PAGE精彩英語故事08蜘蛛之絲TheSpider'sThreadOneday,theBuddhawasstrollingalonealongtheedgeofalotuspondinParadise.Thebloominglotusflowersinthepondwereeachpurewhitelikejewels,andtheplacewasfilledwiththeindescribablywondrousfragrancecontinuallyemittedfromeachflower'sgoldencenter.ItwasjustmorninginParadise.一天，佛世尊獨自在極樂凈土的寶蓮池畔閑步。池中蓮花盛開，朵朵都晶白如玉?；ㄐ闹薪鹑锼拖?，其香勝妙殊絕，普薰十方。極樂世界大約時當清晨。Afteratime,theBuddhapausedattheedgeofthepondandfrombetweenthelotusleavesthatcovereditsawaglimpseofthestateofthingsbelow.NowthiscelestialpondjusthappenedtoliedirectlyoverHell,andpeeringthroughthatcrystal-clearwaterwaslikelookingthroughamagnifyingglassattheRiverofDeathandtheMountainof俄頃，世尊佇立池畔，從覆蓋水面的蓮葉間，偶見池下的情景。極樂蓮池之下，正是十八地獄的最底層。透過澄清晶瑩的池水，宛如戴上透視鏡一般，把三惡道上之冥河與刀山劍樹的諸般景象，盡收眼底。TheBuddhasawthere,inthedepthsofHell,asinglemanwrithingalongwiththeothersinners.ThismanwasnamedKandata,andhehadbeenanotoriousthiefwhohadperformedmurderandarsonandotheractsofevil.Inhispast,however,hehadperformedjustonegooddeed:oneday,whenwalkingthroughthedeepforest,hesawaspidercrawlingalongtheroad.Atfirstheraisedhisfoottocrushit,butsuddenlyhechangedhismindandstopped,saying,"No,smallthoughitmaybe,aspider,too,haslife.Itwouldbeapitytomeaninglesslyendit,"andsodidnotkillit.這時，一名叫犍陀多的男子，同其他罪人在地獄底層掙扎的情景，映入世尊的慧眼。世尊記得，這犍陀多雖是個殺人放火、無惡不作的大盜，倒也有過一項善舉。話說大盜犍陀多有一回走在密林中，見到路旁爬行一只小蜘蛛，抬起腳來，便要將蜘蛛踩死。忽轉(zhuǎn)念一想：“不可，不可，蜘蛛雖小，到底也是一條性命。隨便害死，無論如何，總怪可憐的?！标佣嘟K究沒踩下去，放了蜘蛛一條生路。LookingdownuponthecaptivesinHelltheBuddharecalledthiskindactthatKandatahadperformed,andthoughttousehisgooddeedasawaytosavehimfromhisfate.Lookingaside,thereonajade-coloredlotusleafhesawasinglespider,spinningoutawebofsilverthread.TheBuddhacarefullytookthespider'sthreadintohishand,andlowereditstraightdownbetweenthejewel-likewhitelotusesintothedepthsofHell.世尊看著地獄中的景象，想起犍陀多放蜘蛛生路這件善舉。雖然微末如斯，世尊亦擬施以善報，盡量把他救出地獄。側(cè)頭一望，說來也巧，凈土里有只蜘蛛，正在翠綠的蓮葉上，攀牽美麗的銀絲。世尊輕輕取來一縷蛛絲，從瑩潔如玉的白蓮間，徑直垂向香渺幽邃的地獄底層。KandatawasfloatingandsinkingalongwiththeothersinnersintheLakeofBloodatthebottomofHell.Itwaspitchblacknomatterwhichwayhelooked,andtheoccasionalglimpseoflightthathewouldseeinthedarknesswouldturnouttobejusttheglintoftheterribleMountainofNeedles.Howlonelyhemusthavefelt!Allabouthimwasthesilenceofthegrave,theonlyoccasionalsoundbeingafaintsighfromoneofthedamned.Thosewhoweresoevilastobesenttothisplaceweretiredbyitsvarioustorments,andleftwithouteventhestrengthtocryout.EventhegreatthiefKandatacouldonlysquirmlikea這邊廂犍陀多正和其他罪人，在地獄底層的血池里載沉載浮。