Ugly the cat
《流浪貓丑丑》

Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and, shall we say, love.
我所住公寓大樓的每個人都認識“丑丑”。丑丑是住在這里的一只流浪公貓。丑丑喜歡這世界上的三件事：打架、吃垃圾，還有愛（如果可以這樣說的話）。
The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye and where the other should have been was a hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner.
這三件事再加上流浪在外的生活方式，對丑丑產生了很大的影響。首先，他只有一只眼睛，另一只也差點被弄瞎，同一側的耳朵也不見了。他的一只左腳顯然也受過嚴重的傷，而且恢復得不太好，走起路來一瘸一拐，似乎總是在轉彎。
Ugly would have been a dark grey tabby, striped type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, and even his shoulders. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction: "That's one UGLY cat !!"
丑丑是一只身上帶有條紋的深灰色虎斑貓 ，但他的頭部、頸部，甚至肩膀上到處都是傷口。每當有人看到丑丑時，他們的反應都是一樣的：“那只貓真丑！”
All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction.
當他試圖進入某戶人家時，孩子們都會被警告不要去碰他，成年人會向他投擲石塊，并用水管噴水驅趕他。當他不肯離開時，人們還會關上門夾他的爪子。可面對這些，丑丑的反應總是相同的
If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around your feet in forgiveness.
當你將水管對準他時，他會站在那里不動，任憑你把他全身淋濕，直到你放棄并離開。當你向他投擲東西時，他會將自己瘦長的身體卷縮在你的雙腳上，告訴你他原諒了你。

Whenever he spied children, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love.
每當他看到孩子們時，都會跑過去，瘋狂地喵喵叫，用頭碰撞孩子們的手，乞求他們的愛撫。
If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
當你抱起他時，他就會馬上開始舔你的襯衫、耳環，他能從你身上找到的都逃不過他愛的親昵。
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbours' dogs. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end.
一天，丑丑向鄰居家的幾條狗表達愛意。但他們并沒有做出善意的回應，丑丑受到了粗暴的對待，傷勢很重。我試圖沖上去幫他。但，當我到達他倒下的地方時，看上去丑丑的悲慘一生已快走到了盡頭...
As I picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. It must be hurting him terribly, I thought.
我把他抱起來，試圖把他帶回家。此時，我可以聽到他吃力的喘息聲，同時能夠感覺到他在掙扎。我想，這件事一定給他的身心造成了重創。
Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying, was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring.
然后，我感覺到耳邊有一種熟悉的拖拽感。丑丑在如此痛苦中，而且顯然已掙扎在死亡邊緣，可還是在努力舔著我的耳朵。我將他緊緊抱入懷中，他用頭碰撞著我的手掌，然后他那只金色的眼睛轉過來瞅著我。此時，我可以清晰地聽到他發出的滿足的咕嚕咕嚕聲。
Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
即使在最痛苦的時候，這只傷痕累累的丑丑貓要的依然只是一點點愛撫，或許只是一些同情。那一刻，我覺得丑丑是我見過的最美麗、最可愛的生命。他從來沒有試圖咬我或抓我，從來沒有試圖遠離我，也從來沒有以任何方式掙脫我的懷抱。丑丑只是抬頭望著我，用眼睛告訴我，他完全信任我能夠緩解他的痛苦。
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly.
我還沒來得及走進家門，他就已經長眠在我的懷里。之后，我呆呆地坐在那里，抱了他很久，心里思考著——這樣一只滿身傷痕，而且身體還有殘缺的小流浪貓，是如何改變了我對擁有一顆純真心靈、以及如何用盡全力、真實地去愛的理解。
Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for.
關于給予與同情，我從丑丑身上學到了很多東西，比起閱讀上千本書籍、聽無數講座、或是觀看大量脫口秀特別節目都要多得多。我會永遠為此心存感激。他的傷痕累累給我留下了內心的傷疤。是時候讓我繼續前行，學會真正地去深愛，為我關心的人付出我的所有。
Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me; I will always try to be Ugly.
許多人想要更加富有、更加成功、更加受人喜愛、更加美麗。但對我而言，我會一直努力成為“丑丑”。