小王子 第11期:猴面包树

As each day passed I would learn, in our talk, something about the little prince's planet, his departure from it, his journey.

每天我都了解到一些关于小王子的星球，他的出走和旅行等事情。

The information would come very slowly, as it might chance to fall from his thoughts.

这些都是偶然从各种反应中慢慢得到的。

It was in this way that I heard, on the third day, about the catastrophe of the baobabs.

就这样，第三天我就了解到关于猴面包树的悲剧。

This time, once more, I had the sheep to thank for it.

这一次又是因为羊的事情，

For the little prince asked me abruptly–as if seized by a grave doubt–"It is true, isn't it, that sheep eat little bushes?"

突然小王子好象是非常担心地问我道：“羊吃小灌木，这是真的吗?”

Yes, that is true.

是的，是真的。

Ah! I am glad!

啊，我真高兴。

I did not understand why it was so important that sheep should eat little bushes.

我不明白羊吃小灌木这件事为什么如此重要。

But the little prince added: "Then it follows that they also eat baobabs?"

可小王子又说道：“因此，它们也吃猴面包树罗?

I pointed out to the little prince that baobabs were not little bushes,

我对小王子说，猴面包树可不是小灌木，

but, on the contrary, trees as big as castles;

而是象教堂那么大的大树;

and that even if he took a whole herd of elephants away with him, the herd would not eat up one single baobab.

即便是带回一群大象，也啃不了一棵猴面包树。

The idea of the herd of elephants made the little prince laugh.

一群大象这种想法使小王子发笑：

"We would have to put them one on top of the other," he said.

“那可得把这些大象一只叠一只地垒起来”，他说。

But he made a wise comment: "Before they grow so big, the baobabs start out by being little."

他很有见识地说：“猴面包树在长大之前，开始也是小小的。”

"That is strictly correct," I said. "But why do you want the sheep to eat the little baobabs?"

“不错。”我说，“可是为什么你想叫你的羊去吃小猴面包树呢?”

He answered me at once, "Oh, come, come!", as if he were speaking of something that was self-evident.

他回答我道：“唉!这还用说!”似乎这是不言而喻的。

And I was obliged to make a great mental effort to solve this problem, without any assistance.

可是我自己要费很大的心劲才能弄懂这个问题。