THE CHAMPA FLOWER

 SUPPOSING I became a champa flower, just for fun, and grew on a branch high up that tree, and shook in the wind with laughter and danced upon the newly budded leaves, would you know me, mother?

 

You would call, "Baby, where are you?" and I should laugh to myself and keep quite quiet.

 

I should slyly¹ open my petals² and watch you at your work.

 

When after your bath, with wet hair spread on your shoulders, you walked through the shadow of the champa tree to the little court where you say your prayers, you would notice the scent³ of the flower, but not know that it came from me.

 

When after the midday meal you sat at the window reading Ramayana, and the tree's shadow fell over your hair and your lap, I should fling⁴ my wee little shadow on to the page of your book, just where you were reading.

 

But would you guess that it was the tiny shadow of your little child?

 

When in the evening you went to the cow-shed with the lighted lamp in your hand, I should suddenly drop on to the earth again and be your own baby once more, and beg you to tell me a story.

 

"Where have you been, you naughty child?"

 

"I won't tell you, mother." That's what you and I would say then.

1 slyly   

adv.狡猾地；偷偷地；俏皮地；会意地

参考例句：

• She glanced slyly at Madeleine. 她诡秘地向马德琳瞥了一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was lurking slyly in the background. 他狡猾地躲在背后活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 petals   

n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
• The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

4 fling   

vt.用力扔，使投身；n.尽情欢乐的一阵

参考例句：

• I really must fling out all these old newspapers.我真的该把这些旧报纸扔掉了。
• It's good to fling off heavy clothing now that spring is here.春天到了，脱去笨重的冬装真让人高兴。