辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de妈mā妈ma过guò世shì的de时shí候hou，她tā非fēi常cháng伤shāng心xīn。辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba尽jìn全quán力lì照zhào顾gu孩hái子zi。时shí间jiān久jiǔ了le，他tā们men渐jiàn渐jiàn开kāi心xīn起qǐ来lai，习xí惯guàn了le没méi有yǒu辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà妈mā妈ma的de生shēng活huó。每měi天tiān早zǎo上shang，他tā们men坐zuò在zài一yī起qǐ，谈tán论lùn着zhe即jí将jiāng到dào来lái的de一yī天tiān。每měi天tiān晚wǎn上shang，他tā们men一yī起qǐ做zuò饭fàn，然rán后hòu一yī起qǐ洗xǐ碗wǎn，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba还hái帮bāng助zhù她tā做zuò功gōng课kè。

When Simbegwire’s mother died, she was very sad. Simbegwire’s father did his best to take care of his daughter. Slowly, they learned to feel happy again, without Simbegwire’s mother. Every morning they sat and talked about the day ahead. Every evening they made dinner together. After they washed the dishes, Simbegwire’s father helped her with homework.

有yǒu一yī天tiān，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba回huí家jiā晚wǎn了le。他tā一yī进jìn门mén就jiù喊hǎn道dào：“亲qīn爱ài的de孩hái子zi，你nǐ在zài哪nǎ里lǐ？”辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà跑pǎo出chū来lai迎yíng接jiē爸bà爸ba。但dàn她tā突tū然rán停tíng住zhù了le，因yīn为wèi她tā看kàn到dào爸bà爸ba牵qiān着zhe另lìng外wài一yī个gè女nǚ人rén的de手shǒu。爸bà爸ba笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“我wǒ的de孩hái子zi，来lái，我wǒ向xiàng你nǐ介jiè绍shào一yī个gè很hěn特tè别bié的de人rén，她tā叫jiào阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ。”

One day, Simbegwire’s father came home later than usual. “Where are you my child?” he called. Simbegwire ran to her father. She stopped still when she saw that he was holding a woman’s hand. “I want you to meet someone special, my child. This is Anita,” he said smiling.

阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ跟gēn辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà打dǎ招zhāo呼hu：“你nǐ好hǎo，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà！你nǐ的de爸bà爸ba跟gēn我wǒ说shuō了le很hěn多duō关guān于yú你nǐ的de事shì。”她tā没méi有yǒu朝cháo辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà微wēi笑xiào，也yě没méi有yǒu牵qiān她tā的de手shǒu。辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba很hěn高gāo兴xìng，他tā兴xīng奋fèn地de说shuō着zhe，如rú果guǒ他tā们men三sān个gè人rén住zhù在zài一yī起qǐ，一yī定dìng会huì很hěn幸xìng福fú的de。爸bà爸ba朝cháo辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà说shuō：“我wǒ的de孩hái子zi，我wǒ希xī望wàng你nǐ能néng接jiē受shòu阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ成chéng为wéi你nǐ的de母mǔ亲qīn。”

“Hello Simbegwire, your father told me a lot about you,” said Anita. But she did not smile or take the girl’s hand. Simbegwire’s father was happy and excited. He talked about the three of them living together, and how good their life would be. “My child, I hope you will accept Anita as your mother,” he said.

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de生shēng活huó变biàn了le。她tā每měi天tiān早zǎo上shang没méi有yǒu时shí间jiān和hé爸bà爸ba坐zuò在zài一yī起qǐ聊liáo天tiān。阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ让ràng辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà做zuò很hěn多duō家jiā务wù，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà每měi天tiān晚wǎn上shang都dōu累lèi极jí了le，根gēn本běn没méi有yǒu时shí间jiān做zuò功gōng课kè。她tā一yī吃chī完wán晚wǎn饭fàn就jiù睡shuì觉jiào了le。她tā唯wéi一yī的de安ān慰wèi就jiù是shì妈mā妈ma留liú给gěi她tā的de彩cǎi色sè毯tǎn子zi。辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba似sì乎hū没méi有yǒu意yì识shí到dào女nǚ儿ér一yī点diǎn儿r也yě不bù开kāi心xīn。

Simbegwire’s life changed. She no longer had time to sit with her father in the mornings. Anita gave her so many household chores that she was too tired to do her school work in the evenings. She went straight to bed after dinner. Her only comfort was the colourful blanket her mother gave her. Simbegwire’s father did not seem to notice that his daughter was unhappy.

