成長的煩惱
——《吹小號的天鵝》賞析

文 /曉 菲

◆原作節(jié)選◆

On a bright clear day in January,Louis and Serena came home to the Red Rock Lakes.From among the thousands of waterfowl,they quickly found the members of their own families.It was a noisy homecoming（回到家里）.Everybody wanted to say hello at once.The wanderers were home at last.

Louis’s father,the old cob,made a graceful speech—rather long,but sincere.

Louis raised his trumpet and played，“There’s no place like home.Home,home,sweet home!”Everybody congratulated the happy couple.They gathered around and looked at Louis’s possessions.They were much impressed by his worldly goods.They liked the lifesaving medal,they loved the sound of the trumpet,and they were eager to see the money in the moneybag.But Louis did not open the bag.Instead,he took his father and motherto one side.They allthree stepped out on shore,where Louis slipped the moneybag off his neck and,with a bow,handed it to the old cob.Four thousand four hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-eight cents.

Then Louis took his slate and wrote a note to the owner of the music store in Billings so his father would have something to show him when he got there.The note said：

To the Storekeeper of Billings：Enclosed please find $4,420.78.Itwillpay you forthe trumpet and the damage to the store.Sorry about the inconvenience this has caused you.

The old cob was not able to count money,and he was not able to read,but he took the moneybag and the slate and hung them around his neck.He felt sure he could now pay his debt for the stolen trumpet. “I shall go,”he said to his wife.“I shall redeem my honor.I shall return to Billings,the scene of my crime（罪行）—a great city,teeming with life—”

“We’ve heard thatbefore,” remarked his wife.“Just take the money and the note and beat it for Billings as fast as you can go.And when you get there,be careful!The owner of that music store has a gun.He will remember that the last time he saw a swan coming at him he got robbed.So watch yourself!You’re on a dangerous mission.”

“Danger!” said the old cob. “Danger!I welcome dangerand adventure.Dangeris my middle name.I would risk my life to redeem my honor and recapture（重新奪回）my sense of decency.I shall pay my debt and blot out the foul mark that sullies my good name.I shall rid myselfforeverofthe shame thatcomes from thievery（偷竊）and wrongdoing.I shall—”

“If you don’t stop talking,” said his wife,“you won’t get to Billings before the stores close.”

“You are right,”replied the cob.He adjusted the moneybag and the slate for flight.Then he took off into the air and headed toward the northeast,flying fast and high.

The old cob flew fast and far.When he spied the churches and factories and shops and homes of Billings,he circled once,then began his downward glide—straight for the music store.

The cob had been seen already by people down below.One of the salesmen in the music store was standing by the front window,looking out.When he saw the big white bird approaching（接近）,he yelled（喊叫）to the storekeeper,“Large bird approaching.Get your gun!”

The storekeeper grabbed（抓?。﹉is shotgun and raced to the sidewalk.The cob was low in the sky,gliding straight for the store.The storekeeper raised hisgun.He fired both barrelsin quick succession.The old cob felt a twinge of pain in his left shoulder.Thoughts of death filled his mind.Looking back,he saw a bright red drop of blood staining his breast.But he kept going,straight for the storekeeper.

“The end is near,”he said to himself.“I shall die in the performance（表演）of duty.I have only a few moments remaining to live.The red blood flows in a steady trickle from my veins.My strength fails.But even in death’s final hour,I shall deliver the money for the trumpet.Good-bye,life!Good-bye,beautiful world!Good-bye,little lakesin the north!Farewell,springtimesIhave known,with theirpassion and ardor（熱情）!Farewell,loyal wife and loving sons and daughters!I,who am about to die,salute（致敬）you.I must die gracefully,as only a swan can.”

With that,he sank to the sidewalk,held out the moneybag and the slate to the astonished storekeeper,and fainted away at the sight of his own blood.

