小牧师的故事：鸟的圣诞树王国

Right in the very heart of Christmas-tree Land there was a forest of firs that pointed to the sky as straight as steeples.A hush lay over the forest,as if there were something very wonderful there,that might be meant for you if you were quiet and waited for it to come.Perhaps you have felt like that when you walked down the aisle of a church,with the sun shining through the lovely glass in the windows.Men have often called the woods"temples";so there is,after all,nothing so very strange in having a preacher live in the midst of the fir forest that grew in Christmas-tree Land.

在“圣诞树王国”的最中心有一片枞树，树尖笔直挺拔，像教堂的塔尖，直指天空。枞树林里悄无声息，像藏着什么神奇的东西。嘘！别出声，静静地等着吧，那东西可能就是给你的。也许当你走在教堂的甬道上，阳光透过色彩斑斓的玻璃窗洒满你的全身时，你曾有过这样的感觉。人们常常把树林称作“神殿”；所以，“圣诞树王国”的这片枞树林里住着一位牧师也就无须大惊小怪了。

And the sermon itself was not very strange,for it was about peace and good-will and love and helping the world and being happy—all very proper things to hear about while the bells in the city churches,way,way off,were ringing their glad messages from the steeples.

要说这位牧师的布道，其实也没什么好奇怪的，讲的无非都是和平、亲善和友爱，还有如何帮助这个世界和做一个幸福的人——城市教堂的塔尖上，钟声远远地响起，送来一阵阵福音，这个时候聆听这些布道再合适不过了。

But the minister was a queer one,and his very first words would have made you smile.Not that you would have laughed at him,you know.You would have smiled just because he had a way of making you feel happy from the minute he began.

不过，这位牧师很特别，他一张口，就会惹你笑；喂，我可不是说你会嘲笑他，我是说，从他张口的那一刻起，不知为什么他就会让你感到很开心，你就会不由自主地笑起来。

He sat on a small branch,and looked down from his pulpit with a dear nod of his little head,which would have made you want to cuddle him in the hollow of your two hands.

他坐在一根小小的树枝上，低头注视着讲坛下的一切，点一下小脑袋，神情可爱极了，让你忍不住想伸出双手捧住他。

His robe was of gray and white and buff-colored feathers,and he wore a black-feather cap and bib.

他身着灰、白和暗黄三色长羽袍，戴着一顶黑色的羽帽，披着一条黑色的羽毛挂肩。

Firs that pointed to the sky.
直指云天的枞树林。

He began by singing his name."Chick,D.D.,"he called.Now,when a person has"D.D."written after his name,we have a right to think that he is trying to live so wisely that he can teach us how to be happier,too.Of course Minister Chick had not earned those letters by studying in college,like most parsons;but he had learned the secret of a happy heart in his school in the woods.

他的布道从自报姓名开始。“奇客D.D.”，他大声唱道。喂，如果一个人在他的名字后面加上“D.D.”（神学博士），那我们就能做如下推测：他正在努力打造睿智人生，所以，他可以告诉我们怎样才能更快乐。当然了，和多数牧师不同，奇客牧师的这些学识可不是在大学里得来的；他拥有快乐之心的秘方是在他的学校——树林里学到的。

Yes,he began his service by singing his name;but the real sermon he preached by the deeds he did and the life he lived.So,while we listen to his happy song,we can watch his busy hours,until we are acquainted with the little black-capped minister who called himself"Chick,D.D.".

是的，他的布道从自报姓名开始。可是，他真正的布道却是通过行动和生活方式来进行宣讲的。所以，我们在聆听他快乐的鸣唱时，还可以观察他那忙忙碌碌的日子，直到和这位自称“奇客D.D.”的黑顶小牧师相识相知。

Chick's Christmas-trees were decorated,and no house in the whole world had one lovelier that morning than the hundreds that were all about him as far as he could see.The dark-green branches of the pines and cedars had held themselves out like arms waiting to be filled,and the snow had been dropped on them in fluffy masses,by a quiet,windless storm.It had been very soft and lovely that way—a world all white and green below,with a sky of wonderful blue that the firs pointed to like steeples.Then,as if that were not decoration enough,another storm had come,and had put on the glitter that was brightest at the edge of the forest where the sun shone on it.The second storm had covered the soft white with dazzling ice.It had swept across the white-barked birch trees and their purplebrown branches,and had left them shining all over.It had dripped icicles from the tips of all the twigs that now shone in the sunlight brighter than candles,and tinkled like little bells,when the breezes clicked them together,in a tune that is called,"Woodland Music after an Ice-Storm."

