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TheStoryofaMother母亲的故事Amothersatbyherlittlechild.Shewassosadsoafraidhewoulddie.Thechild,sfacewaspallid.Hislittleeyeswereshut.Hisbreathcamefaintlynowandthenheavilyasifheweresighingandthemotherlookedmoresadlyatthedearlittlesoul.Therecameaknockingatthedoorandapooroldmanhobbledintothehouse.Hewaswrappedinathickhorseblanket.Itkepthimwarmandheneededittokeepoutthewintrycoldforoutsidetheworldwascoveredwithsnowandiceandthewindcutlikeaknife.Asthechildwasrestingquietlyforamomentandtheoldmanwasshiveringfromthecoldthemotherputalittlemugofbeertowarmonthestoveforhim.Theoldmanrockedthecradleandthemothersatdownnearittowatchhersickchildwholaboredtodraweachbreath.Sheliftedhislittlehandandasked:“YoudontthinkIshalllosehimdoyouWouldthegoodLordtakehimfromme〃TheoldmanwasDeathhimself.Hejerkedhisheadstrangelyinawaythatmightmeanyesormightmeanno.Themotherbowedherheadandtearsrandownhercheeks.Herheadwasheavy.Forthreedaysandthreenightsshehadnotclosedhereyes.Nowshedozedofftosleepbutonlyamoment.Somethingstartledherandsheawokeshudderinginthecold.〃Nhatwasthat”shesaidlookingeverywhereabouttheroom.Buttheoldmanhadgoneandherlittlechildhadgone.Deathhadtakenthechildaway.Theoldclockinthecornerwhirredandwhirred.Itsheavyleadweightdroppeddowntothefloorwithathud.Bong!theclockstopped.Thepoormotherrushedwildlyoutofthehousecallingforherchild.Outthereinthesnowsatawomandressedinlongblackgarments.Death〃shesaid“hasbeeninyourhouse.Ijustsawhimhurryingawaywithyourchildinhisarms.Hegoesfasterthanthewind.Andheneverbringsbackwhathehastakenaway.〃“Tellmewhichwayhewent〃saidthemother.OnlytellmethewayandIwillfindhim.z,〃Iknowtheway“saidthewomaninblack“butbeforeItellyouyoumustsingtomeallthosesongsyouusedtosingtoyourchild.Iamnight.IlovelullabiesandIhearthemoften.WhenyousangthemIsawyourtears.,z〃Ishallsingthemagain-youshallhearthemall〃saidthemother〃butdonotstopmenow.Imustcatchhim.Imusthurrytofindmychild.”Nightkeptsilentandstillwhilethemotherwrungherhandsandsangandwept.Shesangmanysongsbutthetearsthatsheshedweremanymanymore.AtlastNightsaidtoher〃Gototheright.Gointothedarkpinewoods.IsawDeathgotherewithyourchild.〃Deepintothewoodsthemothercametoacrossroadwhereshewasatalosswhichwaytogo.Atthecrossroadgrewablackthornbushwithoutleaforflowerforitwaswintertimeanditsbrancheswereglazedwithice.“DidyouseeDeathgobywithmylittlechild”“Yes、saidtheblackthornbush.ButIshallnottellyouwhichwayhewentunlessyouwarmmeagainstyourheart.Iamfreezingtodeath.Iamstiffwithice.〃Shepressedtheblackthornbushagainstherhearttowarmitandthethornsstabbedsodeepintoherfleshthatgreatdropsofredbloodflowed.Sowarmwasthemother,sheartthattheblackthornbushblossomedandputforthgreenleavesonthatdarkwinter,snight.Andittoldherthewaytogo.Thenshecametoalargelakewheretherewasneithersailboatnorrowboat.Theiceonthelakewastoothintoholdherweightandyetnotopenorshallowenoughforhertowade.Butacrossthelakeshemustgoifevershewastofindherchild.Shestoopeddowntodrinkthelakedryandthatofcoursewasimpossibleforanyhumanbeingbutthepoorwomanthoughtthatmaybeamiraclewouldhappen.〃Nothatwouldneverdo〃thelakeobjected.z,Letusmakeabargainbetweenus.IcollectpearlsandyourtwoeyesaretheclearestIveeverseen.IfyouwillcrythemoutformeIshallcarryyouovertothegreatgreenhousewhereDeathlivesandtendshistreesandflowers.Eachoneofthemisahumanlife./z〃0hwhatwouldInotgiveformychild〃saidthecryingmotherandshewepttillhereyesdroppeddowntothebottomofthelakeandbecametwopreciouspearls.Thelaketookherupasifinaswingandswepthertothefarthershore.Herestoodthestrangesthousethateverwas.Itrambledformanyamile.Onewouldn,tknowwhetheritwasacavernousforestedmountainorwhetheritwasmadeofwood.Butthepoormothercouldnotseethisforshehadcriedouthereyes.“WhereshallIfindDeathwhotookmychildfromme〃shecried.