在一月的某個清爽的日子里，路易斯和塞蕾娜回到了紅石湖的家。從數(shù)以千計的水鳥當(dāng)中，他們很快找到了自己的家庭成員。好一場沸反盈天的歸家呀。誰都想馬上說“你們好”。游子終于回家了。

路易斯的父親，那只老雄天鵝，發(fā)表了一通言辭優(yōu)美的演說——相當(dāng)?shù)亻L，但句句出自肺腑。

路易斯舉起他的小號，吹起了那句：“世上沒有一個地方比得上我的家。家，家，可愛的家！”大家都來向這幸福的一對兒道賀。人們都聚到一起，打量著路易斯的那些東西。他們?nèi)急凰呢敭a(chǎn)打動了。他們喜歡那枚救生獎?wù)?，他們愛聽那小號聲，他們還迫切地想見識一下那個錢袋里的錢?？陕芬姿箾]有打開錢袋，而是把他的父母帶到了別的地方。他們?nèi)齻€上岸后，路易斯從脖子上摘下錢袋，鞠了一躬，然后才把它遞給那只老雄天鵝。里面共有四千四百二十美元七十八美分。

然后路易斯拿過他的石板給比林斯的樂器店店主寫了個便條。這樣一來，當(dāng)他的父親飛到那里時，就可以把它拿給那個店主看了。便條上說：

致比林斯的店主：茲附上現(xiàn)金4420.78美元，請查收。這筆錢是用來償還那把小號和店鋪損失的。對因此給你帶來的麻煩深感歉意。

老雄天鵝不會數(shù)錢，也不會閱讀，可他還是接過錢袋和石板，把它們掛到自己的脖子上。他確信他現(xiàn)在能為這把偷來的小號償債了?！拔荫R上就走，”他對他的妻子說，“我要去贖回我的名譽。我要回到比林斯，回到我的犯罪現(xiàn)場——一個很大的城市，充滿了生機?！?/p>

“這話我們早就聽過了，”他的妻子提醒道，“帶著錢和便條盡快往比林斯撲扇你的翅膀就夠了。你到那里一定要小心點，那個樂器店的店主有槍。他會想起眼瞅著一只撲向他的天鵝把他搶了的那一次的。所以你千萬要當(dāng)心！你執(zhí)行的可是一項危險的任務(wù)?！?/p>

“危險！”老雄天鵝說，“危險！我愿意接受危險和冒險的挑戰(zhàn)。危險是我的第二個名字。為了贖回我的名譽，為了尋回我那品行端正的感覺，我情愿拿我的生命冒險。我要付清我的債務(wù)，洗去辱沒了我美名的污點。我要讓自己永遠(yuǎn)不再蒙受偷盜和犯罪的恥辱。我要——”

“如果你再不住口的話，”他的妻子說，“你在商店關(guān)門之前絕飛不到比林斯?！?/p>

“你說得對，”雄天鵝回答。他擺正錢袋和石板的位置，準(zhǔn)備起飛。接著他飛到空中，又快又高地朝東北方向飛去。

雄天鵝飛得又快又遠(yuǎn)。當(dāng)他瞥見比林斯的教堂、工廠、商店和住宅時，便兜了一圈兒，然后才開始向下滑翔——直奔那家樂器店。

雄天鵝早已被下面的人們發(fā)現(xiàn)了。樂器店的一個店員正站在前面的櫥窗旁，往外觀察著。他一看到這只正在靠近的白色大鳥，就對店主大叫道：“大鳥來了，準(zhǔn)備好你的槍！”

店主抓起他的鳥槍跑上了人行道。雄天鵝正低飛著，朝樂器店滑翔。店主舉起了他的槍。他迅速地連發(fā)了兩槍。老雄天鵝感到他的左肩那里有一陣劇痛。他心里頓時充滿了許多和死亡有關(guān)的思考。他回過頭，發(fā)現(xiàn)一滴鮮血正在把胸口染紅?？伤€是繼續(xù)朝著店主飛去。

“末日臨近了，”他自語，“我將在履行職責(zé)的時候死去。我只能再活一會兒了。鮮血不斷地從我的靜脈里流出來了。我沒有力氣了。不過，即使在這最后的死亡時刻，我也要先還清那筆小號錢。再見了，生命！再見了，美好的世界！再見了，北方的小湖！永別了，我所熟悉的充滿激情的春天！永別了，我忠誠的妻子和心愛的兒女們！將要步入死亡的我，在此向你們致意了。我一定要優(yōu)雅地死去，就像只有天鵝才能做到的那樣?！?/p>