过guò了le几jǐ个gè月yuè，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba告gào诉su她tā们men，他tā要yào离lí家jiā一yī段duàn时shí间jiān。他tā说shuō：“我wǒ得děi出chū差chāi，我wǒ相xiāng信xìn你nǐ们men会huì互hù相xiāng照zhào顾gu对duì方fāng的de。”辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà低dī下xià头tóu，但dàn她tā的de爸bà爸ba没méi有yǒu注zhù意yì。阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ什shén么me也yě没méi说shuō，她tā也yě不bù太tài高gāo兴xìng。

After a few months, Simbegwire’s father told them that he would be away from home for a while. “I have to travel for my job,” he said. “But I know you will look after each other.” Simbegwire’s face fell, but her father did not notice. Anita did not say anything. She was not happy either.

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de生shēng活huó变biàn得de更gèng糟zāo糕gāo了le。如rú果guǒ辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà没méi有yǒu做zuò完wán家jiā务wù，或huò者zhě她tā稍shāo微wēi有yǒu点diǎn抱bào怨yuàn的de话huà，阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ就jiù会huì打dǎ她tā。晚wǎn上shang，阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ把bǎ大dà多duō数shù食shí物wù都dōu吃chī了le，只zhǐ留liú给gěi辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà一yī点diǎn剩shèng饭fàn剩shèng菜cài。每měi天tiān晚wǎn上shang，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà都dōu流liú着zhe泪lèi入rù睡shuì，她tā只zhǐ能néng紧jǐn紧jǐn地de抱bào着zhe妈mā妈ma留liú下xià的de毯tǎn子zi。

Things got worse for Simbegwire. If she didn’t finish her chores, or she complained, Anita hit her. And at dinner, the woman ate most of the food, leaving Simbegwire with only a few scraps. Each night Simbegwire cried herself to sleep, hugging her mother’s blanket.

一yī天tiān早zǎo上shang，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà起qǐ床chuáng晚wǎn了le。阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ气qì极jí了le：“你nǐ这zhè个ge懒lǎn虫chóng！”她tā把bǎ辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà从cóng床chuáng上shàng拉lā起qǐ来lai。毯tǎn子zi勾gōu到dào一yī颗kē钉dīng子zi，撕sī成chéng了le两liǎng半bàn。

One morning, Simbegwire was late getting out of bed. “You lazy girl!” Anita shouted. She pulled Simbegwire out of bed. The precious blanket caught on a nail, and tore in two.

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà伤shāng心xīn透tòu了le，她tā决jué定dìng离lí家jiā出chū走zǒu。她tā带dài着zhe毯tǎn子zi的de碎suì片piàn，包bāo了le一yī些xiē食shí物wù，沿yán着zhe爸bà爸ba出chū差chāi的de路lù离lí开kāi了le家jiā里lǐ。

Simbegwire was very upset. She decided to run away from home. She took the pieces of her mother’s blanket, packed some food, and left the house. She followed the road her father had taken.

天tiān黑hēi了le，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà找zhǎo到dào一yī棵kē长zhǎng在zài小xiǎo溪xī旁páng边biān的de树shù。她tā爬pá上shàng了le树shù，在zài树shù枝zhī上shàng搭dā了le一yī张zhāng小xiǎo床chuáng。她tā唱chàng着zhe歌gē，渐jiàn渐jiàn睡shuì着zháo了le：“妈mā妈ma，妈mā妈ma，妈mā妈ma，你nǐ离lí开kāi了le我wǒ，离lí开kāi了le我wǒ再zài也yě不bù回huí来lai了le。爸bà爸ba再zài也yě不bù爱ài我wǒ了le。妈mā妈ma，你nǐ什shén么me时shí候hou回huí来lai，你nǐ离lí开kāi了le我wǒ……”

When it came to evening, she climbed a tall tree near a stream and made a bed for herself in the branches. As she went to sleep, she sang: “Maama, maama, maama, you left me. You left me and never came back. Father doesn’t love me anymore. Mother, when are you coming back? You left me.”

