The Crescent Moon 13: The Astronomer

The Astronomer

I ONLY said, “When in the evening the round full moon gets entangled among the branches of that Kadam tree, couldn’t somebody catch it?”
But Dada (elder brother) laughed at me and said, “Baby you are the silliest child I have ever known. The moon is ever so far from us. How could anybody catch it?”
I said, “Dada how foolish you are! When mother looks out of her window and smiles down at us playing, Would you call her far away?”
Still said, “You are a stupid child! But baby, where could you find a net big enough to catch the moon with?”
I said, “Surely you could catch it with your hands.”
but Dada laughed and said, “You are the silliest child I have known. If you came nearer, you would see how big the moon is.”
I said, “Dada, what nonsense they teach at your school! When mother bends her face down to kiss us does her face look very big?”
But still dada says, “you are a stupid child.”

Original author: Rabindranath Tagore.

天文家

我不过说: “当傍晚圆圆的满月挂在 Kadam tree 的枝头时，有人能去抓住它吗？”
哥哥却对我笑道：“孩子呀，你真是我所见到的顶顶傻的孩子。月亮离我们这样远，谁能去抓住它呢？”
我说：“哥哥，你真傻。当妈妈向窗外探望，微笑着往下看我们游戏时，你也能说她远吗？”
哥哥还是说：“你这个傻孩子，但是, 孩子，你到哪里去找一个大到能逮住月亮的网呢？”
我说: “你自然可以用双手去抓住它呀。”
但是哥哥还是笑着说：“你真是我所见到的顶顶傻的孩子。如果月亮走近了，你便知道它是多么大了。”
我说: “哥哥，你们学校里所教的, 真是没有用呀! 当妈妈低下脸儿跟我们亲嘴时，她的脸看来也是很大的吗?”
但是哥哥还是说：“你真是一个傻孩子。”

原作者：Rabindranath Tagore。中文译者：郑振铎。