《亞麻》，1849 年

the Flax, 1849

亞麻花開得正盛；它長著小巧可愛的藍色花朵，嬌嫩得如同飛蛾的翅膀，甚至更甚。

the flax was in full bloom; it had pretty little blue flowers as delicate as the wings of a moth, or even more so.

陽光照耀著它，雨水滋潤著它；這對亞麻來說，就如同小孩子被母親洗淨後再親吻一樣有益。

the sun shone, and the showers watered it; and this was just as good for the flax as it is for little children to be washed and then kissed by their mother.

它們（孩子）因此看起來漂亮多了，亞麻也是如此。

they look much prettier for it, and so did the flax.

“人們都說我看起來美極了，” 亞麻說，“還說我又細又長，能織成一塊漂亮的亞麻布。我多幸運呀；這讓我太開心了，知道自己能派上用場，真是一件讓人愉快的事。陽光讓我多麼振奮，雨水又是多麼甘甜、多麼清新；我的幸福滿得要溢位來了，世上沒人能比我更幸福。”

“people say that I look exceedingly well,” said the flax, “and that I am so fine and long that I shall make a beautiful piece of linen. how fortunate I am; it makes me so happy, it is such a pleasant thing to know that something can be made of me. how the sunshine cheers me, and how sweet and refreshing is the rain; my happiness overpowers me, no one in the world can feel happier than I am.”

“啊，是啊，毫無疑問，” 蕨草說，“但你還不像我這麼瞭解這個世界呢，因為我的莖是多節的；” 然後它就非常哀傷地唱了起來 ——

“咔嚓，噼啪，嘶啦，

巴塞 盧啦：

歌已唱完。”

“Ah, yes, no doubt,” said the fern, “but you do not know the world yet as well as I do, for my sticks are knotty;” and then it sung quite mournfully —

“Snip, snap, snurre,

basse lurre:

the song is ended.”

“不，還沒唱完呢，” 亞麻說，“明天太陽還會照耀，或者雨水還會落下。我感覺自己在生長。我感覺自己正盛開著。我是萬物中最幸福的。”

“No, it is not ended,” said the