第dì二èr天tiān早zǎo上shang，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà又yòu唱chàng起qǐ了le这zhè首shǒu歌gē。附fù近jìn的de女nǚ人rén到dào溪xī水shuǐ边biān来lái洗xǐ衣yī服fu，她tā们men听tīng到dào了le树shù上shàng传chuán来lái的de歌gē声shēng。她tā们men以yǐ为wéi这zhè是shì风fēng穿chuān过guò树shù叶yè的de声shēng音yīn，于yú是shì就jiù没méi有yǒu在zài意yì，继jì续xù洗xǐ衣yī服fu。但dàn其qí中zhōng有yǒu个gè女nǚ人rén仔zǐ细xì地de听tīng着zhe这zhè首shǒu歌gē。

The next morning, Simbegwire sang the song again. When the women came to wash their clothes at the stream, they heard the sad song coming from the tall tree. They thought it was only the wind rustling the leaves, and carried on with their work. But one of the women listened very carefully to the song.

女nǚ人rén抬tái起qǐ头tóu来lái看kàn着zhe那nà棵kē树shù。当dāng她tā看kàn到dào辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà和hé那nà条tiáo彩cǎi色sè的de毯tǎn子zi时shí，她tā吓xià了le一yī跳tiào：“辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà，我wǒ哥gē哥ge的de孩hái子zi！”其qí他tā的de女nǚ人rén也yě停tíng下xià了le手shǒu里lǐ的de活huó儿r，帮bāng助zhù辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà从cóng树shù上shàng爬pá了le下xià来lai。她tā的de姑gū姑gu紧jǐn紧jǐn地de抱bào着zhe她tā，尽jǐn量liàng安ān慰wèi她tā。

This woman looked up into the tree. When she saw the girl and the pieces of colourful blanket, she cried out in surprise, “Simbegwire, my brother’s child!” The other women stopped washing and helped Simbegwire to climb down from the tree. Her aunt hugged the little girl and tried to comfort her.

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de姑gū姑gu带dài着zhe她tā去qù了le自zì己jǐ家jiā。她tā给gěi辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà煮zhǔ了le美měi味wèi的de食shí物wù，又yòu给gěi她tā铺pū了le床chuáng，让ràng她tā盖gài着zhe妈mā妈ma的de毯tǎn子zi睡shuì觉jiào。那nà天tiān晚wǎn上shang，辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà又yòu哭kū着zhe睡shuì着zháo了le。不bù过guò这zhè次cì是shì欣xīn慰wèi的de泪lèi水shuǐ。她tā知zhī道dào她tā的de姑gū姑gu会huì照zhào顾gu她tā。

Simbegwire’s aunt took the child to her own house. She gave Simbegwire warm food, and tucked her in bed with her mother’s blanket. That night, Simbegwire cried as she went to sleep. But they were tears of relief. She knew her aunt would look after her.

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba回huí到dào家jiā里lǐ，发fā现xiàn辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de房fáng间jiān里lǐ空kōng荡dàng荡dàng的de。他tā疲pí倦juàn极jí了le，问wèn阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ发fā生shēng了le什shén么me事shì。阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ说shuō辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà离lí家jiā出chū走zǒu了le。她tā解jiě释shì道dào：“我wǒ只zhǐ是shì想xiǎng让ràng她tā尊zūn敬jìng我wǒ，但dàn是shì我wǒ可kě能néng太tài严yán格gé了le。”辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba跑pǎo出chū家jiā门mén，沿yán着zhe小xiǎo溪xī去qù找zhǎo辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà。他tā走zǒu到dào了le妹mèi妹mei的de村cūn庄zhuāng，想xiǎng问wèn问wen她tā有yǒu没méi有yǒu见jiàn过guo辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà。

When Simbegwire’s father returned home, he found her room empty. “What happened, Anita?” he asked wearily. The woman explained that Simbegwire had run away. “I wanted her to respect me,” she said. “But perhaps I was too strict.” Simbegwire’s father ran out of the house and went in the direction of the stream. He continued to his sister’s village to find out if she had seen Simbegwire.

