亨利·凡·戴克/HenryVanDyke
亨利·凡·戴克(1852—1933)，美国作家、教育家、演说家和传道士。曾任普里斯顿大学英国文学系教授，著有《小河集》《船和港》等。
AcetheHole
Uandthesenewphrasesbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.desdupon突然到达；袭击（突然降临）
2.parewith与……相比较
3.setdown放置
4.thrtto深入
Therewasahandfulofcythebankofariver.Itwasonlyoncy,arseandheavy;butithadhighthoughtsofitsownvae,andwonderfuldreasofthegreatpcewhichitwastofilltheworldwheicaforitsvirtuestobedisvered.
Overhead,thesprgsuhetreeswhisperedtogetheroftheglorywhichdesdeduponthewhenthedelicateblossosandleavesbegantoexpand,andtheforestglowedthefair,clearlors,asifthedtofthoandsofrubiesanderaldswerehangg,softclouds,abovetheearth.
Theflowers,surprisedwiththejoyofbeauty,benttheirheadstooneanother,asthedcaressedthe,andsaid,“Sisters,howlovelyyouhavebee.Youakethedaybright.”
Theriver,gdthandrejoicgtheunisonofallitswaters,ururedtotheshoresic,tellgofitsreleasefroicyfetters,itsswiftflightfrothesnow-cdountas,andtheightyworktowhichitwashurrygthewheelsofanyillstobeturned,andgreatshipstobefloatedtothesea.
Waitgbldlyitsbed,thecyforteditselfwithloftyhopes.“Mytiwille,”itsaid.“Iwasnotadetobehiddenforever.Gloryayandhontodueseason.”
Onedaythecyfeltitselftakenfrothepcewhereithadwaitedsolong.Aftbdeofironpassedbehit,andliftedit,andtossedittoacartwithotherpsofcy,anditwascarriedfaraway,asitseed,overaroughandstonyroad.Butitwasnotafraid,nordisuraged,foritsaidtoitself:“Thisisnecessary.Thepathtogloryisalwaysrugged.NowIaonywaytopyagreatparttheworld.”
Butthehardjourneywasnothg,paredwiththetributionanddistressthatcaafterit.Thecyuttoatroughandixedaenandstirredandtrapled.Itseedalostunbearable.Buttherewasnsotionthethoughtthatsothgveryfeandnoblewascertalygoutofallthistrouble.Thecyfeltsurethat,ifituldonlywaitlongenough,awonderfulrewardwasstoreforit.
Thenitutuponaswiftlyturngwheel,andwhirledarounduntilitseedasifittflytoathoandpieces.Astrangepowerpresseditandouldedit,asitrevolved,andthroughallthedizzessandpaitfeltthatitwastakganewfor.
Thenanunknoutittoanoven,andfireswerekdledaboutitfierdperatghotterthanalltheheatsofsurthathadeverbroodeduponthebankoftheriver.Butthroughall,thecyhelditselftogetherarials,thenfidenceofagreatfuture.“Surely,”itthought,“Iatendedforsothgverysplendid,scesuchpasaretakenwith.PerhapsIafashionedfortheornantofateple,orapreciovaseforthetableofakg.”
Atstthebakgwasfished.Thecywastakenfrothefurnadsetdownuponaboard,theolair,uhebesky.Thetributionassed.Therewardwasathand.
Closebesidetheboardthereoolofwater,notverydeep,norveryclear,butcalenoughtoreflect,withipartialtruth,everyiagethatfeltuponit.Thereforthefirstti,asitwasliftedfrotheboard,thecysawitsherewardofallitspatiendpa,thensuationofitshopes—aonflower-pot,straightandstiff,redandugly.Andthenitfeltthatitwasnotdestedforakg’shoe,norforapaceofart,becaeitwasadewithoutgloryorbeautyorhonor;anditururedagasttheunknownaker,sayg,“Whyhastthouadeth?”
Manydaysitpassedsullendis.Thenitwasfilledwithearth,andsothg—itknewnotwhat—butsothgroughandbrownanddead-lookg,wasthrttotheiddleoftheearthandveredover.Thecyrebelledatthisnewdisgrace.“Thisistheworstofallthathashappeo,tobefilledwithdirtandrubbish.SurelyIaafaire.”
Butpresentlyitwassetagreenhoe,wherethesunlightfellonit,andwaterrkledoverit,anddaybydayasitwaited,agebegantoetoit.Sothgwasstirrgwithit—anewhope.Stillitwasignorant,andknewnotwhatthenewhopeant.
Onedaythecywasliftedagafroitspce,andcarriedtoagreatchurch.Itsdreawasgtrueafterall.Ithadafeparttopytheworld.Glorioicflowedoverit.Itwassurroundedwithflowers.Stillituldnotuand.Soitwhisperedtoanothervesselofcy,likeitself,closebesideit,“Whyhavetheysethere?Whydoallthepeoplelooktowards?”Andtheothervesselanswered,“Doyounotknow?Youarecarrygaroyalscepteroflilies.Theirpetalsarewhiteassnow,andtheheartoftheislikepuregold.Thepeoplelookthiswaybecaethefloweristheostwonderfultheworld.Andtherootofitisyourheart.”
Thenthecywas,andsilentlythasaker,becae,thoughahenvessel,itheldsogreatatreasure.
参考译文
很久以前，在一条河边有这样一撮黏土。说起来，它也不过是普普通通的黏土，粗糙笨重，不过它对自己的价值看得很高。它对自己在世界上可能占有的地位怀有奇特的想象，认为只要能得到机会，自己的价值一定会被人们发现。
在这撮黏土的头顶上，明媚的春光里，树木正在交头接耳地窃窃私语，讲述着当纤细的花儿和树叶开始绽放，林中一片澄澈碧绿时，它们身上所闪耀的无尽光辉。那种景象就如无数红绿宝石粉末所形成的彩云，轻轻地飘浮在大地上。
花儿们看到这样的美景，非常惊喜，它们在春风的吹拂下探头欠身，相互祝贺：“姐妹们，你们出落得多可爱啊，你们给白日增添了多少光辉啊。”
河水也为新力量的加入而感到高兴。它沉浸在水流重聚的喜悦中，不断地用美好的音调向河岸低语，倾诉着自己是如何挣脱冰雪的束缚，如何从积雪覆盖的群山奔流到这里，以及它匆忙前往担负的重任——许多水车的轮子等着它去推动，巨大的船舶等着它运送到大海里。
那撮黏土懵懵懂懂地在河**等待着，不停地用各种远大理想来自我安慰。“我的时运定将来到，”它说，“我不可能长久地被埋没在这里。世上的光彩、荣耀，在一定的时候，肯定会降临到我的身上。”
有一天，黏土发现自己的位置被挪动了，它已经不待在原来长期等候的地方了。它被一个铲土的铁铲挖了起来，然后和别的泥土一起被装在一辆车上，沿着一条似乎非常坎坷的铺着石块的路，被送到一个遥远的地方。但是，它没有害怕，也没有气馁，只是在心里暗想：“这是必要的步骤，因为通往光荣的道路总是崎岖不平的。现在，我就要到世上去完成我那重大的使命了。”