這么想著，他撲到人行道上，把錢袋和石板交給那個驚訝萬分的店主。又看了看自己身上的血，然后才昏死過去。

◆賞析◆

美國作家埃爾文·布魯克斯·懷特（1899—1985）從常春藤名校畢業(yè)之后，便加入知名雜志社《紐約客》，親手奠定了對后人影響深遠(yuǎn)的《紐約客》的文風(fēng)。他具有“懷特式”風(fēng)格的散文結(jié)集出版后，又被評論家認(rèn)為是“最優(yōu)秀的一本散文集”。他一生唯一寫過的三本兒童小說（《精靈鼠小弟》《夏洛的網(wǎng)》《吹小號的天鵝》），被譽為“20世紀(jì)讀者最多、最受愛戴的童話”，入選“美國十佳兒童文學(xué)名著”。

本期推薦的《吹小號的天鵝》（The Trumpet of the Swan）就是懷特先生撰寫的三本兒童小說之一。簡單來說，該書講述的是一只生下來就不能發(fā)聲的天鵝路易斯與命運抗?fàn)幍墓适?。懷特先生娓娓道來，真實刻畫各種艱難險境，給孩子們講述了一個身臨其境般的關(guān)于成長的寓言故事。

對于普通人來說，不能說話已是明顯的缺陷，而對于需要通過發(fā)聲來實現(xiàn)人生每一個完整階段的天鵝路易斯來說，這無疑是最致命的打擊。因為在遇到了心愛的天鵝女神塞蕾娜之后，他也無法像其他天鵝那樣，用洪亮的聲音向她求愛。為了能清楚地表達(dá)自己內(nèi)心的想法，路易斯學(xué)會了在石板上寫字。遺憾的是，同伴們不認(rèn)識字。他還是沒辦法向心愛的塞蕾娜傾訴衷腸。為了幫助路易斯，天鵝爸爸不惜丟棄自己最珍視的名譽，從樂器店偷來了一把小號。路易斯日夜苦練，終于用小號吹出了心靈深處的歌。動聽的樂音不僅打動了女神塞蕾娜，還贏得了人們給予他的尊敬與贊賞。不過，即使人生之路在路易斯眼前已經(jīng)越來越順暢了，他實現(xiàn)了自己甚至是所有健康的天鵝同伴們都無法奢望的心愿，他內(nèi)心惦記的卻依舊是將賺來的錢第一時間交還給樂器店老板，以此換回天鵝爸爸的尊嚴(yán)。

本期節(jié)選的第20章，描述的就是路易斯帶著心愛的塞蕾娜，帶著財富，帶著榮耀回到家鄉(xiāng)，并讓天鵝爸爸將偷來的小號錢償還給店主的故事。路易斯知道財富和名利不是爸爸最看重的，只有不得已被丟失的名譽才是最值得去爭取的，哪怕用生命作為代價也在所不惜。所以即使倒在血泊中，天鵝爸爸還是緊握著那個要交還給店主的錢袋子，里面裝著償還小號的錢，也裝著換回自己名譽和尊嚴(yán)的寶石。

這是一個天鵝界里實現(xiàn)“美國夢”的勵志故事。孩子們讀完后，會忍不住憧憬，在成長的道路上，一串串或喜樂或悲傷的插曲；成年人在曲折又驚險的故事情節(jié)里，也會懂得在歷經(jīng)磨難之時，不向命運輕易妥協(xié)的道理。我們慶幸能擁有并不完美的人生，因為就是這一切讓我們知遇貴人，學(xué)會感恩，并更珍惜擁有。而這深深淺淺都可領(lǐng)會的道理，居然就在懷特先生幽默詼諧的文字里，清晰地被一一呈現(xiàn)出來，多么神奇。

1.waterfowl n.水禽 2.wanderer n.流浪者 3.cob n.雄天鵝

4.sincere adj.真誠的 5.trumpet n.喇叭 6.congratulate v.祝賀

7.possession n.財富 8.worldly adj.世俗的 9.shore n.海岸

10.slate n.石板 11.redeem v.贖罪 12.decency n.正派

13.sully v.污染 14.rid v.擺脫 15.twinge n.陣痛

16.stain v.污染 17.trickle n.細(xì)流 18.vein n.靜脈