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà正zhèng在zài和hé她tā的de表biǎo兄xiōng弟dì姐jiě妹mèi玩wán耍shuǎ，但dàn她tā突tū然rán看kàn到dào了le远yuǎn处chù的de爸bà爸ba。她tā害hài怕pà爸bà爸ba会huì生shēng气qì，于yú是shì就jiù跑pǎo到dào房fáng子zi里lǐ躲duǒ了le起qǐ来lai。但dàn是shì爸bà爸ba找zhǎo到dào她tā，对duì她tā说shuō：“辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà，你nǐ自zì己jǐ找zhǎo到dào了le一yī个gè完wán美měi的de妈mā妈ma，她tā爱ài你nǐ，理lǐ解jiě你nǐ。我wǒ为wèi你nǐ感gǎn到dào骄jiāo傲ào，我wǒ爱ài你nǐ。”他tā们men商shāng量liang后hòu决jué定dìng辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà可kě以yǐ和hé姑gū姑gu住zhù在zài一yī起qǐ，想xiǎng呆dāi多duō久jiǔ就jiù可kě以yǐ呆dāi多duō久jiǔ。

Simbegwire was playing with her cousins when she saw her father from far away. She was scared he might be angry, so she ran inside the house to hide. But her father went to her and said, “Simbegwire, you have found a perfect mother for yourself. One who loves you and understands you. I am proud of you and I love you.” They agreed that Simbegwire would stay with her aunt as long as she wanted to.

辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà的de爸bà爸ba每měi天tiān都dōu来lái看kàn她tā。有yǒu一yī天tiān，他tā和hé阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ一yī起qǐ来lái了le。阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ朝cháo辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà伸shēn出chū手shǒu，她tā哭kū了le：“我wǒ太tài抱bào歉qiàn了le，小xiǎo家jiā伙huo，对duì不bu起qǐ，我wǒ错cuò了le，你nǐ可kě以yǐ再zài给gěi我wǒ一yī次cì机jī会huì吗ma？”辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà看kàn了le看kàn爸bà爸ba，看kàn到dào他tā忧yōu虑lǜ的de脸liǎn庞páng。她tā朝cháo前qián走zǒu了le一yī步bù，抱bào住zhù了le阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ。

Her father visited her every day. Eventually, he came with Anita. She reached out for Simbegwire’s hand. “I’m so sorry little one, I was wrong,” she cried. “Will you let me try again?” Simbegwire looked at her father and his worried face. Then she stepped forward slowly and put her arms around Anita.

过guò了le几jǐ天tiān，阿Ā妮nī塔tǎ邀yāo请qǐng辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà，姑gū姑gu和hé姑gū姑gu的de孩hái子zi们men一yī起qǐ到dào家jiā里lǐ吃chī饭fàn。好hǎo丰fēng盛shèng啊a！而ér且qiě那nà都dōu是shì辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà喜xǐ欢huan吃chī的de东dōng西xi，每měi个gè人rén都dōu吃chī得de津jīn津jīn有yǒu味wèi。吃chī完wán饭fàn，大dà人ren们men在zài家jiā里lǐ聊liáo天tiān，孩hái子zi们men在zài外wài面miàn玩wán耍shuǎ。辛Xīn波bō薇wēi亚yà觉jué得de很hěn开kāi心xīn，自zì己jǐ变biàn得de更gèng加jiā勇yǒng敢gǎn了le。她tā决jué定dìng不bù久jiǔ以yǐ后hòu就jiù要yào回huí到dào家jiā里lǐ，和hé自zì己jǐ的de爸bà爸ba，继jì母mǔ住zhù在zài一yī起qǐ。

A few days later, Anita invited Simbegwire, with her cousins and aunt, to the house for a meal. What a feast! Anita prepared all of Simbegwire’s favourite foods, and everyone enjoyed the meal. Then the children played while the adults talked. Simbegwire felt happy and brave. She decided that soon, very soon, she would return home to live with her father and her stepmother.