The Day Dad went Plumbing with a Silent Bee (Chinese)
那天，爸爸带着不出声的蜜蜂去修水管。(The Day Dad Went Plumbing with a Silent Bee.)
版权所有理查.奥.布莱恩 2004年4月27日
It all began one night at the dinner table. Mum, Dad, Susan and Clementine were sitting around the table finishing off a lamb curry made from the roast they had when Grandma last visited.
The girls were as lively as ever, Susan busy with her homework and Clementine with her drawings. Mum and Dad both looked a bit tired after a hard day’s work; Mum had what was left of her half a glass of red wine and Dad had his usual pale ale as they helped themselves to the bowl of fresh fruit for dessert.
Susan had some lists of words she was studying for a spelling bee the next day.
“Farm - Farmer”
“Teach - Teacher” Susan read aloud.
Mum reached over to the bowl and took a plum.
“Plum”, she said pointing and smiling. “Plumber” she gestured to Dad.
Susan and Clementine looked at each other a bit confused, they both knew Dad was famous for his underfloors and pipes, but plums?
版权所有理查.奥.布莱恩 2004年4月27日
那天，爸爸带着不说话的蜜蜂去修水管。
故事是从餐桌旁开始的。
这天晚上，妈妈，爸爸，苏珊和小橘正坐在餐桌旁，晚餐是用上次外婆来时吃剩的烤羊做的咖喱羊肉(lamb)，这会儿已经给大家吃个精光了。
孩子们还是和往常一样活跃，苏珊忙着做功课，小橘则自己画画。经过一天的辛勤劳动，妈妈爸爸看起来有点累，于是一边吃着水果作饭后甜点一边啜着酒，妈妈杯里还有半杯红酒，而爸爸的则仍旧是淡麦酒。
苏珊正在为明天的单词拼写比赛做准备，她罗列了一些学过的单词：
“Farm - Farmer” (“农－农夫”)
“Teach - Teacher” (“教－教师”)
妈妈在水果盘里拿了个李子，
指了指李子，又指了指爸爸，微笑着说：“Plum - Plumber” (“李－水管修理工”)。
苏珊和小橘相对看了一下，两人都有点糊涂。她们知道爸爸是专门负责修理地下水管的，那跟“李子”有什么关系呢？
“I’m only joking!” said Mum. “Dad goes plumbing with a silent b”.
Clementine looked more confused, “Dad goes “pluming” with a silent bee”, she wondered...
“Anyway, you girls may leave the table.” “And clean your teeth and climb into bed! School tomorrow!”…
Clementine tossed and turned in her sleep; “Hmm. Dad goes “pluming” with a silent bee”...
*****
Buzzzzzzzzzzz!
Dad’s alarm went off well before the sun was up, it was dark and cold as Dad put on his work overalls. You could see the frost on his breath and his face was numb.
“And don’t forget to comb your hair!” mumbled Mum as she rolled over.
Dad grabbed his lunch, hopped in the kombi ute and drove down the freeway off to work.
He drove through the tunnels, past the city, then, as the sun was climbing slowly over the hills, at an intersection in Woodville, Dad wound down the window to let in his workmate, Bertie the Silent Bee.
“Morning Bertie!” Dad greeted the bee.
But Bertie said nothing, he just nodded and sat down with what appeared to be his lunch, on the seat next to Dad.
妈妈解释说：“我是开玩笑的啦，爸爸去“plumbing (修理水管)”是带着一个不出声的b的。”
小橘看起来更加困惑了，心里想着：“爸爸去plumbing (修理水管)时还带着一个不出声的蜜蜂（bee）？”（英文中“修理水管”Plumbing中的b不发音，而字母B和蜜蜂Bee发音一样，所以小橘才理解错了。）
“好啦，你们俩都吃完饭了，就要去刷牙，然后爬(climb)上床睡觉，明天还要上学呢…”
小橘睡梦中还是翻来覆去，想着：“爸爸怎么去修理水管(plumbing)时还要带着一个不出声的蜜蜂呢？”
*****
嗡嗡嗡嗡......
太阳还没有爬起来，爸爸的闹钟就准时敲响了。外面又黑又冷，爸爸起床穿上他的工作服。你能看到他冻僵(numb)的脸和呼吸时喷出的雾气。
妈妈翻了个身呢喃着说：“记得梳梳(comb)你的头发。”
爸爸匆匆拿了他的便当，轻身跳进他的小卡车，开往去上班的高速公路.