不論朝哪兒望去，處處都是黑魆魆暗幽幽的，偶爾影影綽綽，暗中懸浮著什么，原來是陰森可怕的刀山劍樹，讓人看了膽戰(zhàn)心驚。尤其是四周一片死寂，如在墓中。間或聽到的，也僅是罪人懨懨的嘆息聲。凡落到這一步的人，都已受盡地獄的折磨，衰憊不堪，恐怕連哭出聲的氣力都沒有了。所以，恁是大盜犍陀多，也像只瀕死的青蛙，在血池里，惟有一面咽著血水，一面苦苦掙扎而已。Butoneday,raisinguphisheadandglancingattheskyabovethelake,intheemptydarknessKandatasawasilverspider'sthreadbeingloweredfromtheceilingsofar,faraway.Thethreadseemedalmostafraidtobeseen,emittingafrail,constantlightasitcamedowntojustaboveKandata'shead.Seeingthis,Kandatacouldn'thelpbutclaphishandsinjoy.Ifheweretoclingtothisthreadandclimbupit,hemaybeabletoclimboutofHell!PerhapshecouldevenclimballthewaytoParadise!ThenhewouldneverbechaseduptheMountainofNeedles,nordrownedintheLakeof偶然間，犍陀多無心一抬頭，向血池上空望去，在闃然無聲的黑暗中，但見一縷銀色的蛛絲，正從天而降。仿佛怕人看到似的，細細一線，微光閃爍，恰在自己頭上筆直垂落下來。犍陀多一見，喜不自勝，拍手稱快。倘抓住蜘蛛絲，攀援而上，準保能脫離苦海。不特此也，僥幸的話，興許還能爬進極樂世界哩。如此，再不會驅(qū)之上刀山，也庶免沉淪血池之苦了。Thinkingso,hefirmlygraspedthespider'sthreadwithbothhandsandbegantoclimbthethread,higherandhigher.Havingoncebeenagreatthief,hewasusedtotaskssuchasthis.ButthedistancebetweenHellandParadiseistensofthousandsofmiles,andsoitwouldseemthatnoamountofeffortwouldmakethisaneasyjourney.AfterclimbingforsometimeKandatatired,andcouldn'tclimbabithigher.Havingnootherrecourse,hehungtherefromthethread,resting,andwhiledoingsolookeddownbelow.這樣一想，犍陀多趕緊伸出雙手，死死攥住蛛絲，一把一把，拼命往上攀去。原本是大盜，手并足抵，區(qū)區(qū)小事一樁而已?？墒?，地獄與凈土之間，何止千萬里！不論犍陀多怎樣心焦氣躁，要想爬出地獄，真談何容易。爬了一程，終于筋疲力盡，哪怕伸手往上再升一級，也難以為役了。一籌莫展之下，只好住手，先歇會兒喘口氣，便吊在蛛絲上，懸在半空中，一面放眼向下望去。Hesawthathehadmadeagooddealofprogress.TheLakeofBloodthathehadbeentrappedinwasnowhiddeninthedarkbelow,andhehadevenclimbedhigherthanthedimlyglowingMountainofNeedles.Ifhecouldkeepupthispace,perhapshecouldescapefromHellafterall.Kandatagraspedthethreadwithbothhands,andlaughinglyspok方才是不顧死活往上攀，總算沒白費力氣，片刻前自己還沉淪在內(nèi)的血池，不知何時，竟已隱沒在黑暗的地底。那寒光閃閃，令人毛骨悚然的刀山劍樹，也已在自己腳下。如果一直這樣往上爬，要逃出地獄，也許并非難事。犍陀多將兩手繞在蛛絲上，開懷大笑起來：“這下好啦！我得救啦！”那吼聲，自打落進地獄以來多年不曾得聞的。Lookingdown,however,whatdidheseebutanendlessqueueofsinners,intentlyfollowinghimupthethreadlikealineofants!Seeingthis,surpriseandfearkeptKandatahangingthereforatimewithmouthopenandeyesblinkinglikeafool.Howcouldthisslenderspider'sweb,whichshouldbreakevenunderjusthisweight,supporttheweightofalltheseotherpeople?Ifthethreadweretosnap,allofhiseffortwouldbewastedandhewouldfallbackintoHellwiththeothers!Thatjustwouldnotdo.Butevenashethoughtthesethoughts,hundredsmore,thousandsmoreofthedamnedcamecrawlingupfromtheLakeofBlood可是，他留神一看，蛛絲的下端，有數(shù)不清的罪人，簡直像一行螞蟻，跟在自己后面，正一意在攀登上來。