the cowshed with the lighted lamp in your hand, I should suddenly drop on to the earth again and be your own baby once more, and beg you to tell me a story.
“Where have you been, you naughty child?”
“I won’t tell you, mother.”That’s what you and I would say then.
金色花
如果我变成了一朵金色花，仅仅为了好玩，长在那高高的枝头，笑着摇曳在风中，又舞动在新生的叶上，母亲，你会认得我吗？
你若是叫道:“宝贝，你在哪儿？”我偷偷地笑，不发出一点儿声音。
我会静静地绽放花瓣，看着你工作。
当你沐浴完毕，湿湿的头发散在两肩，穿过金色花的树影，走到你做祷告的小庭院时，你会闻到这花儿的香气，却不知道这香气是从我的身上散发出来的。
午饭后，你坐在窗前读《罗摩衍那》，那棵树的阴影落到你的头发与膝盖之间，我会在你的书页上、在你正读着的地方投下我的稚影。
可是你会猜到这就是你的小孩的稚影吗？
黄昏时，你拿着灯去牛棚，于是，我突然又落到地上，再变成你的孩子，要你讲个故事给我听。
“你去哪儿了，你这淘气的孩子？”
“我不告诉你，妈妈。”这便是你和我要说的话。
Fairyland
If people came to know where my king’s palace is, it would vanish into the air.
The walls are of white silver and the roof of shining gold.
The queen lives in a palace with seven courtyards, and she wears a jewel that cost all the wealth of seven kingdoms.
But let me tell you, mother, in a whisper, where my king’s palace is.
It is at the corner of our terrace where the pot of the tulsi plant stands.
The princess lies sleeping on the far-away shore of the seven impassable seas.
There is none in the world who can find her but myself.
She has bracelets on her arms and pearl drops in her ears; her hair sweeps down upon the floor.
She will wake when I thouch her with my magic wand, and jewels will fall from her lips when she smiles.
仙 境
假如人们知道我的国王的宫殿在哪里，它便会在空气中消失。
墙壁是白银，房顶是璀璨的黄金。
王后住在有七个庭院的宫殿里，她戴着一串珠宝，整整值七个王国的财富。
不过，妈妈，让我偷偷告诉你，我的国王的宫殿到底在哪里。
就在我们的阳台的一隅，在那放着种植杜尔茜花的花盆的地方。
在遥远的、不可逾越的七重海岸的那一边，公主沉睡着。
除了我，世上没有人能找到她。
她臂上戴着镯子，耳上悬着珍珠；她的头发长得拖在地板上。
当我用我的魔杖触碰她时，她便会醒来；而当她微笑时，珠宝会从她唇边滑落。
But let me whisper in your ear, mother, she is there in the corner of our terrace where the pot of the tulsi plant stands.
When it is time for you to go to the river for your bath, step up to that terrace on the roof.
I sit in the corner where the shadows of the walls meet together.
Only puss is allowed to come with me, for she knows where the barber in the story lives.
But let me whisper, mother, in your ear where the barber in the story lives.
It is at the corner of the terrace where the pot of the tulsi plant stands.
不过，让我偷偷地对你耳语，妈妈；她就在我们阳台的一隅，那放着杜尔茜花盆的地方。
当你去河里沐浴时，你走上屋顶的阳台。
我就坐在那墙头阴影聚集的角落里。
跟我在一起的只有小猫咪，因为它清楚故事中的理发师居住的地方。
不过，让我偷偷地对你耳语，妈妈，那故事里的理发师住在哪里。
他居住的地方就在阳台的一隅，在那放着杜尔茜花盆的地方。
The Land of The Exile
Mother, the light has grown grey in the sky; I do not know what the time is.
There is no fun in my play, so I have come to you. It is Saturday, our holiday.
Leave off your work, mother; sit here by the window and tell me where the desert of Tepantar in the fairy tale is.
The shadow of the rains has covered the day from end to end. The fierce lightning is scratching the sky with its nails.
流放之地
妈妈，天空中的光成了灰色；我不知道是什么时间了。
我的游戏挺无趣的，于是过来找你。这是星期六，我们的节日。
放下你的活儿，妈妈；靠在窗的一边坐着，告诉我童话里的特潘塔沙漠在哪里。
整整一天都被雨的影子覆盖着。凶猛的闪电用利爪抓着天空。
When the clouds rumble and it thunders, I love to be afraid in my heart and cling to you.