小王子 第11期:猴面包樹

As each day passed I would learn, in our talk, something about the little prince's planet, his departure from it, his journey.

每天我都了解到一些關于小王子的星球，他的出走和旅行等事情。

The information would come very slowly, as it might chance to fall from his thoughts.

這些都是偶然從各種反應中慢慢得到的。

It was in this way that I heard, on the third day, about the catastrophe of the baobabs.

就這樣，第三天我就了解到關于猴面包樹的悲劇。

This time, once more, I had the sheep to thank for it.

這一次又是因為羊的事情，

For the little prince asked me abruptly–as if seized by a grave doubt–"It is true, isn't it, that sheep eat little bushes?"

突然小王子好象是非常擔心地問我道：“羊吃小灌木，這是真的嗎?”

Yes, that is true.

是的，是真的。

Ah! I am glad!

啊，我真高興。

I did not understand why it was so important that sheep should eat little bushes.

我不明白羊吃小灌木這件事為什么如此重要。

But the little prince added: "Then it follows that they also eat baobabs?"

可小王子又說道：“因此，它們也吃猴面包樹羅?

I pointed out to the little prince that baobabs were not little bushes,

我對小王子說，猴面包樹可不是小灌木，

but, on the contrary, trees as big as castles;

而是象教堂那么大的大樹;

and that even if he took a whole herd of elephants away with him, the herd would not eat up one single baobab.

即便是帶回一群大象，也啃不了一棵猴面包樹。

The idea of the herd of elephants made the little prince laugh.

一群大象這種想法使小王子發(fā)笑：

"We would have to put them one on top of the other," he said.

“那可得把這些大象一只疊一只地壘起來”，他說。

But he made a wise comment: "Before they grow so big, the baobabs start out by being little."

他很有見識地說：“猴面包樹在長大之前，開始也是小小的。”

"That is strictly correct," I said. "But why do you want the sheep to eat the little baobabs?"

“不錯。”我說，“可是為什么你想叫你的羊去吃小猴面包樹呢?”

He answered me at once, "Oh, come, come!", as if he were speaking of something that was self-evident.

他回答我道：“唉!這還用說!”似乎這是不言而喻的。

And I was obliged to make a great mental effort to solve this problem, without any assistance.

可是我自己要費很大的心勁才能弄懂這個問題。