見此情景，犍陀多又驚又怕，有好一忽兒傻不愣登張著嘴，眨巴著眼睛。這樣細細一根蜘蛛絲，負擔自家一人尚且發(fā)發(fā)可危，那么多人的重量，怎禁受得??？萬一半中間斷掉，就連好家伙我，千辛萬苦才爬到這里，豈不也要一頭朝下，重新掉進地獄里去么？那一來，可乖乖不得了！這工夫，成百上千的罪人蠢蠢欲動，從黑洞洞的血池底下爬將上來，一字兒沿著發(fā)出一縷細光的蜘蛛絲，不暇少停，拼命向上爬。不趁早想辦法，蛛絲就會一斷二截，自己勢必又該掉進地獄去了。Kandatashoutedout,"Hey!Yousinners!Thisthreadismine!Whosaidyoucouldclimbupit?Getoff!Getoff!"于是，犍陀多暴喝一聲：“嘿，你們這幫罪人，這根蛛絲可是咱家我的！誰讓你們爬上來的？快滾下去！滾下去！”Thoughthethreadhadbeenfineuntiljustthen,withthesewordsitsnappedwithatwangrightwhereKandataheldit.PoorKandatafellheadfirstthroughtheair,spinninglikeatop,rightdownthroughthedarkness.Theseveredendofthesilverthreadhungthere,suspendedfromheaven,shiningwithitspalelightinthatmoonless,starlesssky.說時遲，那時快，方才還好端端的蜘蛛絲，竟噗哧一聲，從吊著犍陀多的地方突然斷裂。這回有他好受的了。霎時間，犍陀多像個陀螺，滴溜溜翻滾著，唆地一頭栽進黑暗的深淵。此時，惟有極樂凈土的蜘蛛絲，依然細細的，閃著一縷銀光，半短不長的，飄垂在沒有星月的半空中。TheBuddhastoodinParadiseattheedgeofthelotuspond,silentlywatchingtheseevents.AfterKandatasanklikeastonetothebottomoftheLakeofBlood佛世尊佇立在寶蓮池畔，始終凝視著事情的經(jīng)過。當犍陀多倏忽之間便石頭般沉入血池之底，世尊面露悲憫之色，又重新踱起步來。犍陀多只顧自己脫離苦海，毫無慈悲心腸，于是受到應得的報應，又落進原先的地獄。在世尊眼里，想必那作為是過于卑劣了。YetthelotusblossomsinthelotuspondsofParadisecarenothingaboutsuchmatters.Theirjewel-likewhiteflowerswavedaboutthefeetoftheBuddha,andeachflower'sgoldencentercontinuouslyfilledtheplacewiththeirindescribablywondrousfragrance.ItwasalmostnooninParadise.不過，極樂蓮池里的蓮花，并不理會這等事。那晶白如玉的花朵，掀動著花萼在世尊足畔款擺，花心之中金蕊送香，其香勝妙殊絕，普薰十方。極樂世界大約已近正午時分。(16April1918)（一九一八年四月）艾蓮譯用生命托起你生的可能假如這都不算愛……Agirlandaboywereonamotorcycle,speedingthroughthenight.一天夜里，男孩騎摩托車帶著女孩超速行駛。Theylovedeachotheralot..他們彼此深愛著對方……Girl:"slowdownalittle..I'mscared.."女孩：“慢一點...我怕...”Boy:"no,it'ssofun.."男孩：“不，這樣很有趣”Girl:"please...it'ssoscary.."女孩：“求求你...這樣太嚇人了...”Boy:"thensaythatyouloveme.."男孩：“好吧，那你說你愛我...”Girl:"fine.Iloveyou.canyouslowdownnow."女孩：“好我愛你...你現(xiàn)在可以慢下來了嗎？”Boy:"givemeabighug.."男孩：“緊緊抱我一下...”Thegirlgavehimabighug.女孩緊緊擁抱了他一下。Girl:"nowcanyouslowdown."女孩：“現(xiàn)在你可以慢下來了吧？”Boy:"canyoutakeoffmyhelmetandputitonit'suncomfortableandit'sbotheringmewhileIdrive."男孩：“你可以脫下我的頭盔并自己戴上嗎？它讓我感到不舒服，還干擾我駕車?！盩hennextday,therewasastoryinthenewspaper.Amotorcyclehadcrashedintoabuildingbecauseit’sbrakeswerebroken.第二天，報紙報道：一輛摩托車因為剎車失靈而撞毀在一幢建筑物上。Thereweretwopeopleonthemotorcycle,ofwhichonedied,andtheotherhadsurvived...