d that is always a consolation;” and the darning-needle maintained its proud demeanor, and lost none of its good-humor.

各種各樣的東西從它上面漂過 —— 刨花、稻草和舊報紙的碎片。

And all sorts of things swam over it — shavings, straws, and scraps of old newspapers.

“看看它們漂過去的樣子。” 針說，“它們不知道自己下面藏著什麼呢！我牢牢地紮在這兒：我就坐在這兒。看！有一片刨花漂過去了：它心裡除了自己什麼都不想 —— 就想著一片刨花！有一根稻草在漂；它怎麼轉來轉去，怎麼打轉轉呀！除了自己，也想想別的事兒吧，不然說不定會撞到石頭上呢！有一小片報紙在漂。上面寫的東西早就被人忘了，可它還鋪展開來，好像自己有多重要似的！我就耐心地、靜靜地坐在這兒：我知道我是誰，而且我終究還是會留存下來的！”

“only look how they sail by,” said the needle. “they do not know what is hidden below them! I stick fast here: here I sit. Look! there goes a shaving: it thinks of nothing in the world but of itself — but of a shaving! there drifts a straw; and how it tacks about, how it turns round! think of something else besides yourself, or else perhaps you’ll run against a stone! there swims a bit of a newspaper. what’s written there is long ago forgotten, and yet out it spreads itself, as if it were mighty important! I sit here patient and still: I know who I am, and that I shall remain after all!”

有一天，有個東西緊挨著針躺在那兒。

one day there lay something close beside the needle.

它閃閃發光，非常耀眼，以至於織補針以為它一定是顆鑽石：但它其實只是一塊碎玻璃瓶片，因為它閃閃發光，織補針便和它搭話，並向它介紹自己是一枚胸針。

It glittered so splendidly, that the needle thought it must be a diamond: but it was only a bit of a broken bottle, and because it glittered the darning-needle addressed it, and introduced itself to the other as a breast-pin.

“你無疑是一顆鑽石吧？”

“Y