《手中纸心中爱》英文thepapermenagerie.docx

《手中纸心中爱》英文thepapermenagerie.docx

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《手中纸心中爱》英文thepapermenagerie

ThePaperMenagerie（BestShortStory,2012HugoAward）

Oneofmyearliestmemoriesstartswithmesobbing.IrefusedtobesoothednomatterwhatMomandDadtried.

Dadgaveupandleftthebedroom,butMomtookmeintothekitchenandsatmedownatthebreakfasttable.

“Kan,kan,”shesaid,asshepulledasheetofwrappingpaperfromontopofthefridge.Foryears,MomcarefullyslicedopenthewrappingsaroundChristmasgiftsandsavedthemontopofthe

fridgeinathickstack.

Shesetthepaperdown,plainsidefacingup,andbegantofoldit.Istoppedcryingandwatchedher,curious.

Sheturnedthepaperoverandfoldeditagain.Shepleated,packed,tucked,rolled,andtwisteduntilthepaperdisappearedbetweenhercuppedhands.Thensheliftedthefolded-uppaperpackettohermouthandblewintoit,likeaballoon.

“Kan,”shesaid.“Laohu.”Sheputherhandsdownonthetableandletgo.

Alittlepapertigerstoodonthetable,thesizeoftwofistsplacedtogether.Theskinofthetigerwasthepatternonthewrappingpaper,whitebackgroundwithredcandycanesandgreenChristmastrees.

IreachedouttoMom'screation.Itstailtwitched,anditpouncedplayfullyatmyfinger.“Rawr-rsa,”itgrowled,thesoundsomewherebetweenacatdanrustlingnewspapers.

Ilaughed,startled,andstrokeditsbackwithanindexfinger.Thepapertigervibratedundermyfinger,purring.

“Zhejiaozhezhi,”Momsaid.Thisiscalledorigami.

'skindwaesbsrpeeacthiael.dSinhtothemsothatthey

Ididn'tknowthisatthetime,butMomsharedherbreath,andthusmovedwithherlife.Thiswashermagic.

DadhadpickedMomoutofacatalog.

Onetime,whenIwasinhighschool,IaskedDadaboutthedetails.HewastryingtogetmetospeaktoMomagain.

Hehadsignedupfortheintroductionservicebackinthespringof1973.Flippingthroughthepagessteadily,hehadspentnomorethanafewsecondsoneachpageuntilhesawthepictureofMom.

I'veneverseenthispicture.Daddescribedit:

Momwassittinginachair,hersidetothecamera,wearingatightgreensilkcheongsam.Herheadwasturnedtothecamerasothatherlongblackhairwasdrapedartfullyoverherchestandshoulder.Shelookedoutathimwiththeeyesofacalmchild.

“ThatwasthelastpageofthecatalogIsaw,”hesaid.

Thecatalogsaidshewaseighteen,lovedtodance,andspokegoodEnglishbecauseshewasfromHongKong.Noneofthesefactsturnedouttobetrue.

Hewrotetoher,andthecompanypassedtheirmessagesbackandforth.Finally,heflewtoHongKongtomeether.

“Thepeopleatthecompanyhadbeenwritingherresponses.Shedidn'tknowanyEnglishother

than‘hello'and‘goodbye.'”

Whatkindofwomanputsherselfintoacatalogsothatshecanbebought?

ThehighschoolmethoughtIknewsomuchabouteverything.Contemptfeltgood,likewine.

Insteadofstormingintotheofficetodemandhismoneyback,hepaidawaitressatthehotelrestauranttotranslateforthem.

“Shewouldlookatme,hereyeshalfwaybetweenscaredandhopeful,whileIspoke.AndwhenthegirlbegantranslatingwhatIsaid,she'dstarttosmileslowly.”

HeflewbacktoConnecticutandbegantoapplyforthepapersforhertocometohim.Iwasbornayearlater,intheYearoftheTiger.

Atmyrequest,Momalsomadeagoat,adeer,andawaterbuffalooutofwrappingpaper.TheywouldrunaroundthelivingroomwhileLaohuchasedafterthem,growling.Whenhecaughtthemhewouldpressdownuntiltheairwentoutofthemandtheybecamejustflat,folded-uppiecesofpaper.Iwouldthenhavetoblowintothemtore-inflatethemsotheycouldrunaroundsomemore.

Sometimes,theanimalsgotintotrouble.Once,thewaterbuffalojumpedintoadishofsoysauceonthetableatdinner.（Hewantedtowallow,likearealwaterbuffalo.）Ipickedhimoutquicklybutthecapillaryactionhadalreadypulledthedarkliquidhighupintohislegs.Thesauce-softenedlegswouldnotholdhimup,andhecollapsedontothetable.Idriedhimoutinthesun,buthislegsbecamecrookedafterthat,andheranaroundwithalimp.Momeventuallywrappedhislegsinsaranwrapsothathecouldwallowtohisheart'scontent（justnotinsoysauce）.

Also,LaohulikedtopounceatsparrowswhenheandIplayedinthebackyard.Butonetime,acorneredbirdstruckbackindesperationandtorehisear.HewhimperedandwincedasIheldhimandMompatchedhiseartogetherwithtape.Heavoidedbirdsafterthat.

Andthenoneday,IsawaTVdocumentaryaboutsharksandaskedMomforoneofmyown.Shemadetheshark,butheflappedaboutonthetableunhappily.Ifilledthesinkwithwater,andputhimin.Heswamaroundandaroundhappily.However,afterawhilehebecamesoggyandtranslucent,andslowlysanktothebottom,thefoldscomingundone.Ireachedintorescuehim,andall