第13章 夜鶯 The Nightingale(第5/23 頁)

the deep blue sea, and the great ships sailed under the shadow of its branches.

在其中一棵樹上住著一隻夜鶯，它歌聲非常美妙，即使那些有很多其他事情要做的窮苦漁夫，也會停下來傾聽。

In one of these trees lived a nightingale, who sang so beautifully that even the poor fishermen, who had so many other things to do, would stop and listen.

有時候，當他們晚上出去撒網的時候，會聽到它唱歌，然後說：“哦，這歌聲難道不美妙嗎？”

Sometimes, when they went at night to spread their nets, they would hear her sing, and say, “oh, is not that beautiful?”

但是當他們重新開始捕魚時，就會忘記這隻鳥，直到第二天晚上。

but when they returned to their fishing, they forgot the bird until the next night.

然後他們又會聽到它唱歌，並且驚歎道：“哦，夜鶯的歌聲多麼美妙啊！”

then they would hear it again, and exclaim “oh, how beautiful is the nightingale’s song!”

來自世界各國的旅行者來到皇帝所在的城市，他們非常欣賞這座城市，也很喜歡宮殿和花園；

travellers from every country in the world came to the city of the emperor, which they admired very much, as well as the palace and gardens;

但是當他們聽到夜鶯的歌聲時，都宣稱這是最美妙的。

but when they heard the nightingale, they all declared it to be the best of all.

旅行者們在回國時，講述了他們的所見所聞；

And the travellers, on their return home, related what they had seen;

有學問的人寫了書，書中包含對這個城鎮、宮殿和花園的描述；

and learned men wrote books, containing descriptions of the town, the palace, and the gardens;

但是他們沒有忘記夜鶯，它才是真正最了不起的奇觀。

but they did not forget the nightingale, which was really the greatest wonder.

那些會寫詩的人寫了關於夜鶯的優美詩句，夜鶯住在靠近深海的森林裡。

And those who could write poet