和平感染

一枝开花的树枝同它邻近的丫枝说："这是沉闷而空虚的一天。"那邻近的丫枝答道："这日子确实是空虚而又沉闷。"

此刻有一只麻雀躲到一枝丫枝上来了，接着又有一只躲到邻近的一枝上。

有一只麻雀叽叽喳喳地说："我的伴侣离开我了。"

另一只麻雀大声叫道："我的伴侣也走了，她不会回来了。我才不在乎哩！"这两只麻雀开始啁啾对话和互相对骂，不久它们就打起架来，在空中发出刺耳的声音。

突然，又有两只麻雀从天空中滑翔而下，它们悄悄地坐在这两只不安分的麻雀身旁。于是就有了安宁，有了和平。

这四只麻雀成双捉对地一起飞走了。

于是开花树枝对它邻近丫枝说："那是声音的一番大转折。"邻近的丫技答道："你愿意管它叫什么就叫它什么吧，如今倒是和平而又宽敞了。在我看来，如果在上空的和平相处，那末，住在下界的就也会和平相处了。你可愿意在风中摇曳得稍稍靠拢我一点儿吗？"开花的树枝说："啊，为了和平的缘故，在春天逝去之前，也许可能的吧。"

于是它乘着强劲的春风正摇曳它自身，便拥抱那邻近的丫技。

Peace Contagious

One branch in bloom said to his neighbouring branch, "This is a dull and empty day." And the other branch answered, "It is indeed empty and dull."

At that moment a sparrow alighted on one of the branches, and the another sparrow, nearby.

And one of the sparrows chirped and said, "My mate has left me."

And the other sparrow cried, "My mate has also gone, and she will not return. And what care I?"

Then the two birds began to twitter and scold, and soon they were fighting and making harsh noise upon the air.

All of a sudden two other sparrows came sailing from the sky, and they sat quietly beside the restless two. And there was calm, and there was peace.

Then the four flew away together in pairs.

And the first branch said to his neighbouring branch, "That was a mighty zig-zag of sound."

And the other branch answered, "Call it what you will, it is now both peaceful and spacious. And if the upper air makes peace it seems to me that those who dwell in the lower might make peace also. Will you not wave in the wind a little nearer to me?"

And the first branch said, "Oh, perchance, for peace sake, ere the Spring is over."

And then he waved himself with the strong wind to embrace her.