〃Hehasnotcomebackyet〃saidtheoldwomanwhotookcareofthegreatgreenhousewhileDeathwasaway.HowdidyoufindyourwayhereWhohelpedyou”“TheLordhelpedme〃shesaid.Heismercifulandsomustyoube.WherecanIfindmychild”〃Idon,tknowhim“saidtheoldwoman“andyoucan,tseetofindhim.ButmanyflowersandtreeshavewitheredawayinthenightandDeathwillbealongsoontotransplantthem.Everyhumanbeingyouknowhashistreeorhisfloweroflifedependingonwhatsortofpersonheis.Theselooklikeotherplantsbuttheyhaveaheartthatbeats.Achildsheartbeatstoo.Youknowthebeatofyourownchild,sheart.Listenandyoumayhearit.ButwhatwillyougivemeifItellyouwhatelseyoumustdo〃〃Ihavenothingleft〃thepoormothersaid“butIwillgototheendsoftheearthforyou.〃〃Ihavenothingtodothere〃saidtheoldwoman“butyoucangivemeyourlongblackhair.YouknowhowbeautifulitisandIlikeit.I11giveyoumywhitehairforit.Whitehairisbetterthannone.〃〃Isthatallyousk〃saidthemother.〃Iwillgladlygiveittoyou.〃Andshegaveherbeautifullongblacktressesinexchangefortheoldwomanswhitehair.ThentheywentintoDeath,sgreatgreenhousewhereflowersandtreeswerestrangelyintertwined.Inoneplacedelicatehyacinthswerekeptunderglassbellsandaroundthemgreathardypeoniesflourished.Therewerewaterplantstoosomethrivingwherethestalksofotherswerechokedbytwistingwatersnakesorgnawedawaybyblackcrayfish.Tallpalmtreesgrewthereandplanetreesandoaks.Theregrewparsleyandsweet-smellingthyme.EverytreeorflowerwentbythenameofoneparticularpersonforeachwasthelifeofsomeonestilllivinginChinainGreenlandorinsomeotherpartoftheworld.Therewerebigtreesstuntedbythesmallpotswhichtheirrootsfilledtoburstingandelsewheregrewlanguidlittleflowersthatcametonothingforallthecarethatwaslavisheduponthemandforalltherichearthandthemossycarpetwheretheygrew.Thesadblindmotherbentoverthetiniestplantsandlistenedtothebeatoftheirhumanheartsandamongsomanymillionssheknewherownchild,sheartbeat.“Thisisit〃shecriedgropingforalittlebluecrocuswhichhadwiltedanddroppedtooneside.,,Don,ttouchthatflowerz/theoldwomansaid.Stayhere.Deathwillbealonganyminutenowandyoumaykeephimfrompullingitup.Threatenhimthatifhedoesyouwillpullupotherplants.ThatwillfrightenhimforhehastoaccountforthemtotheLord.NotonemaybeuprooteduntilGodsaysso.〃SuddenlyanicywindblewthroughtheplaceandtheblindmotherfeltDeathcomenear.〃Howdidyoufindyourwayhere”heaskedher.〃Howdidyouevergetherebeforemezz〃Iamamothershesaid.ThenDeathstretchedouthislonghandtowardthewiltedlittleflowerbutsheheldherhandstightlyarounditinterrorlesthetouchasingleleaf.Deathbreatheduponherhandsandhisbreathwascolderthanthecoldestwind.Herhandsfellpowerless.“Youhavenopowertoresistme〃Deathtoldher.“ButourLordhas〃shesaid.〃Ionlydohiswill,zsaidDeath〃IamHisgardener.ItakeHisflowersandtreesandplantthemagaininthegreatParadisegardensintheunknownland.ButhowtheythriveandoftheirlifethereIdarenotspeak.〃“Givemebackmychild,zthemotherweptandimploredhim.SuddenlyshegraspedabeautifulflowerineachhandandassheclutchedthemshecalledtoDeath:〃IshalltearoutyourflowersbytherootsforIamdesperate.,z〃Donottouchthem!”Deathtoldher.Yousayyouaredesperateyetyouwoulddriveanothermothertothesamedespair.z,,zAnothermother!”TheblindwomanJshandsletgotheflowers.“Behold〃saidDeath“youhaveyoureyesagain.IsawthemshiningasIcrossedthelakeandfishedthemupbutIdidnotknowtheywereyours.Theyareclearerthanbefore.Takethemandlookdeepintothiswell.Ishalltellyouthenamesoftheflowersyouwereabouttouprootandyoushallseethewholefutureofthosehumanlivesthatyouwouldhavedestroyedanddisturbed.Shelookedintothewellanditmadehergladtoseehowonelifebecameablessingtotheworldforitwassokindandhappy.Thenshesawtheotherlifewhichheldonlysorrowpovertyfearandwoe.“BotharethewillofGod〃saidDeath.“Whichoneiscondemnedtomiseryandwhichisthehappyone〃sheasked.“ThatIshallnottellyou〃Deathsaid.ButItellyouthis.Oneoftheflowersbelongstoyourownchild.Onelifethatyousawwasyourchild,sfateyourownchild,sfuture.〃Thenthemothershriekedinterror“WhichwasmychildTellme!Savemyinnocentchild.Sparehimsuchwretchedness.Betterthathebetakenfromme.TakehimtoGod,skingdom.Forgetmytears.ForgettheprayersIhavesaidandthethingsIhavedone.,z〃Idonotunderstandz,Deathsaid.WillyoutakeyourownchildbackorshallItakehimofftoalandunknowntoyou〃ThenthemotherwrungherhandsfellonherkneesandprayedtoGod:〃DonothearmewhenIprayagainstyourwill.Itisbest.Donotlistendonotlisten!z/AndshebowedherheadasDeathtookherchildtotheunknownland.。