《來自天堂的一片葉子》，1855 年

A Leaf from heaven, 1855

在清澈純淨的高空中，一位天使飛翔著，手中拿著從天堂花園裡採來的一朵花。

high up in the clear, pure air flew an angel, with a flower plucked from the garden of heaven.

當他親吻這朵花時，一片極小的葉子從花上掉落，掉進了樹林中央的鬆軟泥土裡。

As he was kissing the flower a very little leaf fell from it and sunk down into the soft earth in the middle of a wood.

它立刻生根、發芽，在其他植物中間長出了新枝。

It immediately took root, sprouted, and sent out shoots among the other plants.

“多麼可笑的一根新枝啊！” 有一株植物說。

“what a ridiculous little shoot!” said one.

“沒人會認得它的；就連薊草和蕁麻也不會。”

“No one will recognize it; not even the thistle nor the stinging-nettle.”

“它肯定是某種園子裡的植物。” 另一株植物說；於是它們都嘲笑並鄙視這株植物，把它當作是來自園子的東西。

“It must be a kind of garden plant,” said another; and so they sneered and despised the plant as a thing from a garden.

“你從哪兒來的？” 那些葉子上都長滿刺的高大薊草問道。

“where are you ing?” said the tall thistles whose leaves were all armed with thorns.

“你這樣冒出來真是愚蠢至極；我們可不是來扶持你的。”

“It is stupid nonsense to allow yourself to shoot out in this way; we are not here to support you.”

冬天來了，這株植物被雪覆蓋，但雪在它上面閃閃發光，彷彿它上下都有陽光照耀。

winter came, and the plant was covered with snow, but the snow glittered over it as if it had sunshine beneath as well as above.

春天來了，這株植物開滿了花：比森林裡的任何其他植物都要美麗。

when spring came, the plant appeared in full bloom: a more beautiful object than any other plant in the forest.

這時，植物學教授出現了，他能把自己的知識用白紙