奇客的圣诞树都已经装饰一新，在他眼里，那天早晨整个世界所有房子里的圣诞树都没有他周围那数以百计的圣诞树漂亮。松树和西洋杉伸出墨绿的树枝，像一只只期待着礼物的手臂。一场大雪悄无声息地将雪花撒落在这些伸出的树枝上，为它们盖上了一团团茸茸的积雪，那景象看上去可真是又温馨又漂亮：下面是白茫茫、绿茵茵的双色世界，上面是碧蓝、碧蓝的天空，枞树则像塔尖一样直指着蓝天。然而，这样的装饰似乎还不够美，于是，又下了一场大雪，把阳光照耀下的森林边缘装点成了最晶莹、最亮眼的一道风景。这第二场大雪为松软的积雪覆上了一层耀眼炫目的冰。它还漫过白桦树那包裹着白色树皮的树干，漫过那棕褐色的树枝，让它们全身上下都开始闪闪发光。它让所有的嫩枝尖都滴下了冰柱，现在那些冰柱正在阳光下熠熠闪耀，比烛光还要明亮；微风吹来，冰柱撞在一起，像小铃铛一样叮当作响，就像是在奏乐，乐曲的名字就叫“冰暴过后的森林之乐”。

That is the tune that played all about the black-capped bird as he flitted out of the forest,singing,"Chick,D.D.,"as he came.The clear cold air and the exercise of flying after his night's sleep had given Chick a good healthy appetite,and he had come out for his breakfast.

Woodland Music after an Ice-Storm.
冰暴过后的森林之乐。

当这位黑顶的鸟儿像来的时候那样唱着“奇客， D.D.”，掠过树丛，飞出森林的时候，他的四周到处都在演奏这首乐曲。昨天睡了一个好觉，今天森林里空气又清新凛冽，再加上不时地飞来飞去，让奇客胃口大开，这不，他出来找早餐吃了。

He liked eggs very well,and there were,as he knew,plenty of them on the birch trees,for many a time he had breakfasted there.Eggs with shiny black shells,not so big as the head of a pin;so wee,indeed,that it took a hundred of them or more to make a meal for even little Chick.

奇客特别喜欢吃卵，他还知道白桦树上就有许多卵，因为他已经在那里吃了很多次早餐了。这些卵的外壳亮亮的、黑黑的，还没有大头针的针头大；的确，它们太小了，甚至连小小的奇客一顿都要吃上一百多个。

But he wasn't lazy.He didn't have to have eggs cooked and brought to his table.He loved to hunt for them,and they were never too cold for him to relish;so out he came to the birch trees,with a cheery"Chick,D.D.",as if he were saying grace for the good food tucked here and there along the branches.

不过，奇客并不懒惰。他无须找人把卵做熟端到他的餐桌上。他喜欢自己去寻卵吃，而且，尽管这些卵吃起来凉冰冰的，却从来也不影响他的食欲。所以，他出来，飞进了白桦林，兴高采烈地唱着“奇客D.D.”，好像在感谢他能吃到藏在树枝各处的美食。

When he alighted,though,it wasn't the bark he found,but a hard,thick coating of ice.The branches rattled together as he moved among them and the icicles that dangled down rang and clicked as they struck one another.The ice-storm had locked in Chick's breakfast eggs,and,try as he would with his little beak,he couldn't get through to find them.

可是，奇客落下来站定时，才发现他的脚下不是树皮，而是一层硬邦邦、厚墩墩的冰。他在树枝间穿梭跳跃的时候，树枝就吱吱咯咯响作一团，悬挂着的冰柱相互撞击，也叮当作响。冰暴已经把奇客的早饭锁起来了，无论他的小嘴巴怎么使劲地凿，都无法凿穿冰层找到那些卵。

So Chick's Christmas Day began with hardship:for,though he sang gayly through the coldest weather,he needed food to keep him strong and warm.He was not foolish enough to spend his morning searching through the icy birch trees,for he had a wise little brain in his head and soon found out that it was no use to stay there.But he didn't go back to the forest and mope about it.Oh,no.Off he flew,down the short hill slope,seeking here and there as he went.

就这样，奇客的圣诞节刚开始就遇到了麻烦：虽然，天寒地冻的日子里，他一直在欢快地鸣唱，可是他也需要食物保持体力，还有体温。奇客不会笨得整个早晨都在冰天雪地的白桦林里觅食，他的小脑瓜聪明着呢，很快他就发现继续待在这里毫无用处。不过，奇客并没有返回森林，也没有因此而闷闷不乐。哦，不会的。他飞走了，沿着小山坡往下飞去，一边飞还一边四处寻觅。

Where the soil was rocky under the snow,some sumachs grew,and their branches of red berries looked like gay Christmas decorations.The snow that had settled heavily on them had partly melted,and the soaked berries had stained it so that it looked like delicious pink ice-cream.Some of the stain had dripped to the snow below,so there were places that looked like pink ice-cream there,too.Then the ice-storm had crusted it over,and now it was a beautiful bit of bright color in the midst of the white-and-green-and-blue Christmas.

