天鵝營救

夏洛特·愛德華茲

在我們家鄉馬里蘭州的東海岸,溫柔的海水常像一只纖纖玉手輕輕撫摸著海岸,然后蜿蜒著流入如掌心般溫暖的一個個小海灣。

加拿大黑雁認識這個地方,每年秋天成千上萬只飛往切薩皮克灣過冬的白天鵝們也知道這里。

天鵝驕傲地舒展著長頸,優雅端莊地滑翔著沖向海岸,然后把頭深深地扎入海水,用堅硬的喙在水底尋覓食物。傲慢的天鵝與眾多加拿大黑雁之間彌漫著一種冷漠,或者說是一種輕蔑。

雪和凍雨每年要光顧這個地方一兩次。如果趕上雨雪發生在河流最狹窄的地段,或者當時正值水淺,河面就會結冰。

就在這樣一個雪后的早上,在靠近馬里蘭州牛津鎮的地方,我的一個朋友正在一扇巨大的窗戶旁擺放早餐餐具。透過窗戶,她正好能夠俯視特愛溫河。越過碼頭,只見整條河都被大雪鑲上了白邊。有那么一會兒,她靜靜地站在窗前,望著眼前這幅一夜風雪所描繪的圖景。

突然,她將身體前傾貼著結霜的窗戶仔細向外看,并大聲叫道:“真的!那兒有一只黑雁。”她跑到書架邊取下望遠鏡。鏡筒中,一只加拿大黑雁的身影清晰可辨,它一動不動,緊緊蜷著翅膀,雙腳凍在河面冰層里。

這時,灰暗的天空中飛來一隊天鵝。它們以自己獨有的隊形飛行著,優雅,無畏,自在。它們越過西部寬寬的河面,掠過屋頂上高高的天空,平穩地一直向東飛去。

在我朋友的注視下,領頭天鵝忽然轉向右邊,然后所有的天鵝飛成一個白色的圓圈,從高空往下飄落,最后如羽毛輕落到地上一般降落在冰面上。我的朋友不禁站起身,驚訝得用手捂住了嘴巴。原來,天鵝們將那只凍在冰上的黑雁團團圍住,她擔心那只命在旦夕的黑雁會在這群天鵝的利喙下變得千瘡百孔。

然而,令人難以置信的是,天鵝們開始啄起冰層來。長長的脖頸抬起又放下,一次又一次。不知過了多久,被冰河凍住的黑雁周圍只剩下一圈冰層。天鵝們隨領頭天鵝再次騰空而起,像剛才一樣飛成一個圓圈,等待觀看它們勞動的成果。

黑雁抬起頭,使勁抻拽著身體,終于,它掙脫了束縛,站到了冰面上。在空中盤旋的天鵝注視著黑雁慢慢地移動著大大的蹼腳。接著,天鵝們仿佛聽到它“我還不能飛”的呼喊,4只自告奮勇的天鵝降落在它身邊,用強有力的喙上上下下、里里外外地蹭它的翅膀,拱它的身體,啄掉它羽毛里的冰屑。

慢慢地,那只黑雁試著努力伸展雙翅。當它的翅膀最終完全展開后,那4只天鵝回到了自己的隊伍中。天鵝們又以完美的隊形繼續向東飛行,飛往它們神秘的歸宿。

在它們身后,那只獲救的黑雁以驚人的速度和無比的喜悅飛入天空。它緊跟著天鵝,加倍扇動著雙翅,直到趕上它們并成為那條優美線條的最后一個點,就像一個小不點終于得以加入到大孩子們的隊伍中。

我的朋友一直注視著它們,直到它們消失在遠方樹梢的上端。這時,她才發現,原來自己早已淚流滿面。

A Story About a Rescue

By Charlotte Edwards

Where we live, on the Eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips. They curl into the smaller creeks and coves like tender palms.

TheCanada geese know this place, as do the white swans flying to Chesapeake Bay. In the autumn, by the thousands, they come home for the winter.The swans move toward the shores in a stately glide, their tall heads proud and unafraid. They lower their long necks deep into the water, where their strong beaks dig through the river bottoms for food. And there is, between the arrogant swans and the prolific geese, an indifference, almost a disdain.

Once or twice each year, snow and sleet move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, or the creek shallow, there is a freeze which hardens the water to ice.It was on such a morning, near Oxford, Maryland, that a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Across the river, beyond the dock, the snow laced the rim of the shore in white. For a moment she stood quietly, looking at what the night's storm had painted.

Suddenly she leaned forward and peered close to the frosted window. "It really is," she cried out loud, "there is a goose out there." She reached to the bookcase and pulled out a pair of binoculars. Into their sights came the figure of a large Canada goose, very still, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice.

Then from the dark skies, she saw a line of swans. They moved in their own singular formation, graceful, intrepid, and free. They crossed from the west of the broad creek high above the house, moving steadily to the east.

As my friend watched, the leader swung to the right, then the white string of birds became a white circle. It floated from the top of the sky downward. At last, as easy as feathers coming to earth, the circle landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life he still had might be pecked out by those great swan bills.

Instead, amazingly instead, those bills began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again, it went on for a long time. At last, the goose was rimmed by a narrow margin of ice instead of the entire creek. The swans rose again, following the leader, and hovered in that circle, awaiting the results of their labors.

The goose's head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing on the ice. He was moving his big webbed feet slowly. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if he had cried, "I cannot fly", four of the swans came down around him. Their powerful beaks scraped the goose's wings from top to bottom, scuttled under its wings and rode up its body, chipping off and melting the ice held in the feathers.

Slowly, as if testing, the goose spread its wings as far as they would go. When at last the wings reached their fullest, the four swans took off and joined the hovering group. They resumed their eastward journey, in perfect formation, to their secret destination.

Behind them, rising with incredible speed and joy, the goose moved into the sky. He followed them, flapping double time, until he caught up, until he joined the last end of the elegant line, like a small child at the end of a crack-the-whip of older boys.

My friend watched them until they disappeared over the tips of the farthest trees. Only then did she realize that tears were running down her cheeks and had been for how long she didn't know.

[譯自國外英文網]