布雨之龙

The Dragons Who Rained

　　一个英文写成的中国传统神话故事，关于中国四条江的形成。

　　Long， long ago， rain stopped falling in China. The people prayed for rain to the Jade Emperor， for it was he who looked after everything in heaven， on the land and in the sea， but no matter how much they prayed， rain did not fall.

　　在很久很久以前的中国，遇到了一次滴水不降的旱灾。人们就向掌管天上、地下、海洋的玉皇大帝求拜，但无论他们怎么祈求，雨始终不落一滴。

　　Four dragons lived in the East China Sea in those days. They swam to shore to see what was happening， and saw people tearing grass from the caked ground， for the people had nothing else left to eat.

　　当时，有四条龙住在中国的东海。他们游到岸边去看怎么回事，看到人们在从结块的土地上拔草吃，因为土地上实在没有别的东西吃了。

　　“We must do something，” Long Dragon said， and Yellow Dragon nodded. “We must help them ourselves，” said Pearl Dragon， “for the Jade Emperor will never answer their prayers.”

　　“我们得做点什么，”长龙说道，黄龙点头附和。“我们一定得帮帮他们，”珠龙说，“因为玉帝是不会答应他们的祈求的。”

　　They suddenly thought of a way to help. They started swimming this way and that， scooping up water with their bodies. Then all four leapt into the sky. Black Dragon flew to the north， Long Dragon flew to the west， Pearl Dragon flew to the southernmost tip of China， and Yellow Dragon flew to the very center of the vast country. All at once， they let the water fall from their mouths， arms， legs， and even their tails.

　　他们突然想到了一个办法。他们在海里游，然后用他们的身体汲取水。然后他们四个分别腾飞天空。黑龙飞向了北面，长龙飞去了西面，珠龙飞去了中国的最南端，而黄龙则飞去了这个辽阔国度的最中心。突然，他们让水从他们的嘴巴、手脚、尾巴流出来。

　　The people down below looked up， but they could not see the dragons. They could only see the rain falling from the sky —— drops of rain more beautiful than any jewel. “Rain！” they cried joyfully， and all the people and animals ran out into the rain and started to dance.