积雪下岩石比较多的地方，长着一些漆树，一枝枝红红的漆果看起来就像是欢乐喜庆的圣诞装饰。树枝上厚厚的积雪已经开始融化，浸透雪水的漆果染红了积雪，让这些正在融化的积雪看起来就像是美味的粉色冰激凌。一些染红的雪水滴落到下面的积雪上，所以，那儿有的地方也变成了粉色冰激凌。接着，冰暴又把这些粉色冰激凌变成了硬硬的冰壳，为这个白茫茫、绿茵茵、蓝莹莹的圣诞大世界点缀出一抹亮丽。

Chick stopped hopefully at the sumach bushes,not because he knew anything about ice-cream or cared a great deal about the berries;but sometimes there were plump little morsels hidden among them,that he liked to pull out and eat.If there was anything there that morning,though,it was locked in under the ice;and Chick flew on to the willows that showed where the brook ran in summer.

奇客满怀希望地落在漆树丛中，这倒不是因为他知道这里有冰激凌，也不是他对漆果特别感兴趣，而是那儿有时会藏着一些肥嘟嘟的小零食，他喜欢拽出来吃上一口。

不过这天早晨即使有吃的，也是被锁在了冰壳里的；于是，奇客又继续飞，来到了柳树林里。有柳树的地方，夏天肯定会有潺潺的小溪流过。

Ah,the willow cones!Surely they would not fail him!He would put his bill in at the tip and down the very middle,and find a good tasty bit to start with,and then he would feel about in other parts of the cone for small insects,which often creep into such places for the winter.The flight to the willows was full of courage.Surely there would be a breakfast there for a hungry Chick!

啊！柳树果！它们肯定不会让他失望的！他要把嘴巴插进果尖，一直插到球果的中心，先在那里找到一点儿好吃的，然后，再去球果的其他部位摸索搜寻，因为那种地方常常有爬进来过冬的小昆虫。飞到柳树林可是需要勇气的，所以，那儿肯定会有一顿早餐，在等着饥肠辘辘的奇客享用吧！

But the ice was so heavy on the willows that it had bent them down till the tips lay frozen into the crust below.

然而，柳树上的冰太厚了，把树都压弯了，连柳梢都躺在树下的冰壳里冻僵了。

So from pantry to pantry Chick flew that morning,and every single one of them had been locked tight with an icy key.The day was very cold.Soon after the ice-storm,the mercury in the thermometer over at the Farm-House had dropped way down below the zero mark,and the wind was in the north.But the cold did not matter if Chick could find food.His feet were bare;but that did not matter,either,if he could eat.Nothing mattered to the brave little blackcapped fellow,except that he was hungry,oh,so hungry!And he had heard no call from anywhere to tell him that any other bird had found a breakfast,either.

所以，这天早晨，奇客在各个食品储藏间辗转寻觅，可是，所有的储藏间上都挂着一把冰凉刺骨的锁。这天冷极了。冰暴过后不久，那边“农舍”里温度计的水银柱就一个劲儿地下降，已经降到零度以下了，而且，风也是从北边刮来的。不过，要是奇客能找到食物，这点寒冷就不算什么；他还光着脚丫子，不过如果有饭吃，这也不算什么。对这个黑顶的小勇士来说什么都不在话下，除了一样：饿肚子。唉，太饿了！不过，他也没有接到其他地方的消息，说有哪只鸟找到了一顿早餐。

No,the birds were all quiet,and the distant church-bells had stopped their chimes,and the world was still.Still,except for the click of the icicles on the twigs when Chick or the wind shook them.

没有，所有的鸟儿都噤声了，远处教堂的钟声也渐渐消散，整个世界都悄无声息。偶尔只有奇客和风儿晃动树枝时，冰柱发出的咔嗒声。

Then,suddenly,there was a sound so big and deep that it seemed to fill all the space from the white earth below to the blue sky above.A roaring BOOOOOOOM,which was something like the waves rushing against a rocky shore,and something like distant thunder,and something like the noise of a great tree crashing to the earth after it has been cut,and something like the sound that comes before an earthquake.

突然，一声巨响腾空而起，又大又沉，下到白茫茫的大地，上到蓝莹莹的天空，每一丝空间都在震颤。那声音“隆隆隆……”地咆哮而来，如巨浪拍打着岩石嶙峋的海岸，如远处滚滚的惊雷，如被砍断的大树轰然倒地时的巨响，如地震前的轰鸣。

It is not strange that Chick did not know that sound.No one ever hears anything just like it,unless he is out where the snow is very light and very deep and covered with a crust.