車上有兩個人，一個死亡，一個幸存...Theguyknewthatthebrakeswerebroken.hedidn'twanttoletthegirlknow,becauseheknewthatthegirlwouldhavegottenscared.駕車的男孩知道剎車失靈，但他沒有讓女孩知道，因為那樣會讓女孩感到害怕。Instead,hewastoldthelasttimethatshelovedhim,gotahugfromher,puthishelmetonhersothatshecanlive,anddiehimself...相反，他讓女孩最后一次說她愛他，最后一次擁抱他，并讓她戴上自己的頭盔，結(jié)果，女孩活著，他自己死了...Onceinawhile,rightinthemiddleofanordinarylife,lovegivesusafairytale...就在一會的時間里，就在平常的生活里，愛向我們展示了一個神話……移石AlittleboywasspendinghisSaturdaymorningplayinginhissandbox.Hehadwithhimhisboxofcarsandtrucks,hisplasticpail,andashiny,redplasticshovel.Intheprocessofcreatingroadsandtunnelsinthesoftsand,hediscoveredalargerockinthemiddleofthesandbox.在一個周六的早上，一個小男孩在他的沙箱里玩耍，還帶了一盒子的玩具車、一只塑料桶和一把閃閃發(fā)亮的塑料小紅鏟。在柔軟的沙中堆砌道路和隧道的過程中，他在沙箱的中央發(fā)現(xiàn)了一塊大石頭。Theboydugaroundtherock,managingtodislodgeitfromthedirt.Withalittlebitofstruggle,hepushedandnudgedtherockacrossthesandboxbyusinghisfeet.(Hewasaverysmallboy,andtherockwasverylarge.)Whentheboygottherocktotheedgeofthesandbox,however,hefoundthathecouldn’trollitupandoverthelittlewall.小男孩在石頭的周圍挖呀挖，成功地把它從泥沙中挖了出來。接著，他有點吃力把石頭往沙箱上推。（他只是個小男孩，石頭顯得很大。）當他把石頭推到沙箱的邊緣是，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)自己沒辦法把石頭滾過沙箱那堵矮小的墻。Determined,thelittleboyshoved,pushed,andpried,buteverytimehethoughthehadmadesomeprogresstherocktippedandthenfellbackintothesandbox.Thelittleboygrunted,struggled,pushed,andshoved;buthisonlyrewardwastohavetherockrollback,smashinghischubbyfingers.小男孩下定決心要把石頭移走，他又推又撬，但每次自以為取得一些成果時，那石頭又滾了下來掉回沙箱中。小男孩咕噥著，使盡全力去推。但唯一的結(jié)果就是石頭滾回來，撞到他胖胖的手指上。Finallyheburstintotearsoffrustration.Allthistimetheboy’sfatherwatchedfromhislivingroomwindowasthedramaunfolded.Atthemomentthetearsfell,alargeshadowfellacrosstheboyandthesandbox.Itwastheboy’sfather.Gentlybutfirmlyhesaid,“Son,whydidn’tyouuseallthestrengththatyouhadavailable?”Defeated,theboysobbedback,“ButIdid,Daddy,Idid!IusedallthestrengththatIhad!”“No,son,”correctedthefatherkindly.“Youdidn’tuseallthestrengthyouhad.Youdidn’taskme.”Withthatthefatherreacheddown,pickeduptherockandremoveditfromthesandbox.最后，小男孩沮喪地大哭起來。小男孩的父親一直在客廳的窗戶旁注視著這一幕。當小男孩開始掉眼淚的時候，一個大大的身影落在小男孩和他的沙箱上。那是父親的影子。他溫和而堅定地問：“兒子，為什么你沒有用盡你所有的力量？”小男孩很受挫，嗚咽的回答道：“我用了，爸爸，我用了！我用盡了我全身的力量?！薄安?，兒子，”父親溫柔地糾正他說：“你沒有用盡你所有的力量。你沒有叫我來幫你?！备赣H邊說著邊彎下腰，撿起那塊石頭丟出了沙箱。