這兩只鳥兒原先都是野生的,我在鳥市上買了它們,我把它們請到籠子里。它們的憤怒是顯而易見的,不太愛吃東西,也不叫,只是在籠子里不停地飛,沖撞著籠子。
一年以后,它們對這個人工環(huán)境已經(jīng)習慣,它們在籠子里歌唱著.顯得很高興。每天早晨六點鐘,就能聽見它們的歌聲,它們用歌聲叫醒我,和我的全家。
有一天,單位里的同事告訴我,這種鳥兒還可以放到籠子外來養(yǎng),它們不會離開籠子很遠,到了晚上,會自己回到籠里?;氐郊椅掖蜷_籠子,看見那兩只鳥兒并不往外飛,它們圍著籠門飛來飛去,跳躍著,好像在試探這敞開是不是真實,或者在考慮這是不是一個更大的危險。
當它們最終確認,這確實是一種自由時,才小心翼翼地從籠子里蹦了出來。然而它們卻沒有飛遠,我發(fā)現(xiàn),這鳥好像已經(jīng)不太會飛,它們飛的高度不超過一尺。它們更擅長的是蹦,它們的翅磅不過是在幫助它們蹦得遠一些,離開籠子不久,它們就又回到籠子上。它們站在籠頂上,抬起翅膀啄著羽毛,它們的自由和不自由,原來不過是幾厘米的距離。
還沒有等到傍晚,它們就又自愿回到籠子了,它們在籠子里吃著食,喝著水,互相啄著羽毛.快樂地嬉戲著。它們對那個敞開的籠門看也不看,在這個有吃、有喝、有快樂的環(huán)境里,敞開的籠門又算得了什么呢?
參考譯文:
The wide open cage
The two birds were originally wild. I bought them on the market and invited them into the cage. Their rage was obvious---they had no appetite and did not chirp at all , just flapping their wings and trying to rush out of the cage.
A year latter, having accustomed to the artificial environment, they sang happliy in the cage. Their singing could be heard at 6 o'clock every morning,which woke me and my family up.
One day, my colleague told me that this kind of birds could be kept outside of the cage and they would not leave far away. He said they would come back into the cage by themselves in the evening. I opened the cage when I was back home ,but the birds didn't fly out immediately. They flew back and forth near the door of the cage and jumped as if to make sure whether it was true ,or to find out if it was a bigger danger.
Only when they confirmed finally that they were really free, did they jump out with care. However,they didn't fly far away. I found that the birds seems to have almost lost their ability to fly. They flew only within the height of one chi. What they were better at was jumping. Their wings only helped them jump a litte farther. They would return to the cage soon after they left it. Standing on the top of the cage ,they pecked their feathers with their wings unfolded. For them ,the distance between freedom and constraint was actually only a few sentimeters
They came back into the cage voluntarily even before the evening. They ate and drank in the cage, pecked feather for each other and froliced happily,without a look at the wild open door. Compared with the food ,drink and cosy environment, the wide open door is meaningless to them.