奇客不知道这是什么声音并不奇怪，谁也没有听过这样的声音，除非他待在外面的那个地方，那里地上的雪很轻很轻，也很厚很厚，上面还结着一层硬硬的冰壳。

Then,if the crust is broken suddenly in one place,it may settle like the top of a puffed-up pie that is pricked;and the air that has been prisoned under the crust is pushed out with a strange and mighty sound.

要知道，如果某个地方的冰壳突然破了，情形大概就像一个胀满气的馅饼被戳破了一样，困在冰壳里面的空气会被挤出来，发出奇怪的巨响。

So that big BOOOOOOOM meant that something had broken the icy crust which,a moment before,had lain over the soft snow,all whole,for a mile one way and a mile another way,and half a mile to the Farm-House.

所以，这“隆隆隆……”的巨响意味着有什么东西把冰壳给弄破了，那冰壳刚才还好好地铺在又松又软的积雪上呢，现在却整个都破了，这边一英里，那边一英里，到了农舍那边又是半英里。

Yes,there was the Farmer Boy coming across the field,to the orchard that stood on the sandy hillside near the fir forest.He was walking on snowshoes,which cracked the crust now and then;and twice on the way to the orchard he heard a deep BOOOOOOOM,which he loved just as much as he loved the silence of the field when he stopped to listen now and then.For the winter sounds were so dear to the Farmer Boy who lived at the edge of Christmastree Land,that he would never forget them even when he should become a man.He would always remember the snowshoe tramps across the meadow;and in after years,when his shoulders held burdens he could not see,he would remember the bulky load he carried that morning without minding the weight a bit;for it was a big bag full of Christmas gifts,and the more heavily it pressed against his shoulder,the lighter his heart felt.

的确如此。农家小男孩正穿过田野，往果园那边走。果园就在半山腰的一块沙地上，紧挨着杉树林。男孩穿着雪地鞋行走在冰壳上，时不时地将冰壳踩裂；有两次，在去往果园的路上他听见了低沉的隆隆声，他时不时停下脚步仔细倾听，他喜欢极了这种声音，就像他也喜欢田野的寂静一样。对于住在“圣诞树王国”边上的农家男孩来说，这些冬之音实在是太美妙了，即使他将来长大成人，变成顶天立地的男子汉时也不会忘记这声音。雪地鞋踏过草地发出的咯吱声将永远留在他的记忆里；今后的人生岁月里，当他肩负无法预料的重担时，他会想起那天早晨他身背重重的行李，却毫不在意；因为那是一只装满了圣诞礼物的大口袋，所以，压在肩上的口袋越重，他的心情就越轻快。

When he reached the orchard,he dropped the bag on the snow and opened it.Part of the gifts he spilled in a heap near the foot of a tree,and the rest he tied here and there to the branches.Then he stood still and whistled a clear sweet note that sounded like"Feebee".

来到果园后，男孩把口袋放到雪地上打开。他把一部分礼物倒到一棵树下堆成了一堆，把剩下的那部分礼物这儿一个，那儿一包地系在了树枝上。然后，他站好，吹了一声口哨，那声音清脆悦耳，就像是“菲——比”。

Now,Chick,over by the willows had not known what BOOOOOOOM meant,for that was not in his language.But he understood"Fee-bee"in a minute,although it was not nearly so loud.For those were words he often used himself.They meant,perhaps,many things;but always something pleasant."Fee-bee"was a call he recognized as surely as one boy recognizes the signal whistle of his chum.(www.xing528.com)

奇客在柳树林上辗转奔波时，不知道那“隆隆……”的巨响是什么意思，因为他的语言里没有这种声音。可是，尽管“菲——比”这一声口哨算不上是巨响，他却一下子就明白了。因为这句话是他自己经常说的！这句话也许有很多意思，但都与好事相关。“菲——比”是在呼唤他，他一下子就听出来了，非常肯定，肯定得就如同男孩们能毫不费力地听出同伴用口哨发出的信号一样。

So,of course,Chick flew to the orchard as quickly as he could and found his present tied fast to a branch.The smell of it,the feel of it,the taste of it,set him wild with joy.He picked at it with his head up,and sang"Chick,"He picked at it with his head down and called,"Chick,Chick,D.D."He flew here and there,too gay with happiness to stay long anywhere,and found presents tied to other branches,too.At each one he sang"Chick,Chick,Deee Deeee."It was,"indeed"the song of a hungry bird who had found good rich suet to nibble.

