小鸟与天堂鸟

小鸟和天堂鸟。

Birdie and the Bird of Paradise.

你好。

Hello.

我是简娜，今天要讲一个关于天堂鸟的故事。

This is Janna, and I'm here with a story about a bird of paradise.

你可能知道，天堂鸟其实并不是一种鸟。

You may know that a bird of paradise isn't actually a bird.

它是一种看起来像 exotic 鸟类的植物。

It's a plant that looks like an exotic bird.

还是说，它真的是吗？

Or is it?

这个故事还涉及另一种你可能认识的鸟。

This story also features another bird whom you may know.

小鸟。

Birdie.

那只聪明的老乌鸦，和一个叫杰克的男孩是最好的朋友。

The wise old crow who is best friends with a boy called Jake.

那是星期六的下午，杰克的妈妈想去园艺中心。

It was Saturday afternoon, and Jake's mom wanted to go to the garden center.

但植物太无聊了，杰克抱怨道。

But plants are boring, grumbled Jake.

它们不会踢足球。

They don't play football.

它们不会唱歌。

They don't sing.

它们不会讲故事。

They don't tell stories.

它们甚至不会动。

They don't even move.

哦，植物才不无聊呢。

Oh, plants aren't boring.

有些植物会做很有趣的事情，妈妈说。

Some do fascinating things, said mom.

我想在床头柜上放一株芦荟，因为它能让空气清新，呼吸起来很舒服。

I want an aloe vera plant for my bedside table because it makes the air fresh and nice to breathe.

你只是需要它，因为你得睡在爸爸旁边，杰克说。

You just need it because you have to sleep next to dad, said Jake.

来吧，调皮鬼，妈妈说。

Come on, Cheeky, said mom.

不管你喜欢不喜欢，我们都要去园艺中心。

We're going to the garden center, like it or not.

快把鞋穿上。

So get your shoes on.

园艺中心里全是那种对不同草种着迷的成年人。

The garden center was full of the sort of grown ups who were fascinated by different varieties of grass seed.

妈妈花了很长时间在两株芦荟之间挑选。

Mum spent forever choosing between one aloe vera plant and another.

对杰克来说，它们看起来都一样。

They all look the same to Jake.

绿色、带刺，而且很无聊。

Green, spiky, and boring.

最后，她做出了选择。

At last, she made her choice.

选得不错，杰克说。

Nice one, said Jake.

我们现在可以走了吗？

Can we go now?

还不能走。

Not just yet.

我得选一个花盆。

I need to choose a pot.

哦，选个花盆得花一整周。

Oh, choosing a pot will take all week.

杰克不情愿地跟着她逛遍了整个商店，寻找花盆区。

Reluctantly, Jake followed her around the shop looking for the pot section.

但首先，他们得穿过一片茂密的植物森林。

But first, they had to pass through a whole forest of leafy plants.

有些植物比杰克还高，有些甚至比妈妈还高。

Some were taller than Jake, and some were taller than mom.

有看中什么吗？

See anything you like?

妈妈问。

Asked mom.

它们都一样无聊。

They're all as boring as each other.

哦，那这个怎么样？

Oh, but what about this one?

我以前没见过这种。

I haven't seen one of those before.

你不能说这无聊。

You can't call that boring.

那是因为它不是植物，杰克说。

That's because it's not a plant, said Jake.

它是一只鸟。

It's a bird.

它主要是绿色的，和其他植物一样，但看起来确实像一只鸟。

It was mostly green like the other plants, but it certainly looked like a bird.

它有一又长又尖的喙，头顶上有一簇橙色的羽毛。

It had a long pointy beak and an orange crown of plumes.

妈妈读了标签。

Mom read the label.

天堂鸟，南非植物，室内保持明亮阳光充足的位置。

Bird of Paradise, South African plant, keeping a bright sunny spot indoors.

这是一种看起来像鸟的植物，妈妈说。

It's a plant that looks like a bird, said mom.

你知道吗，我真的很喜欢它。

You know, I really like it.

我想我会买下它。

I think I'll get it.

真的吗？杰克说。

Really, said Jake.

