提 要

一個不知名的男孩，一段寓言式的敘述，像唐吉訶德挑戰風車的傻勁；也像愚公移山的勇氣。男孩的堅持，讓原本安逸度日的富家子弟，產生積極奮發的想法。

A boy had journeyed a long way and was very tired. It seemed like a dream when he stood up after a sleep in the field, and looked over the wall, and saw the garden, the flowers, the children playing all about.

He looked at the long road behind him, at the dark woods and the barren hills; it was the world to which he belonged. He looked at the garden before him, at the big house, and the terrace, and the steps that led down to the smooth lawn it was the world which belonged to the rich kids.

"Poor boy," said the elder child," I will get you something to eat."

"But where did he come from?" the gardener asked.

"We do not know," the child answered." But he is very hungry, and mom says we may give him some food."

"I will fetch him some milk," said the little one. On one hand she carried a mug and with the other, she pulled along her little cart.

"But what is he called? "asked the gardener.

"I don't know," the little one answered. "But he is very thirsty, and mother says we may give him some milk."

"Where is he going?" asked the gardener.

"We do not know," the children said. "But he is very tired."

After the boy had rested well, he got up saying, "I must not stay any longer," and continued to go on his way.

"What have you to do?" the children asked.

"I am one of the crew, and must help to make the world go round," he answered.

"Why don't we help too?"

"You are the passengers."

"How far have you to go?" they asked.

"Oh, a long way!" he answered. "On and on until I can touch the sun."

"Will you really touch it?" they said, awestruck.

"I dare say my strength shall wear out long before I get there," he answered sadly." Perhaps without knowing it, though, I shall reach it in my sleep," he added. But they hardly heard the last words, for he was already far off.

"Why did you talk to him?" the gardener said. "He is just a working boy."

"And we do nothing! It was very good of him to notice us," they said, humbly.

"Good!" said the gardener in melancholy. "Why, between you and him there is a great difference."

"There was only a wall," they answered. "Who set it up? "they asked curiously.

"Why, the builders, of course. Men set it up."

"And who will pull it down ?"

"It will not want any pulling down," the man answered grimly. "Maybe time will do that."

As the children went back to their play, they looked up at the light towards which the boy was journeying.

"Perhaps we too shall reach it someday." they said.

解 說

一個男孩走了很長的路，一臉疲憊。他似乎在田野裡睡了一覺後，站起來、越過牆壁，看到花園、鮮花、玩耍的孩子們，彷彿夢境的景象。

看著身後的漫長道路，黑暗的森林與荒山，他屬於這樣的世界；看著他面前的花園、大房子與露台，還有通往光滑草坪的台階，這是富家子弟的世界。

「可憐的孩子。」大孩子停止玩耍，對他說：「我會給你點東西吃。」

「但他是從哪裡來的？」園丁問。

「我們不知道。」孩子回答：「但他非常餓，媽說我們可以給他一些食物。」

「我會給他拿一些牛奶回來。」小傢伙一面說著，一面把馬克杯放在小車上，拉著走了。

「他叫什麼？」園丁問。

「我不知道。」小傢伙回答：「但他渴了，母親說我們可以給他一些牛奶喝。」

「那他要去哪兒呢？」園丁問。

「我們不知道。」孩子們回答：「但他很累。」

在這個男孩好好的休息之後，他起身說：「我不能再停留了。」然後繼續往前走。

「你有什麼事要做？」孩子們問他。

「我是其中的一員，必須幫助這世界運轉。」他回答。

「我們何不一起幫忙？」

「你們是乘客。」

「你要走多遠？」他們問。

「哦，很長的路！」男孩回答：「一直到我碰觸太陽。」

「你真的會碰它嗎？」孩子們肅然起敬地說。

「我敢說，在我到達那裡之前，力氣就會耗盡。」他悲傷地回答：「不知道，也許我會在睡夢中到達。」他補充。

但是孩子們幾乎聽不到最後的話，因為男孩已經走得很遠了。

「你們為什麼要找他說話？」園丁說：「他只是一個做工的男孩。」

「我們什麼都沒做啊！他能注意到我們真好。」孩子們謙卑地說。

「好！」園丁鬱悶地說：「但你們和他之間有很大的不同。」

「只是隔著一道牆的分別。」他們好奇地問：「誰設置的牆？」

「當然是建築工人設置的。」

「誰會把它弄倒？」

「沒有人會把它弄倒。」園丁冷冷地回答：「也許會時間久了會傾塌。」

當孩子們繼續玩遊戲時，他們抬頭，看著那個朝向太陽前行的男孩。

「也許有一天，我們也該去碰觸太陽。」他們說。