他开着车穿过隧道和市区，当太阳慢慢爬(climbing)上山顶，车子在伍德维尔的一个十字路口停下，爸爸摇下车窗以便让他的同事――不出声的蜜蜂柏蒂――进来。
“早啊，柏蒂！”爸爸跟蜜蜂打着招呼。
柏蒂不出声，只是点点头，拿着像是他的午餐的东西，在爸爸旁边的座位坐下来。
Bertie proceeded to part his hair neatly, then put his honeycomb back in his top pocket.
“Chilly isn’t it Bertie!” said Dad. And Bertie just nodded again.
“Another working day”, sighed Dad, “Working from womb to tomb” he said as he continued to drive to Port Adelaide.
*****
Dad and Bertie arrived at the work-site with their gear and began digging the underfloor. Digging and digging.
“Phew, every limb in my body is aching” said Dad.
And Bertie just nodded.
They laid the pipes ready for the concreters and were feeling very satisfied with their work when along came a man in a suit and thanked them: “Great! That’s great” said the man. “I owe you a debt of gratitude.”
“No,” said Dad firmly, “you owe me eight hundred dollars!”
“Hmm ...y-yes...of course...of course, that too”, said the man, less enthusiastically.
*****
No sooner had Dad and Bertie finished that job than they were going on to the next.
柏蒂开始把头发整整齐齐地梳理了一下，然后把他的蜜蜂梳子(honeycomb) (:另外意思为“蜂房”)放到他的上口袋里。
“天气有点冷哦，柏蒂！”爸爸说，柏蒂依然不出声地点点头。
“一天的工作又开始了” 爸爸感叹。“自出娘胎(womb)开始就一直做到进入坟墓(tomb)”，他边说边继续往阿德雷德港开去。
*****
爸爸和柏蒂终于到了工作的地点，拿着他们的工具开始挖地面。他们挖呀挖呀......
“喔，四肢(limb)都疼得不行。”爸爸说。
柏蒂仍然只是点了一下头。
他们俩给混凝土工们铺好水管，并对他们的工作成果感到很满意。这时来了一个穿着西装的人，他对爸爸和柏蒂的工作表示感谢：“太棒了！你们做的太棒了！我欠你们一笔人情债(debt)！”
“不是喔，”爸爸坚定地说，“你欠我们的是八百美金！”
“哦...对对对...这个当然...当然...也是要给的。”那个人失去了先前的热情说。
*****
爸爸和柏蒂一做完这边的工作，马上又赶去下一个工作地点。
But when they got to the next work-site, well, you should have seen it! Mess everywhere!
Dad was most unimpressed!
“This place looks like a bomb hit it!” he said indignantly. And in a funny sort of way, he sounded just like Mum.
The pair worked harder and harder and the sun climbed higher and higher. They were both tired and hungry and hadn’t yet had a break for lunch.
Finally, Bertie the Silent Bee flew up to Dad’s ear and Dad heard Bertie’s empty stomach give a tremendous GROANNNNN!
“Oh, hungry are we?” asked Dad. “I suppose that was a subtle hint! Subtlety was never your strong point Bertie.” said Dad.
The workmates made their way to the ute to get their lunches and were joking and carrying on as they made their way back to find somewhere to sit down for lunch.
“What have you got for lunch?” Asked Dad. “A ham sandwich?”
It was actually. At least part there of. A crumb for lunch had our Bertie. Dad continued joking as he fiddled with his lunch.
“I feel like Jack Horner....I put in my thumb and pulled out a plum.” said Dad.
但当他们赶到下一个工作的地点，哦，你真应该看一看那里，简直就是一团糟！
“每个地方都是一团糟！”
爸爸已经是面无表情了。
“这个地方就像是被炸弹(bomb)炸过一样！”他有点生气地说。有趣的是，他说这话的语气有点像妈妈。
太阳慢慢地爬(climbed)上山，太阳爬得越高，他们俩就工作得带劲。尽管他们感到肚子饿，但却忙得连午饭还没有来得及吃。
不出声的蜜蜂柏蒂终于忍不住飞到爸爸的耳边，爸爸可以听到他的肚子已经饿得擂鼓了！咕咕咕(GROANNNNN)！
爸爸对着他说：“喔，饿了吧？我猜这是含蓄的(subtle)提示吧。含蓄(Subtlety)可从来不是你的强项喔！
他们俩到小卡车上拿了午餐，边走边闹地回来找了个地方坐下吃饭。
“你带了什么当午餐呢？”爸爸问，“火腿三文治？”
说中了，至少说中了一点。柏蒂吃的是一小块面包屑(crumb)。爸爸还是边弄他的午餐边说笑。
“我感觉像童谣里面杰克赫纳......插入我的拇指(thumb)，挖出一个李子。”爸爸说道。
He wasn’t paying attention as he went to sit down - and sat - it was entirely accidental right on top of his poor friend Bertie the Silent Bee!