嗯，我觉得我们应该先问问鸟儿的意见。

Well, I think we should ask Birdie first.

你又来了，妈妈叹气说。

There you go again, sighed mom.

鸟儿这个，鸟儿那个。

Birdie this and Birdie that.

现在她比以往任何时候都更想买下这种天堂鸟花。

Now she was more determined than ever to buy the Bird of Paradise.

她把它放在厨房里，靠近面向花园的玻璃门。

She put it in the kitchen by the glass doors looking onto the garden.

整整过了一周多，杰克最好的朋友伯迪才来拜访他。

It was more than a whole week before Jake's best friend Birdie came to visit him.

终于，在一个星期一的晚上，他听到窗外传来嗒、嗒、嗒的敲击声。

At last, one Monday evening, he heard tap, tap, tap on his window.

伯迪，你去哪儿了？

Birdie, where have you been?

我？

Me?

哦，到处走走，

Oh, here and there,

乌鸦回答道。

replied the crow.

我真的很想你，杰克说。

I really missed you, said Jake.

真的吗？

Really?

乌鸦说。

Said Birdie.

我以为你找到了另一只鸟。

I thought you'd found another bird.

另一只鸟？

Another bird?

在楼下，

Downstairs,

乌鸦僵硬地回答。

said Birdie stiffly.

在厨房里。

In the kitchen.

那个高个子家伙，橙色的羽毛，非常张扬。

That tall fellow, orange plumes, very showy.

你在说什么？

What are you talking about?

哦，我透过玻璃门看见他站在那儿，一副主人的样子。

Oh, I saw him through the glass doors standing there like he owns the place.

据说是天堂鸟。

A bird of paradise, apparently.

Birdie抖了抖他的羽毛。

Birdie fluffed his feathers.

我承认，这羽毛确实很漂亮。

Beautiful plumage, I admit.

但美丽只是表面功夫。

But beauty is only feather deep.

哦，那个东西啊。

Oh, that thing.

那不是鸟。

That's not a bird.

那就是妈妈那盆无聊的老植物。

That's just mom's boring old plant.

杰克停了一下。

Jake paused.

但当她在园艺中心看到它时，我有种奇怪的感觉，你觉得它不会喜欢。

But when she found it in the garden center, I had this weird feeling you wouldn't like it.

我确实告诉过她别买它。

I did tell her not to buy it.

但你知道爸爸怎么说吗？

But you know what dad says?

如果你告诉妈妈别做某事，她反而更想做。

If you tell mom not to do something, she wants to do it even more.

你这么年轻就这么有智慧。

You're very wise for one so young.

毫无疑问，这是因为你有一位智慧非凡的老师。

No doubt that's because you've had an excellent teacher in wisdom.

我？

Me?

比迪说。

Said Birdie.

是的，杰克说。

Yes, said Jake.

你是最聪明的老鸟了，比迪。

You're the wisest old bird there ever was, Birdie.

但告诉我，你为什么不喜欢妈妈那棵傻乎乎的老植物？

But tell me, why don't you like mom's silly old plant?

嗯，这有个故事，

Well, there's a story,

比迪说。

said Birdie.

所以你可以竖起耳朵好好听。

So you can pin your ears back and listen.

那是1761年，乔治国王即将结婚。

It was the year 1761, and King George was about to get married.

她的新娘是夏洛特公主。

His bride was to be princess Charlotte.

她年仅17岁，就被从德国送来成为英国王后。

She was just 17 when they sent her over from Germany to become the English queen.

她直到婚礼当天才见到乔治国王，这或许是一件好事，否则她可能会逃跑。

She didn't lay eyes on King George until her wedding day, which was probably a good thing, or she might have done a runner.

夏洛特的英语说得很差，带着严重的德国口音。

Charlotte spoke English rather badly with a terrible German accent.

她需要一位导师来提高语言能力，还有什么比一只聪明的老鸟更好的人选呢？

She needed a tutor to improve her language skills, and who better than a wise old bird?

我？

Me?

所以每天早上九点整，我都飞到年轻王后的窗台上，帮她练习英语元音。

So every morning at 09:00 sharp, I came to the young queen's windowsill and helped her practice her English vowels.

