小王子 第12期:小嫩苗

 　　Indeed, as I learned, there were on the planet where the little prince lived–as on all planets–good plants and bad plants.

　　原来，在小王子的星球上就象其他所有星球上一样，有好草和坏草；

　　In consequence, there were good seeds from good plants, and bad seeds from bad plants.

　　因此，也就有益草的草籽和毒草的草籽，

　　But seeds are invisible.

　　可是草籽是看不见的。

　　They sleep deep in the heart of the earth's darkness, until some one among them is seized with the desire to awaken¹.

　　它们沉睡在泥土里，直到其中的一粒忽然想要苏醒过来

　　Then this little seed will stretch itself and begin– timidly at first–to push a charming little sprig inoffensively upward toward the sun.

　　于是它就伸展开身子，开始腼腆地朝着太阳长出一棵秀丽可爱的小嫩苗。

　　If it is only a sprout² of radish or the sprig of a rose-bush, one would let it grow wherever it might wish.

　　如果是小萝卜或是玫瑰的嫩苗，就让它去自由地生长。

　　But when it is a bad plant, one must destroy it as soon as possible, the very first instant that one recognizes it.

　　如果是一棵坏苗，一旦被辨认出来，就应该马上把它拔掉。

　　Now there were some terrible seeds on the planet that was the home of the little prince;

　　因为在小王子的星球上，有些非常可怕的种子

　　and these were the seeds of the baobab.

　　这就是猴面包树的种子。

　　The soil of that planet was infested³ with them.

　　在那里的泥土里，这种种子多得成灾。

　　A baobab is something you will never, never be able to get rid of if you attend to it too late. It spreads over the entire planet.

　　而一棵猴面包树苗，假如你拔得太迟，就再也无法把它清除掉。

　　It bores clear through it with its roots.

　　它就会盘踞整个星球。

　　And if the planet is too small, and the baobabs are too many, they split it in pieces.

　　它的树根能把星球钻透，如果星球很小，而猴面包树很多，它就把整个星球搞得支离破碎。

　　"It is a question of discipline," the little prince said to me later on.

　　“这是个纪律问题。”小王子后来向我解释道。

　　"When you've finished your own toilet in the morning, then it is time to attend to the toilet of your planet, just so, with the greatest care.

　　当你早上梳洗完毕以后，必须仔细地给星球梳洗，

　　You must see to it that you pull up regularly all the baobabs,

　　必须规定自己按时去拔掉猴面包树苗。

　　at the very first moment when they can be distinguished⁴ from the rosebushes which they resemble so closely in their earliest youth.

　　这种树苗小的时候与玫瑰苗差不多，一旦可以把它们区别开的时候，就要把它拔掉。

　　"It is very tedious work", the little prince added, "but very easy."

　　“这是一件非常乏味的工作”，小王子说，“但很容易。”

1 awaken   

vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起

参考例句：

• Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。
• Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

2 sprout   

n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条

参考例句：

• When do deer first sprout horns?鹿在多大的时候开始长出角？
• It takes about a week for the seeds to sprout.这些种子大约要一周后才会发芽。

3 infested   

adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于

参考例句：

• The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
• The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。

4 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。