LESSON 33

THE ECHO

回　声

1．As Robert was one day rambling about, he happened to cry out, "Ho, ho!" He instantly heard coming back from a hill near by, the same words, "Ho, ho!"

2．In great surprise, he said with a loud voice, "Who are you?" Upon this, the same words came back, "Who are you?"

3．Robert now cried out harshly, "You must be a very foolish fellow.""Foolish fellow!" came back from the hill.

4．Robert became angry, and with loud and fierce words went toward the spot whence the sounds came. The words all came back to him in the same angry tone.

5．He then went into the thicket, and looked for the boy who, as he thought, was mocking him; but he could find nobody anywhere.

6．When he went home, he told his mother that some boy had hid himself in the wood, for the purpose of mocking him.

7．"Robert," said his mother, "you are angry with yourself alone. You heard nothing but your own words."

8．"Why, mother, how can that be?" said Robert. "Did you never hear an echo?" asked his mother. "An echo, dear mother? No, ma'am. What is it?"

9．"I will tell you," said his mother. "You know, when you play with your ball, and throw it against the side of a house, it bounds back to you." "Yes, mother," said he, "and I catch it again."

10．"Well," said his mother, "if I were in the open air, by the side of a hill or a large barn, and should speak very loud, my voice would be sent back, so that I could hear again the very words which I spoke.

11．"That, my son, is an echo. When you thought some one was mocking you, it was only the hill before you, echoing, or sending back, your own voice.

12．"The bad boy, as you thought it was, spoke no more angrily than yourself. If you had spoken kindly, you would have heard a kind reply.

13．"Had you spoken in a low, sweet, gentle tone, the voice that came back would have been as low, sweet, and gentle as your own.

14．"The Bible says, 'A soft answer turneth away wrath.' Remember this when you are at play with your schoolmates.

15．"If any of them should be offended, and speak in a loud, angry tone, remember the echo, and let your words be soft and kind.

16．"When you come home from school, and find your little brother cross and peevish, speak mildly to him. You will soon see a smile on his lips, and find that his tones will become mild and sweet.

17．"Whether you are in the fields or in the woods, at school or at play, at home or abroad, remember,

The good and the kind,

By kindness their love ever proving,

Will dwell with the pure and the loving."

【中文阅读】

1．有一天，罗伯特在外面闲逛，他突然大喊：“嗨，嗨！”立刻，他就听到附近山上传来了同样的声音，“嗨，嗨！”

2．更让他大为吃惊的是，当他大声说“你是谁”时，又传来了同样的声音：“你是谁？”

3．接着，罗伯特更加严厉地喊道：“你一定是个傻瓜。”山谷中又传回了同样的声音：“傻瓜！”

4．罗伯特开始生气了，用更大的声音、更尖刻的话语冲着那个声音的发源地大喊。这些话语再次以同样的愤怒声调传回到他的耳中。

5．接着，他跑进灌木丛中，到处去找那个自以为正在嘲笑自己的小男孩；但是，什么人也没有看到。

6．回到家后，他对妈妈说，有些小男孩为了嘲笑他而隐藏在树林里了。

7．“罗伯特，”妈妈说，“你其实是在对自己生气呢。除了你自己说的话之外，你并没有听到其他人说的话。”

8．罗伯特问：“为什么，妈妈，怎么可能呢？”他的妈妈回答说：“你难道从没听说过回声？”“亲爱的妈妈，这是回声？不，夫人。这究竟是怎么回事呢？”

9．妈妈对他说：“我来告诉你，知道吗，当你玩球时，对着房子的一面墙扔过去，它会再反弹回来，是吧。”“是的，妈妈，”他说，“我会再次接住它。”

10．他的妈妈说：“是的，如果我在一个空旷的地方，在山的一侧或者在一个大谷仓的一边大声地喊，我的声音也会被送回来，这样我就能再次听到那些自己说过的话了。”

11．“孩子，这就是回声。当你认为有人在嘲笑你时，正是面前的大山产生了回响，把你的声音又传了回来。”

12．“你想象中的那个坏孩子，也不会比你更生气。如果你说些友好的话，就能听到一个友好的回答了。”

13．“如果你用低沉、甜美、温柔的声调说话，那个声音也会像你发出的声音一样低沉、甜美和温柔。”

14．“《圣经》里说，‘柔和的回答可以消除愤怒。’你和同学们玩耍时一定要记得这些话。”

15．“如果他们当中任何一个人正在生气，用愤怒的声调大声讲话，你要记得回声的规律，让自己回应的话语柔和友善。”

16．“放学回家时，你若发现小弟弟蛮横暴躁，就温和地同他讲话。很快你就会看到他那充满笑意的嘴角，你还会发现，他的声调也变得温和甜蜜起来。”

17．“无论在田野中还是在树林里，无论学习还是玩耍，无论在家中还是在外面，都要记得，好人和善良之人，他们的爱都会通过友好的行为来证明，他们永远都会住在纯洁和爱之中。”