杰克点了点头。

Jake nodded.

那一定非常有帮助。

That must have been very useful.

极其有用，

Extremely useful,

小鸟说。

said Birdie.

他们只给我一些碎屑，连花生都算不上，但我是为了荣誉而做。

They paid me crumbs, not even peanuts, but I did it for the honor.

如果我说的话，我对夏洛特女王相当了解。

I got to know queen Charlotte well, if I say so myself.

我成了她在异国他乡最好的朋友。

I became her best friend in a strange land.

她是一位非常有教养的年轻女士。

She was a very civilized young lady.

她欣赏音乐。

She appreciated music.

当一个名叫沃尔夫冈·莫扎特的小男孩访问伦敦时，他为她弹奏了她点名要的竖琴。

When a small boy called Wolfgang Mozart visited London, He played the harps he called for her.

他创作了自己的曲子，我也给了他一些音乐建议。

He made up his own tunes, and I gave him a few musical tips too.

但最重要的是，夏洛特热爱植物。

But most of all, Charlotte loved plants.

她最喜欢待的地方是邱园的宫殿。

Her favorite place to stay was the palace at Kew Gardens.

他们从世界各地运来植物，并在那里种植。

They brought plants from all over the world and planted them there.

园丁们日夜精心照料这些植物。

The gardeners fussed over these plants day and night.

给这个浇水，给那个遮阴，把这个往左移两英寸。

Water this one, shade that one, move this one two inches to the left.

人类对植物的爱胜过彼此之间的爱。

Humans love plants more than they love each other.

这就是为什么园艺中心能为这种只是生长的东西收取这么高的价格。

That's why the garden centers can charge so much for something that just grows.

不过，我们鸟类也喜欢植物和树木。

Still, we birds like plants and trees too.

有一天，一些植物学家从非洲带来了一种 exotic 植物。

One day, some botanists brought an exotic plant from Africa.

它看起来就像一只鸟，有着绿色的羽毛和鲜艳的橙色羽冠。

It looked just like a bird, green feathers and bright orange plumes.

由于夏洛特女王非常喜欢它，他们允许她以自己的德国故乡斯特雷利茨命名。

Since queen Charlotte liked it so much, they gave her permission to name it after her German home, Strelitz.

因此，它的正式名称变成了斯特雷利茨ia Reginei。

So its official name became Strelitzia Reginei.

但大多数人称它为天堂鸟。

But most people called it a bird of paradise.

就像妈妈的那株植物吗？

Like mom's plant?

杰克问道。

Asked Jake.

没错，

Exactly,

小鸟说。

said Birdie.

我当时有种不祥的预感，因为我知道它不仅仅是一株植物。

And I had a bad feeling about it because I knew it wasn't just a plant.

它是一株魔法植物。

It was a magical plant.

杰克现在对这株植物越来越感兴趣了。

Jake was finding this plant more interesting now.

它有什么作用？

What did it do?

每当夏洛特女王住在邱园时，它每晚都会飞到她窗户外的树枝上，为她歌唱。

Every night when queen Charlotte was staying at Kew, it would fly to the branch outside her window and sing to her.

她完全被迷住了。

She was completely enchanted.

然后，它也开始在早晨拜访她，给她讲述关于非洲、狮子、大象以及诸如此类事物的故事。

And then it began visiting her in the mornings too, telling her stories about Africa, about lions and elephants, and all those sorts of things.

换句话说，夏洛特女王的日程表里已经没有时间留给一只老乌鸦了。

In other words, Queen Charlotte didn't have any time left in her schedule for an old crow.

哦，Birdie，杰克说。

Oh, Birdie, said Jake.

你不必担心。

You needn't worry.

我觉得妈妈那棵傻乎乎的老植物无聊透顶。

I think mom's silly old plant is dead boring.

我永远不会用你去换别的鸟，哪怕它是全世界最漂亮的鸟。

I would never swap you for another bird, even if it was the most beautiful bird in the whole world.

你长得不好看根本没关系。

It really doesn't matter if you're not good looking.