所以，奇客拼尽全力飞到了果园里，看到给自己的礼物紧紧地系在了一根树枝上。哦，它的气息，它的感觉，它的味道，简直让他欣喜若狂！他抬头吃一口唱一句“奇客”，又低头吃一口叫一句“奇客，奇客D.D.”。他太高兴啦，飞来飞去，哪里都无法久待，结果发现别的树枝上也系着礼物。每发现一个礼物，奇客都会乐得大唱：“奇客，奇客D.D.，奇客，奇客D——D——”这的确是饥肠辘辘的小鸟发现有美味、营养的板油可以细嚼慢咽的时候发自内心的欢歌！

The Farmer Boy smiled when he heard it,and waited,for he thought others would hear it,too.And they did.Two birds with black-feather cap and bib heard it and came;and before they had had time to go frantic with delight and song,three others just like them came,and then eight more,and by that time there was such a"Chick"-ing and"D.D."-ing and such a whisking to and fro of black caps and black bibs,that no one paid much attention when Minister Chick,D.D.,himself,perched on a branch for a minute,and gave the sweetest little warble that was ever heard on a winter's day.Then he whistled"Fee-bee"very clearly,and went to eating again,heeding the Farmer Boy no more than if he were not there at all.

听到这首欢歌，农家小男孩笑了；他还在等待，因为他觉得其他的鸟儿也会听到这欢乐的鸣唱。他们真的听到了。两只戴着黑色羽帽，披着黑色挂肩的鸟儿听到歌声飞过来了；他们还没来得及欣喜若狂、高声欢歌的时候，另外三只一模一样的鸟儿也飞来了，接着又来了八只，不一会儿，到处是都是“奇客”、“D——D——”之声，到处是黑冠、黑挂肩上下翻飞的身影。已经没人注意奇客D.D.牧师了，他在一根树枝上待了一会儿，唱了一首歌，这首歌婉转悠扬，是冬天所能听到的最优美的歌了。接着，他吹了一声清脆的口哨“菲——比”，然后，就又开始埋头大吃起来，全然忘了那个农家男孩，好像他根本就不存在似的。

And he wasn't there very long;for he was hungry,too;and that made him think about the good whiff he had smelled when he went through the kitchen with the snowshoes under his arm,just before he strapped them over his moccasins outside the door.

男孩也没待多久，因为他的肚子也咕咕叫了。这让他想起了刚才从厨房经过时闻到的那股香喷喷的味道，当时他正夹着雪地鞋打算到屋外去把它们扎在鹿皮软鞋上呢。

Yes,that was the Farmer Boy going away with a clatter over the snow-crust;but who were these coming through the air,with jerky flight,and with a jerky note something like"Twitterty-twit-twitterty-twittwitterty-twitterty-twitterty-twit"?They flew like goldfinches,and they sounded like goldfinches,both in the twitterty song of their flight and their"Tweeet"as they called one another.But they were not goldfinches.Oh,my,no!For they were dressed in gray,with darker gray stripes at their sides;and when they scrambled twittering down low enough to show their heads in the sunlight,they could be seen to be wearing the loveliest of crimson caps,and some of them had rosy breasts.

没错，那是农家小男孩离开时踩在冰壳上发出的咔嗒声；可是，从空中正往这里赶的又是谁呢？他们一边急急忙忙地飞着，一边还急急忙忙地说着什么“推特推——推特——推特推——推特——推特推——推特——”飞起来样子像是金翅雀，叫声也像金翅雀，因为，飞的时候他们唱“推特推”，彼此呼唤的时候他们唱“推——特”哎呀，天哪！不是金翅雀！因为他们穿着灰色的衣服，两侧还有深灰的条纹；当他们叽叽喳喳争先恐后落到低处，脑袋上洒满阳光时，就可以看清楚了，他们戴着深红色的头冠，是最漂亮的那种，有些鸟儿的胸脯还是玫瑰色的。

The redpolls had come!And they found on top of the snow a pile of dusty sweepings from the haymow,with grass-seeds in it and some cracked corn and crumbs.And there were squash-seeds,and sunflowerseeds,and seedy apple-cores that had been broken up in the grinder used to crunch bones for the chickens;and there were prune-pits that had been cracked with a hammer.

红顶雀来了！他们发现了雪地上的那堆灰乎乎的东西，那堆东西是从干草堆里扫出来的，里面有草籽，有一些碎玉米和面包屑，有南瓜籽、向日葵籽和碾子碾碎的粗粒苹果核，这碾子是用来给小鸡碾碎骨头吃的，那堆东西里还有用锤子敲碎的李子核。

The joy-songs of the birds over the suet and seeds seemed a signal through the countryside;and before long others came,too.

鸟儿们看到板油和种子时发出的欢叫，像是一个信号，传遍了四野八乡；很快，其他鸟儿也都纷纷赶过来了。

Among them there was a black-and-white one,with a patch of scarlet on the back of his head,who called,"Ping,"as if he were speaking through his nose.There was one with slender bill and bobbed-off tail,black cap and white breast,grunting,"Yank yank,"softly,as he ate.

