"People from all over the world have passed through this village, son," said his father.
“孩子,世界各地的人都到過這個村莊。”父親說,
"They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same people they were when they arrived.
“他們為追求新奇而來,但是他們離開時和到來時沒有差別。
They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they wind up thinking that the past was better than what we have now.
他們爬到山丘上去看城堡,認為城堡今不如昔。
They have blond hair, or dark skin, but basically they're the same as the people who live right here."
他們或是一頭金發,或是皮膚黝黑,但他們和咱們村里的人沒啥兩樣。”
"But I'd like to see the castles in the towns where they live," the boy explained.
“但是我卻沒見過他們家鄉的城堡。”男孩反駁說。
"Those people, when they see our land, say that they would like to live here forever," his father continued.
那些人一旦了解了我們的田園,就會說他們愿意永遠留在這里生活。”父親說。
"Well, I'd like to see their land, and see how they live," said his son.
我希望了解他們生活的地方和他們的生活方式。”男孩說。
"The people who come here have a lot of money to spend, so they can afford to travel," his father said.
“那些人來時,口袋里裝滿了錢,這樣才能負擔旅途的費用,”父親又說,
"Amongst us, the only ones who travel are the shepherds."
“而我們這里,只有牧羊人才四處游走。”
"Well, then I'll be a shepherd!"
“那我就去當牧羊人!”
His father said no more.
父親沒再說什么。
The next day, he gave his son a pouch that held three ancient Spanish gold coins.
第二天,父親給了男孩一個錢袋,里面有三枚古老的西班牙金幣。
"I found these one day in the fields. I wanted them to be a part of your inheritance. But use them to buy your flock.
“有一天我在地里發現了它們。原本想當做遺產給你,現在你拿去買一群羊,
Take to the fields, and someday you'll learn that our countryside is the best, and our women the most beautiful."
去云游四方吧。總有一天,你會懂得,我們的家園才最有價值,我們這兒的女人才最漂亮。”
And he gave the boy his blessing.
父親祝福了他。
The boy could see in his father's gaze a desire to be able, himself, to travel the world—
從父親的目光中,男孩看出,父親也想云游四方。
a desire that was still alive, despite his father's having had to bury it, over dozens of years, under the burden of struggling for water to drink, food to eat,
這個愿望一直存在,盡管幾十年來他一直將這個愿望深埋心底,為吃喝而操勞,
and the same place to sleep every night of his life.
夜夜在同一個地方睡覺。