你是我最好的朋友。

You're my best friend.

嗯，听到这话我真高兴。

Well, I'm jolly glad to hear it.

那天晚上，鸟儿飞去他每晚去的地方后，杰克醒了，或者也许他做了一个梦。

Later that night, after Birdie had flown off to wherever he goes at night, Jake woke up, or perhaps he had a dream.

他不太确定，但他一直无法停止想着妈妈的那盆植物。

He wasn't quite sure, but he couldn't stop thinking about mom's plant.

它真的可能是一株晚上会变成鸟的魔法植物吗？

Could it really be a magic plant that turned into a bird at night?

他从床上爬起来，悄悄溜下楼。

He climbed out of bed and crept downstairs.

他推开厨房的门，偷偷往里看。

He pushed open the kitchen door and peeped in.

那盆植物正站在窗边的花盆里，橙色的花穗在月光下闪闪发亮。

There was the plant standing in its pot by the window, its orange plume glinting in the moonlight.

它完全静止不动，就像一株植物应有的样子。

It was completely still and quiet, just like a plant is supposed to be.

但接着，它极其缓慢地转过了头。

But then, very slowly, it began to turn its head.

它用一双圆滚滚的眼睛直直地盯着杰克。

It looked straight at Jake with big round eyes.

它扇动了翅膀。

It flapped its wings.

它从一条腿跳到另一条腿。

It hopped from one leg to the other.

然后它在厨房里翩翩飞过。

Then it fluttered across the kitchen.

它落在了柜台上，开始啄食早上留出来的一包麦片。

It landed on the counter where it began pecking at a packet of cereal that had been left out for the morning.

妈妈，妈妈！杰克大喊。

Mom, mom, shouted Jake.

快到厨房来。

Come to the kitchen quick.

你的植物活过来了。

Your plants come alive.

鸟儿惊恐地拍打着翅膀，迅速飞回了花盆里。

The bird flapped its wings in alarm and flew quickly back to its pot.

杰克，这阵吵闹是怎么回事？

Jake, what's all this noise about?

妈妈穿着晨衣走进来，问道。

Asked mom, coming in wearing her dressing gown.

你的植物，它活了。

Your plant, it's alive.

它是一只真正的鸟。

It's a real bird.

别胡说了，妈妈说。

Don't be silly, said mom.

这只不过是一盆无聊的老植物。

It's just a boring old plant.

你自己就说过无数次了。

You said so yourself a million times.

不。

No.

不是这样的。

It's not.

它飞过厨房，还试图吃我的麦片。

It flew across the kitchen and tried to eat my cereal.

我们一定是做梦了，妈妈说。

We must have been dreaming, said mom.

最好回去睡觉。

Better go back to bed.

我去给你拿杯热牛奶。

I'll bring you some warm milk.

杰克上楼去了。

Jake went upstairs.

妈妈留在厨房里热牛奶。

Mom stayed in the kitchen to warm the milk.

她从未告诉杰克她在下面看到了什么，但端上杰克的饮料时，她显得有些慌乱。

She never told Jake what she saw down there, but she looked rather flustered when she brought up Jake's drink.

第二天，当杰克去上学时，她悄悄把那株异国植物退回到园艺中心，换了一株丝兰。

And the next day, while Jake was at school, she quietly took the exotic plant back to the garden center and exchanged it for a yucca plant.

丝兰是一种沙漠植物。

A yucca is a desert plant.

它不需要太多水。

It doesn't need much water.

照料起来非常简单。

It's very easy to look after.

它可靠又乏味，但这种乏味让人安心。

It's reliable and boring in a reassuring sort of way.

而且最好的是，尤其是从比迪的角度来看，它一直待在花盆里，从不会变成鸟或其他任何东西。

And best of all, especially from Birdie's point of view, it stays put in its pot and never turns into a bird or anything else.

这就是比迪和天堂鸟的故事。

And that was the story of Birdie and the Bird of Paradise.

欢迎随时回来听更多精彩的故事。

Drop by soon for more exciting stories.

现在，我是贾娜，再见。

For now, from me, Jana, bye bye.