其中有一只黑白两色的鸟儿，后脑勺有一块地方鲜红鲜红的，叫起来“砰”的一声，好像是从鼻孔里哼出来的。还有一只鸟儿，嘴巴细长细长，尾巴秃秃的，头顶黑黑的，胸脯白白的，一边吃，一边还低声咕哝着“杨克——杨克”。

But there was none to come who was braver or happier than Chick,D.D.,and none who sang so gayly.After that good Christmas feast he and his flock returned each day;and when,in due time,the ice melted from the branches,it wasn't just suet they ate.It was other things,too.

不过，所有来这里的鸟儿中，谁也没有奇客勇敢、没有奇客开心，谁都没有奇客唱得这么欢快。吃完那顿圣诞节大餐后，奇客和伙伴们每天都会重新返回果园；又过了一段时间，树枝上的冰雪开始消融，他们吃的可就不只这些板油了，还有其他东西呢。

That is how it happened that when,early in the spring,the Farmer Boy examined the apple-twigs,to see whether he should put on a nicotine spray for the aphids and an arsenical spray for the tent caterpillars,he couldn't find enough aphids to spray or enough caterpillars,either.Chick,D.D.and his flock had eaten their eggs.

于是就发生了这样的事情：早春，农家小男孩来检查苹果树的嫩枝，看看需不需要喷洒尼古丁溶液消灭蚜虫，或者砒霜溶液对付天幕毛毛虫时，他发现需要消灭的蚜虫和需要对付的毛毛虫并不多，奇客D.D.和他的伙伴们早就把这些害虫的卵吃掉了。

Again,late in the summer,when it was time for the yellow-necked caterpillars,the red-humped caterpillars,the tiger caterpillars,and the rest of the hungry crew,to strip the leaves from the orchard,the Farmer Boy walked among the rows,to see how much poison he would need to buy for the August spray.And again he found that he needn't buy a single pound.Chick,D.D.and his family were tending his orchard!

同样，夏末，正是黄颈毛虫、红疣毛虫、虎斑毛虫和其他害虫饥饿难耐开始大肆啃噬果园里的叶子的时候，农家小男孩在一排排果树林之间行走查看，想确认一下八月份需要喷洒多少农药。结果，他再一次发现，他连一磅都不用买。山雀奇客D.D.和他的家族一直在照看他的果园呢！

Yes,Minister Chick was a servant in the good world he lived in.He saved leaves for the trees,he saved rosy apples for city girls and boys to eat,and he saved many dollars in time and spray-money for the Farmer Boy.

是的，奇客牧师一直在为这个他生活其间的美好世界尽心尽力。他拯救了树上的叶子，他让城里的男孩和女孩们吃到了红彤彤的苹果，他让农家男孩节省了很多喷洒农药的时间和金钱。

And all he charged was a living wage:enough suet in winter to tide him over the icy spells,and free house-rent in the old hollow post the Farmer Boy had nailed to the trunk of one of the apple trees.

他做这一切都是分文不取，只要能维持基本生活就行：冬天有足够的板油让他熬过那段冰天雪地的日子，还能免费居住在农家男孩钉在一棵苹果树干上的空心老木桩里。

That old hollow post was a wonderful home.Chick,D.D.had crept into it for the first time Christmas afternoon,when he had eaten until dusk overtook him before he had time to fly back to the shelter of the fir forest.He found that he liked that post.Its walls were thick and they kept out the wind;and,besides,was it not handy by the suet?

那个空心老木桩住着还真不错。圣诞节那天下午，他一直在吃呀吃的，等夜幕降临的时候，他已经没有时间返回位于杉树林的住所了，于是，他第一次钻了进去。结果，他发现自己很喜欢这个空心老木桩：厚厚的四壁，抵挡了风寒；另外，木桩跟前不就是板油吗？

In the spring he liked it for another reason,too—the best reason in the world.It gave great happiness to Mrs.Chick."Fee-bee?"he had asked her as he called her attention to it;and"Fee-bee,"she had replied on looking it over.So he said,"Chick,D.D."in delight,and then perched near by,while he warbled cosily a brief song jumbled full of joy.

春天，他喜欢空心老木桩还另有因由，这是全世界最充分的因由：这个木桩让奇客太太快乐无比。奇客把木桩指给太太看时，征询道：“菲——比？”；太太只看了一眼，就回答说：“菲——比。”于是，奇客兴奋地说了声“奇客， D.D.”，就飞过去落在木桩旁边，一边飞还一边悠然自得、兴高采烈地一通乱唱。

Chick and his mate had indeed chosen well,for it is a poor wall that will not work both ways.If the sides of the hollow post had been thick enough to keep out the coldest of the winter cold,they were also thick enough to keep out the hottest of the summer heat.If they kept out the wet of the driving storm,they held enough of the old-wood moisture within so that the room did not get too dry.Of course,it needed a little repair.But then,what greater fun than putting improvements into a home?Especially when it can be done by the family,without expense!