Doyouhave“rocks”inyourlifethatneedtoberemoved?Areyoudiscoveringthatyoudon’thavewhatittakestoliftthem?ThereisONEwhoisalwaysavailabletousandwillingtogiveusthestrengthweneed.Isn’titfunnyhowwetrysohardtodothingsourselves?在你的生命中，你也遇到過需要移開的“石頭”嗎？你有沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)你缺少挪動它的力量？但無論如何，總會有某人在我們需要幫助的時候愿意向我們伸出援手。我們單靠自己的力量來辦事不是很傻嗎？人生沒有過不去的坎Ourtoleratingabilityisindeedwaybeyondourimagination.Butnotuntiltheverycriticalmomentwillwerealizeourpotentialtoleratingability.人的承受能力，其實遠遠超過我們的想象，就像不到關鍵時刻，我們很少能認識到自己的潛力有多大。Therewasawomaninthecountrysidewhogotmarriedattheageof18andhadtoescapewithhertwodaughtersandasonwherevershecouldattheageof26duetotheJapanesearmy'sinvasion.Manypeopleinthevillageatthattimecouldnotbearthesufferingofbeingafugitiveandwantedtocommitsuicide.Aftersheknewaboutit,shewouldcometothosepeopleandsoothedthembysaying,"Don'tdothatsillything.Therearenosuchsetbacksthatwecouldnotovercome.TheJapanesearmiesareboundtobefoiledoneday!"有這樣一位農(nóng)村婦女，她18歲的時候結(jié)婚，26歲趕上日本人侵略中國，在農(nóng)村進行大掃蕩，她不得不經(jīng)常帶著兩個女兒一個兒子東躲西藏。村里很多人受不了這種暗無天日的折磨，想到了自盡，她得知后就會去勸：“別這樣啊，沒有過不去的坎，日本鬼子不會總這么猖狂的?！盕inallysheinsisteduntilthedaywhenalltheJapanesearmieswerekickedoutofChina.Nonetheless,hersondiedofdiseasewithoutsufficientmedicineandnutritioninthosedaysofhardships.Herhusband,afterknowingthedeathofhisson,layinbedfortwodayswithouteatinganddrinkinganything.Shetearedtoherhusbandandsaid,"Wehaveatoughdestiny,buthowevertoughourliveswillbe,weshouldalsopersist.Thoughoursonhaspassedaway,wecanhaveanother.Therearenosuchsetbacksthatwecouldnotovercome."她終于熬到了把鬼子趕出中國的那一天，可是她的兒子卻在那炮火連天的歲月里，由于缺醫(yī)少藥，又極度缺乏營養(yǎng)，因病夭折了。丈夫不吃不喝在床上躺了兩天兩夜，她流著淚對丈夫說：“咱們的命苦啊，不過再苦咱也得過啊，兒子沒了，咱再生一個，人生沒有過不去的坎?！盇ftergivingbirthtothesecondson,herhusbanddiedofedema,whichalmostblewheraway.Buteventually,sherecoveredandcuddledthethreeyoungchildren,saying,"Mysweethearts,don'tfeelscared.Youstillhaveme,yourdearmum!"剛剛生了兒子，丈夫因患水腫病離開了人世。在這個打擊下，她很長時間都沒回過神來，但最后還是挺過來了，她把三個未成年的孩子攬到自己懷里，說：“娘還在呢，有娘在，你們就別怕?！盜ttookherpainstakingeffortstoraiseherchildrenupandthelifeofherfamilywasgettingbetterandbetter.Twodaughtersweremarriedandsowashissonfinally.Shesaidtoeveryoneshemet,"Look!WhatIsaidisabsolutelyright.Therearenosuchsetbacksthatwecouldnotovercome!Mylifeissohappynow!"Shewasaginggraduallyandcouldnotdothefarmworkanymore.Soshestayedathomeanddidsomestitchingwork.她含辛茹苦地把孩子一個個拉扯大了，生活也慢慢好轉(zhuǎn)起來。兩個女兒嫁了人，兒子也結(jié)了婚。她逢人便樂呵呵地說：“我說吧，沒有過不去的坎，現(xiàn)在生活多好啊?！