新浪博客
Once upon a mountain top, three little trees
stood and dreamed of what they wanted to
become when they grew up.
从前，在一座山的山巅，生长着三棵小树，梦想着长大以后她们将成为什么样的材料。
The first little tree looked up at the stars
and said:
第一棵小树仰望着星星，说道：
'I want to hold treasure. I want to be
covered with gold and filled with precious
stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure
chest in the world!'
“我要能装宝贝；要披着金子的衣裳，肚里还盛满贵重宝石。我要成为这世间最美丽的珠宝箱。”
The second little tree looked out at the
small stream trickling by on it's way to
the ocean. 'I want to be traveling mighty
waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll
be the strongest ship in the world!'
第二棵小树面朝着潺潺流过，直奔大海的小溪：“我愿载着那些位高权重的君王，航行在浩荡的水域。我要成为这世间最坚固的船！”
The third little tree looked down into the
valley below where busy men and women
worked in a busy town. 'I don't want to
leave the mountain top at all. I want to
grow so tall that when people stop to look
at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven
and think of God. I will be the tallest
tree in the world.'
第三棵小树俯瞰着山谷，那个男男女女熙来攘往的小镇：“我一点儿也不希望离开这里。我想要长得很高很高，当人们驻足我脚下，望着我的时候，他们就会抬起双眼看到天空，想到那至高的神。我要长成这世间最高大的树。”
Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone,
and the little trees grew tall.
几年过去了，经过甘霖的滋润，阳光的沐浴，小树长大了。
One day three woodcutters climbed the
mountain.
有一天三个伐木工爬上了这座山。
The first woodcutter looked at the first
and said,
第一个伐木工看着第一棵树说：
“这棵树真是美丽，正好是我想要的。”
With a swoop of his shining ax, the first
tree fell.
他手上斧光一闪，第一棵树应声而倒。
I shall hold wonderful treasure!' The first
“现在我就要被制成一个漂亮的箱子了。我要装最棒的珠宝！”第一棵树说道。
The second woodcutter looked at the second
tree and said,
第二个伐木工看着第二棵树说：
With a swoop of his shining ax, the second
tree fell.
“这棵树真是壮硕，正好是我想要的。” 他手中闪亮的斧头一砍，第二棵树也随即倒下。
'Now I shall sail mighty waters!' thought
the second tree.'I shall be a strong ship
formighty kings!'
“现在我就要在浩浩水中航行了！”第二棵树心里思量着，“我要成为大能君王的坚固的船舰！”
The third tree felt her heart sink when the
last woodcutter looked her way. She stood
straight and tall and pointed bravely to
heaven.
当最后那位伐木工朝她的方向看过来时，那第三棵树心头一沉。她高高地挺直腰背，勇敢地指向天际。
But the woodcutter never even looked up.
然而那个伐木工甚至没有往天空瞧上一眼。
With a swoop of is shining ax, the third tree
fell.
随手一挥闪亮的斧子，第三棵树也轰然倒地。
The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop.
当第一棵树被伐木工带去一个木匠的店铺时，她满心欢喜。
But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a
feedbox for animals.
但那木匠把她加工成一个喂食牲口用的食槽。
The once beautiful tree
gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with
saw dust and filled with
farm animals.
棵一度秀颀的树并没有披上金子的衣裳，肚里更没有宝石，却蒙上了一层木屑，被那些为饥饿的农场动物们准备的干草所充塞。