LESSON 6 The humming-bird

第六课 蜂鸟

The humming-bird! the humming-bird!

小蜂鸟，小蜂鸟

So fairy-like and bright;

仙子般聪明又可爱

It lives amongst the sunny flowers,

家住向日葵的花苞处

A creature of delight!

生活快乐又自在

In the radiant islands of the East,

东方仙岛处

Where fragrant spices grow,

香料树木一大堆

A thousand thousand humming-birds

千千万万小蜂鸟

Go glancing to and fro.

成群涌向仙岛

Like living fires they flit about,

穿越了大火

Scarce larger than a bee,

但是比蜂小

Amongst the broad palmetto leaves,

只好栖息棕榈叶

And through the fan-palm tree.

或是栖息蒲葵树

There builds her nest the humming-bird,

王后在古木的深处

Within the ancient wood,

带兵建造蜂鸟巢

Her nest of silky cotton-down,

建成棉絮丝绸巢

And rears her tiny brood.

好为哺育小宝宝

She hangs it to a slender twig,

放置宝宝于树枝

Where it waves light and free,

但是枝干易甩动

As the campanero tolls his song

因为钟鸟鸣钟声

While rocks the mighty tree.

整棵树都被晃动

All crimson is her shining breast,

蜂鸟王后心情差

Like to the red, red rose;

身体渐渐地变红

Her wing is the changeful green and blue

翅膀颜色绿又蓝

That the neck of the peacock shows.

就如孔雀展翅般

Thou happy, happy humming-bird,

如此快乐小蜂鸟

No winter round thee lowers;

再次面临寒冬季

Thou never saw'st a leafless tree,

树叶全都脱光光

Nor land without sweet flowers:

香花也都消失了

A reign of summer joyfulness

夏季快乐非常多

To thee for life is given;

生活供给很充足

Thy food the honey from the flower,

食物来自鲜花蜜

Thy drink the dew from heaven!

水源来自天降雨

—Mary Howitt

—Mary Howitt