The Stars (Excerpt)

Mark Twain

We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lie on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they were made or only just happened. Jim allowed they were made, but I allowed they happened. I judged it would have taken too long to make so many. Jim said the moon could lay them; well, that looked kind of reasonable, so I didn't say anything against it, because I've seen a frog lay most as many,so of course it could be done. We used to watch the stars that fell, too, and see them streak down. Jim allowed they'd gotten spoiled and was hove out of the nest.

我們頭頂就是天空，布滿了閃閃的星星。 我們常常躺在木筏上，看著夜空中的星星，討論它們是造出來的還是偶然冒出來的。 吉姆認為星星是造出來的，但我認為星星是偶然冒出來的。我想如果要造那么多星星，得花費相當長的時間。吉姆說月亮可以把它們生出來，而這個說法似乎很有道理，我便不再反駁他了。 因為我曾見過青蛙下的卵，就和這滿天的繁星一樣多，所以月亮當然也能生出那么多的星星來。 我們還常常看那些掉下來的星星，看著它們劃出一道亮光落下去。 吉姆認為它們恃寵而驕，所以才被趕出了自己的窩。