July 1993, I spent one of my most memorable summer times in Guadalajara, Spain,
thanks to Roberto and his lovely family and wonderful hospitality, and of course
Lobo, Roberto's dog, also kept me in good company, albiet briefly.
《Lobo》is a prose I wrote about Roberto's dog, original Chinese version was published in a literature periodical in April, 1994. The English version is its loose translation I just completed.
1993年，仲夏，我在西班牙的一个淳朴小镇Guadalajara渡过至今还让我回味无穷的美好时光。
一望无际的向日葵海，匍匐满架的葡萄藤，成熟的麦田，被微风吹成金黄色的波浪 ...
Sunflower sea, the pride of Roberto's father.
朋友家一望无际的向日葵海 ...
Roberto's father harvesting the wheat.
收割小麦，Roberto 家迎来又一个丰收年。
Lobo 是好友Roberto家的狗，在炎炎的夏日午后陪我在典型的西班牙农屋后院一起寻猫迹 ...
《朋友家的狗》写的就是Lobo的事迹，1994年发表。英文版的2008年发表 (刚刚出炉...).
收割小麦，Roberto 家迎来又一个丰收年。
Lobo 是好友Roberto家的狗，在炎炎的夏日午后陪我在典型的西班牙农屋后院一起寻猫迹 ...
《朋友家的狗》写的就是Lobo的事迹，1994年发表。英文版的2008年发表 (刚刚出炉...).
凝望着屋顶发呆的Lobo
Lobo staring at the roof
朋友家的狗
朋友家养了只好奇怪的狗。
它憧憬能与猫交上朋友。当然不是所有的猫都会领它的情，所以它常常碰了一鼻子灰。但，它从不气馁过。
它时常对着在无花果树上歇息的猫摆尾示好，更曾经热情地企图摇下从葡萄藤架上经过的猫。但，任它摇蹋了几个棚架，骄傲的猫还是对它不理不睬。
邻家有只爱爬屋顶的猫，常令它凝望着屋顶发呆，茶饭不思，可惜它提不起勇气爬上屋顶。朋友说如果有一天它够胆爬上去的话，就会将它放逐西伯利亚，作为踩破屋瓦的代价。
我想朋友是说着玩的。
朋友试过借了只小猫回来给它，谁知那小猫一见了它就即刻跳开溜了。事情来得太突然，也不知那小猫落在何处，就这样销声匿迹，害得朋友不知如何去向那猫主人解释。
徐蔡斌 / 1994
发表于椰子屋月刊(Coconut House) 第41期。1994年4月1日
Lobo
My friend once had a dog,
Lobo was its name.
It longed to befriend cats.
But the affection was not reciprocal.
Poor Lobo had been let down many times,
... but it never gave up.
It wagged its tail at the cats that sought refuge on the fig tree,
shook the grape vine that the cats tiptoed,
But the cats, arrogant as they always were,
never showed their interest,
not even a tiny little bit.
There was this neighborly cat that made the roof its kingdom which Lobo had a crush.
Poor Lobo could make a career out of staring at that cat.
It kept raising its neck and eyes for that feline on the roof.
But, and fortunately, it did not raise enough courage
to make it to the roof.
My friend said if Lobo had the nerve to trespass into
the cat's kingdom on the roof,
He would send it into exile to Siberia,
to pay for the price of the broken roof tiles.
I didn't think my friend was serious.
My friend's sympathy for Lobo eventually talked him into
borrowing a kitten for Lobo.
But poor Lobo had to suffer another blow to its dignity,
The little kitten scared off and disappeared even
before the introduction was made.
I wonder the kitten's owner is still in talking term with my friend.
Su Chua Phin
7th October, 2008 /Kuching
Lobo staring at the roof
朋友家的狗
朋友家养了只好奇怪的狗。
它憧憬能与猫交上朋友。当然不是所有的猫都会领它的情，所以它常常碰了一鼻子灰。但，它从不气馁过。
它时常对着在无花果树上歇息的猫摆尾示好，更曾经热情地企图摇下从葡萄藤架上经过的猫。但，任它摇蹋了几个棚架，骄傲的猫还是对它不理不睬。
邻家有只爱爬屋顶的猫，常令它凝望着屋顶发呆，茶饭不思，可惜它提不起勇气爬上屋顶。朋友说如果有一天它够胆爬上去的话，就会将它放逐西伯利亚，作为踩破屋瓦的代价。
我想朋友是说着玩的。
朋友试过借了只小猫回来给它，谁知那小猫一见了它就即刻跳开溜了。事情来得太突然，也不知那小猫落在何处，就这样销声匿迹，害得朋友不知如何去向那猫主人解释。
徐蔡斌 / 1994
发表于椰子屋月刊(Coconut House) 第41期。1994年4月1日
Lobo
My friend once had a dog,
Lobo was its name.
It longed to befriend cats.
But the affection was not reciprocal.
Poor Lobo had been let down many times,
... but it never gave up.
It wagged its tail at the cats that sought refuge on the fig tree,
shook the grape vine that the cats tiptoed,
But the cats, arrogant as they always were,
never showed their interest,
not even a tiny little bit.
There was this neighborly cat that made the roof its kingdom which Lobo had a crush.
Poor Lobo could make a career out of staring at that cat.
It kept raising its neck and eyes for that feline on the roof.
But, and fortunately, it did not raise enough courage
to make it to the roof.
My friend said if Lobo had the nerve to trespass into
the cat's kingdom on the roof,
He would send it into exile to Siberia,
to pay for the price of the broken roof tiles.
I didn't think my friend was serious.
My friend's sympathy for Lobo eventually talked him into
borrowing a kitten for Lobo.
But poor Lobo had to suffer another blow to its dignity,
The little kitten scared off and disappeared even
before the introduction was made.
I wonder the kitten's owner is still in talking term with my friend.
Su Chua Phin
7th October, 2008 /Kuching
永远的Lobo
Lobo forever ....
2 comments:
Wow~ great work, u r my idol ^___^
pleased to know that you like the prose ... thanks for leaving
comments.
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