商　　人

    妈妈，让我们想象，你待在家里，我到异邦去旅行。

    再想象，我的船已经装得满满地在码头上等候启碇了。

    现在，妈妈，好生想一想再告诉我，回来的时候我要带些什么给你。

    妈妈，你要一堆一堆的黄金么？

    在金河的两岸，田野里全是金色的稻实。

    在林荫的路上，金色花也一朵一朵地落在地上。

    我要为你把它们全都收拾起来，放在好几百个篮子里。

    妈妈，你要秋天的雨点一般大的珍珠么？

    我要渡海到珍珠岛的岸上去。

    那个地方，在清晨的曙光里，珠子在草地的野花上颤动，珠子落在绿草上，珠子被

汹狂的海浪一大把一大把地撒在沙滩上。

    我的哥哥呢，我要送他一对有翼的马，会在云端飞翔的。

    爸爸呢，我要带一支有魔力的笔给他，他还没有觉得，笔就写出字来了。

    你呢，妈妈，我一定要把那个值七个王国的首饰箱和珠宝送给你。

                          THE MERCHANT

IMAGINE, mother, that you are to stay at home and I am to travel into strange lands.

Imagine that my boat is ready at the landing fully laden.

Now think well, mother, before you say what I shall bring for you when I come back.

Mother, do you want heaps and heaps of gold?

There, by the banks of golden streams, fields are full of golden harvest.

And in the shade of the forest path the golden champa flowers drop on the ground.

I will gather them all for you in many hundred baskets.

Mother, do you want pearls big as the raindrops of autumn?

I shall cross to the pearl island shore. There in the early morning light pearls tremble on the meadow flowers, pearls drop on the grass, and pearls are scattered on the sand in spray by the wild sea-waves.

My brother shall have a pair of horses with wings to fly among the clouds.

For father I shall bring a magic pen that, without his knowing, will write of itself.

For you, mother, I must have the casket and jewel that cost seven kings their kingdoms.