[灌水]Mama, Do You Love Me?

Mama, Do You Love Me?

by Barbara M. Joosse. illustrated by Barbara Lavalee

Mama, do you love me?

Yes, I do , Dear One.

How much?

I love you more than the raven loves his treasure,

more than the dog loves his tail,

more than the whale loves his spout.

*raven-烏鴉

spout-鯨的噴水孔

How long?

I 'll love you until the umiak flies into the darkness,

till the stars turn to fish in the sky,

and the puffin howls at the moon.

*umiak-愛斯基摩皮筏

puffin-海鸚

howl- 嚎叫

Mama,what if I carried our eggs- our ptarmigan eggs!-

and I tried to be careful,

and I tried to walk slowly, but I fell and the eggs broke?

Then I would be sorry.

But still, I would love you.

*ptarmigan-雷鳥

What if I put salmon in your parka,

ermine in your mittens,

and lemmings in your mukluks?

Then I would be angry.

*parka-(愛斯基摩人等穿的)有頭套的毛皮外衣

ermine-貂

mitten-連指手套

lemming- 旅鼠 ( 產於北歐,繁殖數目達到極限時便大規模遷徙,有時逕直行進入海

溺死,被稱之為「旅鼠集體自殺」 )

mukluk- (愛斯基摩人穿的)海豹皮靴

What if I threw water at our lamp?

Then, Dear One, I would be very angry.

But still, I would love you.

What if I ran away?

Then I would be worried.

What if I stayed away and sang with the wolves and slept in a cave?

Then, Dear One, I would be very sad.

But still,I would love you.

What if I turn into a musk-ox?

Then I would be surprised.

What if I turn into a walrus?

Then I would be surprised and a little scared.

*walrus-海象

What if I turned into al polar bear,

and I was the meanest bear you ever saw

and I had sharp,shiny teeth,

and I chased you into your tent and you cried?

*tent-帳篷

Then I would be very surprised and very scared.

But still, inside the bear, you would be you, and I would love you.

I will love you,

forever and for always,

beacuse you are my Dear One.

图片占位：leadbbsfile/UBBicon/em47.GIF