奇客和他的太太真的很会选，因为只有两头兼顾的墙壁才算是好的墙壁。如果空心木桩厚得都抵御住了最凛冽的严冬，那么也一定可以抵挡最炎热的酷暑；如果他们能把瓢泼大雨拦在门外，那么也一定能把老木头的湿润留在屋内，让屋子不会太干燥。当然啦，需要小小地修缮一下。可是，还有什么比修缮自己的小窝更有趣的呢？尤其是全家一起上阵，还不花费一分一毫！

So Mr.and Mrs.Chick fell to work right cheerily,and dug the hole deeper with their beaks.They didn't leave the chips on the ground before their doorway,either.They took them off to some distance,and had no heap near by,as a sign to say,"A bird lives here."For,sociable as they were all winter,they wanted quiet and seclusion within the walls of their own home.

于是，奇客夫妇立刻欢天喜地地行动起来。他俩用嘴巴把洞啄得更深一些，可没有把木屑丢在门前的地上，而是把他们衔到稍远的地方，免得在家门附近堆成小堆儿，那就等于在说：“一只鸟儿住在这里。”尽管整个冬天他俩都乐于交际，但是，他们也需要关起门来享受家的静谧和独处的乐趣。

And such a home it was!After it had been hollowed to a suitable depth,Chick had brought in a tuft of white hair that a rabbit had left among the brambles.Mrs.Chick had found some last year's thistle-down and some this year's poplar cotton,and a horse-hair from the lane.Then Chick had picked up a gay feather that had floated down from a scarlet bird that sang in the tree-tops,and tore off silk from a cocoon.So,bit by bit,they gathered their treasures,until many a woodland and meadow creature and plant had had a share in the softness of a nest worthy of eight dear white eggs with reddish-brown spots upon them.It was such a soft nest,in fact,with such dear eggs in it,that Chick brooded there cosily himself part of the time,and was happy to bring food to his mate when she took her turn.

这个家可真别致啊！等把洞掏得深浅合适的时候，奇客就从荆棘丛里带回来一簇白兔毛。奇客太太从下面找回一些去年的蓟草和今年的杨絮，还从路边捡来一根马尾毛。后来，一只猩红色的小鸟在树梢唱歌的时候抖落了一根羽毛，很是鲜艳，奇客也捡了回来。他还从蚕茧上扯回了几根蚕丝。就这样，他俩一点、一点地往家里搜罗奇珍异宝，他们的窝大功告成了，可以舒舒服服地安顿八颗白地红棕斑点的宝贝鸟蛋了，这片林地和草场上的许多动物、植物都或多或少地为这个柔软的窝尽了一份力。这个小窝这么松软，里面的鸟蛋这么珍贵，让奇客有一半的时间留在家里优哉游哉地自己孵蛋；即使轮到太太孵蛋，奇客也会满心欢喜地为她觅食送饭。

In eleven or twelve days from the time the eggs were laid,there were ten birds in that home instead of two.The fortnight that followed was too busy for song.Chick and his mate looked the orchard over even more thoroughly than the Farmer Boy did;and before those eight hungry babies of theirs were ready to leave the nest,it began to seem as if Chick had eaten too many insect eggs in the spring,there were so few caterpillars hatching out.But the fewer there were,the harder they hunted;and the harder they hunted,the scarcer became the caterpillars.So when Dee,Chee,Fee,Wee,Lee,Bee,Mee,and Zee were two weeks old,and came out of the hollow post to seek their own living,the whole family had to take to the birches until a new crop of insect eggs had been laid in the orchard.This was no hardship.It only added the zest of travel and adventure to the pleasure of the days.Besides,it isn't just orchards that Chick,D.D.and his kind take care of.It is forests and shade-trees,too.

产下鸟蛋的第十一天或第十二天，小窝里就不是两只鸟儿，而是十只了。接下来的两周他们忙得连歌都没时间唱了。奇客和太太在果园里到处检查，比农家男孩检查得还彻底；春天，他们的这八只嗷嗷待哺的小宝宝还没准备好离家自食其力的时候，奇客好像是吃掉了太多的昆虫卵，结果孵出来的毛毛虫寥寥无几。可是，毛毛虫越少，他们就越努力地去寻觅；他们越努力地去寻觅，毛毛虫就越少。所以，当刚出生两个星期的嘀嘀、叽叽、菲菲、喂喂、哩哩、吡吡、咪咪和啧啧从空心木桩里出来独闯天下的时候，他们不得不举家迁往桦树林，直到果园里生出新一茬的昆虫卵。举家迁移没什么可辛苦的，只不过是在白天的快乐中又增添了些旅行的兴奋和冒险的刺激罢了。再说了，奇客D.D.和伙伴们悉心呵护的不光是果园，还有森林和那些遮荫树呢。

Hither and yon they hopped and flitted,picking the weevils out of the dead tips of the growing pine trees,serving the beech trees such a good turn that the beechnut crop was the heavier for their visit,doing a bit for the maple-sugar trees,and so on through the woodland.

