英语童话故事：奉献树 The Giving Tree

Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy. Every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns¹ and play king of the forest.He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree very much….And the tree was happy.

从前有一棵树，她喜欢一个小男孩。每天男孩都会跑到这棵树下捡落叶，做成王冠，把自已装扮成森林之王。男孩总是爬上树干，在树枝扛荡秋千，吃树上的苹果，他们还会一起玩捉迷藏的游戏。男孩累了，就在树荫里睡觉。小男孩非常喜爱这棵树，大树也十分开心。

But time went by. The boy grew older, and the tree was often alone.

但是时光流逝，男孩逐渐长大，大树常常形单影只。

Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said."Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat my apples and play in my shade and be happy."

有一天男孩来到大树旁，大树说:“来吧，孩子，爬到我的树干上，在树枝上荡秋千，吃几个苹果，再到阴凉里玩一会儿，你会开心的!”

"I am too big to climb and play." said the boy. "1 want to buy things and have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money?"

“我已经大了，不爱爬树玩儿了，”男孩说，“我想买些东西，想找些乐子。我需要钱，你能给我些钱吗?”

"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy."

“很抱歉，”大树说，“我没有钱，我只有树叶和苹果。把我的苹果拿去，孩子，把它们拿到城里卖掉，你就会有钱，就会快活了。”

And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.

于是男孩爬上树，摘下苹果，把苹果带走了。

And the tree was happy.

大树很快乐。

But the boy stayed away for a long time…and the tree was sad.

但是男孩离开了很久，大树很难过。

And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and she said, "Come,Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy."

后来有一天，男孩回来了，大树高兴地摇晃着肢体，说道:“来吧，孩子，爬到我的树干上，在树枝上荡秋千，你会很快活的!”

I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. C an you give me a house?"

“我太忙了，没有时间爬树”男孩说，“我需要一幢房子保暖。”他接着说，“我要娶个妻子，还要生些孩子，所以我需要一幢房子。你能给我一幢房子吗?”

"I have no house," said the tree. "The forest is my house, but you may cut my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy."

“我没有房子，”大树说，“森林就是我的房子。但是你可以砍下我的树枝去盖房，那样你就会开心了。

And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy. But the boy stayed away for a long time.

于是男孩把大树的树枝砍了下来，把它们带走盖了一幢房子。大树很快乐，但是男孩很久都没有再来。

And when he came back, the tree was so happy that she could hardly speak. "Come,Boy," she whispered², "come and play."

当他又回来的时候，大树非常高兴，高兴得几乎说不出话来。“来吧，孩子，”她低声说，“来和我玩吧!”

"I am too old and sad to play," said the boy. "I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?"

“我年纪已经大了，心情也不好，不愿意玩。”男孩说，“我需要一条船，离开这里，去遥远的地方。你能给我一条船吗?”

"Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away and be happy.”

“把我的树干砍断，用它造船吧。”大树说，“这样你就可以远航，你就会快乐了。”于是男孩砍断树干，造了一艘船，乘船离开了。

And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away.

大树很快乐……但并不是真的快乐。

And the tree was happy...but not really.

又过了很长时间，男孩又回来了。“非常抱歉，孩子，”大树说，“我没有什么可以给你—我没有苹果了。”

And after a long time the boy came back again, "I am sorry, Boy," said the tree,‘but I have nothing left to give you-my apples are gone."

“我的牙齿已经老化，吃不动苹果了。”男孩说。

“My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.

“我没有枝条了，”大树说，“你没法儿在上面荡秋千了—”

"My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them -”

“我年纪太大了，荡不了秋千。”男孩说。

"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy.

“我没有树干了，”大树说，“你不能往上爬了—”

“My trunk is gone," said the tree. "You cannot climb-"

“我很累，爬不动了。”男孩说。

"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.

“真是抱歉，”大树叹了口气，“我多么希望能给你点什么呀……但是我什么也没有留下，我现在只是个老树墩，抱歉……”

"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something…but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump³. I am sorry…"

“我现在不需要太多，”男孩说，“只想找个安静的地方坐坐，好好休息。我很累。”

"I don't need very much now," said the boy,"just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."

“那好。”大树说，她尽量把身子挺直，“那好，我这个老树墩正好可以让你坐着休息来吧，孩子，坐下吧，坐在我身上休息吧。”

"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."

于是男孩坐下了。

And the boy did.

大树很快乐。

And the tree was happy.

课堂笔记：
1.情态动词“would”在此句中表示“过去常常，过去总是”。连词“and”的反复使用起强调的作用.说明小男孩和大树之间曾多么亲密无间。
2.常用搭配"too ... to do sth.”表示“太……以至于不能;过于”类似搭配还有:"too…for sth;too…for sb. to do sth."
3.此处的分词短语用作伴随状语，其中“as much as sb. could”表示“尽可能”，是一个极为常用的英语句型结构。

1 crowns   

n.王冠( crown的名词复数 )；花冠（有时象征胜利）；王权；（某物的）顶部

参考例句：

• Crowns and thrones may perish. 王权不会永存。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Every word of the Toran braided crowns for the Godhead. 犹太经典上的每个字都在给上帝编织花冠。 来自辞典例句

2 whispered   

adj.耳语的，低语的v.低声说( whisper的过去式和过去分词 )；私语；小声说；私下说

参考例句：

• She sidled up to me and whispered something in my ear. 她悄悄走上前来，对我耳语了几句。
• His ill luck has been whispered about the neighborhood. 他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。