明天中午12点上架,至少肯塔基篇会争取多写一些的。
感谢编辑蓬莱大大的支持和鼓励,最感谢的还是一直以来陪伴这本书走到现在的各位读者。
然后,给大家分享一首关于马的小诗。
Horse’s Prayer
马的祈祷
To thee, my master, I offer my prayer
我的主人,我向你祈祷
Feed me, water and care for me
请给我食物,给我水,请照顾我
And when the day’s work is done
当我一天的工作结束后
Provide me with a clean shelter, a clean dry bed
请为我提供干净的住所和床
And a stall wide enough for me to lie down in comfort
还有足够宽敞的马房,能让我舒适地躺下
Be always gentle to me, and talk to me
永远对我温柔,请和我说话
Your voice often means more to me than the reins
对我来说,你的声音往往比束紧的缰绳更有意义
Pat me sometimes that I may serve you
The more gladly and learn to love thee
请轻拍我,我会更加爱你,更愿意为你服务。
Do not jerk the reins
不要猛勒缰绳
And do not whip me when going uphill
在我上坡时,也不要鞭打我
Never strike, beat or kick me
请不要对我拳打脚踢
When I do not understand what you mean
当我不明白你的意思时
But give me a chance to understand you
请再给我一个去理解你的机会
Watch me, and if I fail to do your bidding
请关注着我,如果我不听从你的命令
See if something is wrong with my harness, or feet
请查看我的马具或蹄子,也许是它们出了问题
Don’t draw the straps too tight
请不要将马鞍装得太紧
Give me freedom to move my head
请让我的头自由活动
If you insist on me wearing blinkers
To keep me from looking around, at least
See to it that they do not press against my eyes
如果你为了不让我向两边看,坚持要给我戴上眼罩
至少在戴它们的时候不要按到我的眼睛
Don’t make my load too heavy
请不要让我驮太重的东西
And, don’t leave me tied up in the rain
还有,请不要把我栓在雨中
Have me well shod
请钉好我的蹄铁
Examine my teeth when I do not eat
在我不愿吃东西的时候,请检查我的牙齿
I may have an ulcerated tooth
我也许有了虫牙
And that you know is painful enough
你也知道那会很疼
Do not tie my head in an unnatural position
请不要用缰绳将我的头绑到不自然的位置
Or take away my best defense against flies
By cutting off my tail
请不要砍断我的尾巴
它是我驱赶蚊虫最好的工具
I cannot tell you when I’m thirsty
我无法告诉你我什么时候口渴
So please give me pure cold water frequently
所以请经常给我喂干净的凉水
I cannot tell you in words when I am sick
我无法用语言告诉你我生病了
so, watch me
所以,请关心着我
that by signs you may know my condition
通过症状来了解我的病情
Do all you can to protect me from the sun
请尽你所能,为我遮挡阳光
And throw a cover over me
When I am standing out in the cold
请在寒风中,给我罩上马衣
Don’t force an ice-cold bit into my mouth
请不要把冰冷的东西塞进我的嘴里
But warm it firstIn some warm water, or in your hands
至少,请你先用温水或者你的手暖一暖
I always try to do cheerfully
The work you require of me
我总是开心地去完成你交给我的任务。
And day and night
日日夜夜
I stand for hours waiting for you
我会伫立数小时,只为等待你的归来
Without the power to choose my shoes or path
我没有能力选择穿什么样的蹄铁,走什么样的路
I sometimes fall on the hard pavements
which I have often prayed might be of such a nature
我祈祷着脚底不要打滑,因为我有时会摔倒在地
as to give me a safe and sure footing
所以,请让我稳妥地走在路面上
Remember that I must be ready at any moment to lose my life in your service
请记住,在为你工作的时候
我随时都有可能失去生命
And finally, my master
最后,我的主人
When my useful strength is gone
如果我没用了
Do not turn me out to starve or freeze
请不要把我丢出去挨饿受冻
Or sell me to a cruel owner
或者是把我贱卖给残忍的主人
To be slowly tortured and starved to death
他们会慢慢折磨我们,将我们饿死
But do thee my master take my life
In the kindest way
主人,请用最仁慈的方式来结束我们的生命
And your God will reward you here and hereafter
你将在此生和来世得到奖赏
You may not think me irreverent
If I ask this in the name of
Him who was born in a stable
如果我以那位从马厩出生的主的名义向你提出请求
你应该不会觉得我无礼吧
AMEN——
阿门——