他们在林地里蹦来蹦去，蹿上蹿下，好事做了一件又一件：把小松树枯梢里的象鼻虫捉出来；精心照料山毛榉，结果因为他们的造访，山毛榉今年结的坚果最多；为枫糖树出诊等等，真是不胜枚举。

Not only did they mount midget guard over the mighty trees,but they acted as pilots to hungry birds less skillful than themselves in finding the best feedingplaces."Chick,D.D.D.D.D.",they called in thanksgiving,as they found great plenty;and warblers and kinglets and creepers and many a bird beside knew the sound,and gathered there to share the bountiful feast that Chick,D.D.had discovered.

除了充当大树的小守护神之外，他们还为那些觅食技术不如他们的小鸟充当导航员，把饥肠辘辘的小鸟引到最佳的觅食处。看到那么多的食物，这些鸟儿都十分感激地叫着：“奇客，嘀——嘀——”；鸣鸟、戴菊鸟、旋木雀和附近的许多鸟儿都听得懂这种叫声，于是全都聚集而来，分享奇客D.D.发现的盛宴。

The gorgeous autumn came,the brighter,by the way,for the leaves that Chick had saved.The Bob-olinks,in traveling suits,had already left for the prairies of Brazil and Paraguay,by way of Florida and Jamaica.The strange honk of geese floated down from V-shaped flocks,as if they were calling,"Southward Ho!"The red-winged blackbirds gave a wonderful farewell chorus.Flock by flock and kind by kind,the migrating birds departed.

绚丽多彩的秋天到了，顺便说一句，因为奇客拯救的那些树叶，今年的秋天分外亮丽。穿着旅行服的食米鸟已经上路了，他们要经过佛罗里达和牙买加飞往巴西和巴拉圭的大草原。成群结队排成“V”字形的大雁队伍里传来奇怪的雁鸣，似乎在叫：“嚯！往南飞呀！”红翅黑鹂也齐展歌喉表演了一场精彩的惜别大合唱。就这样，候鸟们各归其类、成群结队地出发了。

WHY?

为什么？

Well,never ask Chick,D.D.The north with its snows is good enough for him.Warblers may go and nuthatches may come.It is all one to Chick.He is not a bird to follow fashions others set.

喂，可千万不要叫奇客D.D.同行。白雪皑皑的北方就是他的天堂。鸣鸟可以离去，五子雀可以到来，可是对于奇客来说，去就是来，来就是去。他可不是一只随波逐流的鸟儿。

This bird-of-the-happy-heart has courage to meet the coldest day with a joyous note of welcome.The winter is cheerier for his song.And,as you have guessed,it is not by word alone that he renders service.The trees of the north are the healthier for his presence.Because of him,the purse of man is fatter,and his larder better stocked.He has done no harm as harm is counted in the world he lives in.It is written in books that,in all the years,not one crime,not even one bad habit,is known of any bird who has called himself"Chick,D.D."

他是一只满心欢喜的鸟儿，他有勇气唱着欢快的旋律去迎接最凛冽的冬日。寒冬也因他的歌声而分外欢快。是的，你猜对啦，他履行职责靠的不光是言语。北方的树因他的出现而分外健康。因为他，人类的钱包变得更鼓，食品储藏室也更满。他从未做过坏事，在他生活的那个世界里，做坏事是要记录在案的。书里明明白白地记载着：多少年来，从来没有任何一个自称“奇客D.D.”的鸟儿犯过罪，哪怕是一次不良记录都没有。

Because the world is always better for his living in it;and because no one can watch the black-capped sprite without catching,for a moment at least,a message of cheer and courage and service,does he not name himself rightly a minister?

因为世界总是因他的存在而更加美好；因为所有审视这位黑顶小精灵的人，每时每刻无不从他那里感受到快乐和勇气的力量，每时每刻无不得到他的帮助，所以，他自称牧师难道不是名副其实吗？

Yes,surely,the little parson who dwells in the heart of Christmas-tree Land has a right to his"D.D.",even though he did not earn it in a college of men.

的确，这个居住在“圣诞树王国”中心的小牧师，虽然他的“神学博士”不是在人类的神学院里获得的，但是这个头衔他当之无愧。