一個小小的字眼兒

Denver Bloom

At first， it was just a word. A very small word. The word had no worries， no needs and most of all it was quite happy being a small word.

But 1）alas， without meaning to， small things can become great things at the least expected of times. The small word was no exception. Its importance grew. Its fame exceeded its small size. It became the strength on which entire nations rose. The hope which many desperately clung to.

It became an idea.

Now， we all know that among the most dangerous things in the world， nothing was more so than an idea. It was 2）infectious. It was driven. It was nearly impossible to kill. It changed the world around it in ways both amazing and terrifying. The small word soon became something to fear.

It became a threat.

Soon， the entire world fought for power over this small word. People lived and died over the small word. Pulled 3）hither and yon， its existence became the foundation on which innocents were tread upon. Then one day， the unthinkable happened.

It became a 4）pariah.

最初，它只是一個字眼。一個很小的字眼兒。這個字眼沒有煩惱，沒有需求，最重要的是，它很樂于當一個小小的字眼兒。

但可惜，不經(jīng)意之間，微小的東西會在毫無防備之下變成“龐然大物”。小字眼也不例外。它的重要性與日俱增，它的名氣超越了它瘦小的外形。它變成整個國家崛起的動力，變成了很多人想拼命抓住的希望。

它變成了一種思想。

眾所周知，世界上最危險之物，莫過于思想。它有傳染性，驅動性，幾乎無法被消滅。它用驚人又恐怖的方式改變周遭的世界。這個小字眼很快變成了可怕的東西。

它變成了一種威脅。

很快，整個世界為爭奪這個小字眼身上隱含的力量而陷入戰(zhàn)爭。人們因這個小字眼或生存或死亡。小字眼被各方拉來扯去，它的存在成為了踐踏無辜者的依據(jù)。后來有一天，不可思議的事情發(fā)生了。

它變成了一個棄兒。

People 5）clamored to be free of its yoke. They fought amid the din and clamor of swords and slogans， and sought to destroy the small word however they could. After a costly battle， the people won. The small word was quickly locked away， never to be free again.

It became a prisoner.

Quietly， the land world recovered. Gardens grew， and streams trickled. Children laughed and played. The sun even peeked through the dark clouds that once fully covered the land. Meanwhile， the word slept in its cage， shedding only silent tears. It curled up into a ball and shut the world out， and wrapped itself with its lost dreams.

One day， someone passed the cage and noticed that the word wasnt there anymore. People looked in the caves， and the dark corners， but it could not be found. After a long search， the people grew tired and gave up. The world was at peace finally and they were content at last. The small word was left alone.

But if you listened to the laughter of the children and the sound of the rivers， and if your face was 6）dappled by the sun in the sky， you might notice the word， wings outstretched in joy， sharing its happiness where ever it went.

It became a butterfly.

The word， its wings made of paper leaves filled with thoughts and ideas， was again free. The word was a place where dreams were kept to be shared with others. A place where magic was alive and lands were revealed. It was a place where time had no meaning and was the place where time passed quietly. It was free to shed its 7）cocoon of anger and fear and sadness. It became just a small word again. Nothing more， and nothing less.

The word was a book.

And it was happy.

人們嚷嚷著要擺脫它的束縛。他們在戰(zhàn)爭和游行的喧囂嘈雜中戰(zhàn)斗，無論如何也要消滅這個小字眼。付出巨大的代價后，人們贏得了戰(zhàn)斗。小字眼很快被鎖藏起來，永遠不許釋放。

它變成了一名囚犯。

不知不覺中，大地回復了平靜?；▓@重現(xiàn)了生機，溪流開始潺潺流淌，孩子們嬉笑玩耍。陽光甚至可以穿透曾經(jīng)完全籠罩大地的烏云。這個時候，小字眼還在囚籠里沉睡，默默地流淚。它蜷縮成一團，與世隔絕，沉浸在它失去的夢想里。

有一天，有人經(jīng)過囚籠，發(fā)現(xiàn)小字眼不見了。人們搜遍洞穴、陰暗角落，卻看不到它的蹤影。經(jīng)過長時間的搜尋，人們累了，放棄了。最后世界恢復了平靜，人們很滿足。小字眼被人遺忘了。

然而，若是你細聽孩子們的笑聲和河流的響聲，又或是天空高懸的太陽在你臉上留下斑駁的光影時，你也許會留意到這個小字眼。它在歡樂中展開雙翼，沿途分享它的快樂。

它變成了一只蝴蝶。

這個字眼已經(jīng)重獲自由，它那由紙頁做成的雙翅寫滿了各種想法和念頭。這個字眼是一處保留夢想并與他人分享的地方。一個魔力煥發(fā)，新大陸被發(fā)現(xiàn)的地方。一個時間毫無意義，只靜靜流逝的地方。小字眼破繭而出，蛻去了憤怒、恐懼和悲傷，獲得自由。它又變回了一個小字眼。不多，也不少。

這個字眼就是書。

它很幸福。