LESSON 57

WHICH LOVED BEST

谁最爱

1．"I love you, mother," said little John;

Then, forgetting work, his cap went on,

And he was off to the garden swing,

Leaving his mother the wood to bring.

2．"I love you, mother," said rosy Nell;

"I love you better than tongue can tell;”

Then she teased and pouted full half the day,

Till her mother rejoiced when she went to play.

3．"I love you, mother," said little Fan;

"To-day I'll help you all I can;

How glad I am that school doesn't keep!"

So she rocked the baby till it fell asleep.

4．Then, stepping softly, she took the broom,

And swept the floor, and dusted the room;

Busy and happy all day was she,

Helpful and cheerful as child could be.

5．"I love you, mother," again they said—

Three little children going to bed;

How do you think that mother guessed

Which of them really loved her best?

(Joy Allison)

【中文阅读】

1．“我爱你，妈妈，”小约翰说，

他戴上帽子，忘掉了干活，

他来到花园里荡秋千，

留下他的妈妈拣拾木片。

2．“我爱你，妈妈，”罗斯·内尔说，

“我比语言能表达的爱你更多。”

整整半天她不是捉弄人就是发脾气，

直到她出去玩妈妈才高兴地松一口气。

3．“我爱你，妈妈，”小范说，

“今天我会尽我所能帮你干活，

我多高兴今天不用上学校！”

然后她摇晃小宝宝直到它睡着。

4．脚步轻柔地，她去把扫帚拿起来，

扫干净地板，再拭去房间里的尘埃，

她高兴地忙活了一整日，

作为孩子最有用最快乐莫过如此。

5．“我爱你，妈妈，”三个小孩再次开口，

在他们上床睡觉的时候；

你猜妈妈会认为谁，

是他们当中最爱她的那一位？

（乔伊·艾利森）