YEOWWW! yelled Dad.
Bertie the Silent Bee had stung him - right on his - (…) um, I can’t say where!
YEOWWW! YEOWWW! YEOWWW! yelled Dad.
Bertie too was looking poorly, a little squashed and without his sting. Then, out of nowhere came the police! The younger policeman ran past Dad and grabbed Bertie the Silent Bee by the wings!
“Got Him! Here’s the culprit!” he yelled.
“Well, Well, who have we here then?” interrogated the older, fatter policeman.
But Bertie did not answer.
“What? Playing dumb! That’s always a sign of guilt! declared the policeman.
“No, no, no!” cried Dad. “His name’s Bertie - but it’s not his fault.....”
“Well-well-well, ‘Ertie, you’re under arrest!” You will be tried for in a court of law, where it shall be proven, beyond reasonable doubt, you ....”
Dad was dumbstruck.
“Inspector?” reminded the younger policeman...
爸爸没有注意（到柏蒂正在他后面），当他坐下的时候正好坐到可怜的柏蒂上面，这完全是个意外。
“哎哟(YEOWWW)...！！！”爸爸大喊了一声。
不出声的蜜蜂柏蒂刚好刺到了爸爸－－呃(um)，我不能告诉你哪里。
“哎哟(YEOWWW)...！哎哟...！哎哟...！”爸爸大叫着。
柏蒂看起来也很可怜，他被压得有点走样，连刺针都没了。这个时候不知哪里来了两个警察。年轻的警察赶紧跑到爸爸旁边，用手指捏着不出声的蜜蜂柏蒂的翅膀把他拎了起来。
“抓到凶手了！”他喊了一声。
“好啊好啊，我们抓到的是谁啊？”那个年纪稍大，体型稍胖的警察问。
柏蒂还是没有回答。
“怎么？装聋作哑(dumb)？犯罪的人经常这样！”那个警察宣称。
爸爸连忙解释说：“不是这样的，不是！他的名字叫柏蒂－－但这不是他的错......”
“好啊，波弟，你已经被捕了！你将接受法律的审判，毫无疑问(doubt)，法庭将会判决你的.....”
爸爸被吓得目瞪口呆(dumbstruck)了！
“探长？”年轻的警察提醒了一下。
“No, no, no!” cried Dad. “It’s not his fault.....”
“Bertie the Bee, you have the right to remain silent, everything you say can and will be used against you...”
“No, no, no!” cried Dad.
“No, no, Nooooo!” cried Clementine.
“Clementine. Wake up Clementine, you’re having a nightmare....” Mum and Dad were at Clementine’s bedside. Susan, amazingly enough, was still asleep.
“B-B-B- Bertie..” sobbed Clementine.
“It was just a dream, sweetheart” consoled Mum.
“Just a dream” reassured Dad.
So Clementine drew a big breath in and collected her thoughts. She didn’t need to worry about Bertie the Silent Bee’s wrongful arrest...It was just a dream. Dad was already getting ready for work, plumbing with a silent b, and in a short while, after a bit more sleep, she’d getting ready for school.... Later, after a bit more sleep.
And in the morning, maybe she’d tell Susan about the dream she just had,
The Day Dad Went Plumbing with a Silent Bee.
© Copyright Richard O'Brien 27 April 2004
“不是的，不是的！”爸爸喊着，“这不是他的错啊！”
“蜜蜂柏蒂，你有权保持沉默，但你说的一切将被作为呈堂证供......”
“不是的(No)，不是的！”爸爸喊着
“不是的(No)，不是的，不是的啊......！”小橘喊着。
“小橘！快醒醒，小橘，你在做噩梦......”爸爸和妈妈都在小橘的床边上叫着她。奇怪的是，苏珊还是呼呼大睡。
“柏...柏...柏蒂...”小橘哭着说。
“好啦宝贝，那只是个梦啦。”妈妈安慰她说。
爸爸又再次强调了一下：“只是个梦。”
于是，小橘深深地吸了一口气，又想了想。她不用担心不出声的蜜蜂柏蒂含冤入狱了……那只是个梦。爸爸已经准备出去工作了，带着不出声的b/蜜蜂去修水管(plumbing with a silent)，再过一会，再睡多一小会，她也要准备去学校了......再过一会，再睡多一小会......
还有，一会她或许会跟苏珊说一下她昨晚做的梦，
No comments:
Post a Comment