彼昙o大了，不能下地干活，就在家納鞋底，做衣服，縫縫補補。Nevertheless,theHeavenseemedtoshownoaffectiontoherwhohadundergonearoughlife.Shegotherlegbrokenaccidentallywhenshewasnursinghergrandson.Duetoheroldagethatposedagreatrisktoheroperation,shedidnotreceiveoperationandhadtolieinbedalldaylong.Herchildrenallcriedheavily,whileshemerelysaid,"Whydoyoucry?Iamstillliving."可是，上蒼似乎并不眷顧這位一生坎坷的婦女，她在照看孫子時不小心摔斷了腿，由于年紀太大做手術(shù)危險，就一直沒有做手術(shù)，她每天只能躺在床上。兒女們都哭了，她卻說：“哭什么，我還活著呢。”Eventhoughshecouldnotrisefrombed,shedidnotcomplainaboutanythingandanybody.Instead,shesatonthebedanddidsomestitchingwork.Shehadlearntscarves-weaving,broidery,crafts-making,etc.Allherneighborsspokehighlyofherskillsandcametolearnfromher.即便下不了床，她也沒有怨天尤人，而是坐在床上做針線活。她會織圍巾，會繡花，會編手工藝品，左鄰右舍的人都夸她手藝好，還來跟她學藝。Sheliveduntil86.BeforeshewenttoHeaven,shesaidtoherchildren,"Youallshouldlivetoyourbest.Therearenosuchsetbacksthatwecouldnotovercome!"她活到86歲，臨終前，她對自己兒女們說：“都要好好過啊，沒有過不去的坎?！盬ewillonlygettorealizeourownironwillandstrongtoleratingabilityaftergettingstrickenheavily.Therefore,nomatterwhatyouaresufferingfromnow,donotmerelycomplainabouttheunfairnessofourdestinyandmaintainlow-spiritedallthetime.Therearenosuchsetbacksthatwecouldnotovercome.Onlythosewhohavenoconfidenceandcouragetoovercomesetbackswillbedefeatedatlast!人總是在遭遇一次重創(chuàng)之后，才會幡然醒悟，重新認識自己的堅強和堅忍。所以，無論你正在遭遇什么磨難，都不要一味抱怨上蒼不公平，甚至從此一蹶不振。人生沒有過不去的坎，只有過不去的人。愛的傷疤TheScarsofLoveSomeyearsagoonahotsummerdayinsouthFloridaalittleboydecidedtogoforaswimintheoldswimmingholebehindhishouse.幾年前的一個炎炎夏日，在美國佛羅里達州南部，有個小男孩為貪圖涼快，決定去自家房子后面一個形成已久的深水潭中游泳。Inahurrytodiveintothecoolwater,heranoutthebackdoor,leavingbehindshoes,socks,andshirtashewent.Heflewintothewater,notrealizingthatasheswamtowardthemiddleofthelake,analligatorwasswimmingtowardtheshore.Hismother—inthehousewaslookingoutthewindow—sawthetwoastheygotcloserandclosertogether.Inutterfear,sherantowardthewater,yellingtohersonasloudlyasshecould.因為迫不及待地想投入到清涼的水中，他飛快地從后門跑了出去，邊跑邊脫掉鞋子、襪子和襯衣，把它們隨手拋在了身后。他一頭扎進了水里，絲毫沒有意識到自己游往潭中心的同時，一只美洲鱷也正在朝岸邊游來。小男孩的母親當時在屋子里透過窗子向外看著，發(fā)現(xiàn)那只美洲鱷正向她的孩子步步逼近。她極度驚恐起來，一邊迅速奔向水潭，一邊聲嘶力竭地朝自己的孩子呼喊著。Hearinghervoice,thelittleboybecamealarmedandmadeareturntoswimtohismother.Itwastoolate.Justashereachedher,thealligatorreachedhim.聽到她的呼喊，小男孩才猛然意識到了危險，立即掉頭向岸邊的母親游去。可這時已經(jīng)無濟于事。他的手勉強剛夠到他的母親，鱷魚也已經(jīng)接觸到了他。Fromthedock,themothergrabbedherlittleboybythearmsjustastheallig