双语有声阅读：孩子的守护天使

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. So one day he asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless¹?" 从前，有个孩子马上就要诞生了。于是有一天他问上帝：“听说明天您就送我去人间了，但是，我这么弱小和无助，我在那儿怎么生活呢？”

God replied, "Among the many angels³, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you." 上帝答道：“在众多的天使中，我特别为你挑了一位。她会守候你，无微不至地照顾你。”

But the child wasn't sure he really wanted to go. "But tell me, here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be happy." 小孩还是拿不准自己是否真的想去：“但是在天堂，我除了唱唱笑笑外，什么也不做，这就足以让我感到幸福了。”

"Your angel² will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy." “你的天使每天会为你唱歌，为你微笑。你会感受她的爱，并且因此而幸福。”

"And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me," the child continued, "If I don't know the language that men talk?" “如果我不懂人类的语言，他们对我说话时，我怎么听得懂呢？”孩子继续问道。

God patted⁴ him on the head and said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak." 上帝轻轻地拍了一下孩子的脑袋说：“你的天使会对你说最最美丽、最最动听的话语，而这些都是你从未听过的。她会不厌其烦地教你说话。”

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?" “如果我想与你说话怎么办？”

But God had an answer for that question too. "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray." 上帝胸有成竹地回答：“你的天使会将你的双手合拢，教你如何祈祷。”

"I've heard that on earth there are bad men, who will protect me?" “听说尘世有很多坏蛋，谁来保护我呢？”

"Your angel will defend you even if it means⁵ risking her life!" “即使冒着生命危险，你的天使也会保护你的。”

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore," the child continued warily⁶. “但是见不到你，我会难过的。”小孩小心翼翼说道。

God smiled on the young one. "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you." 听到这儿，上帝对着小孩笑了。“尽管我会一直陪伴你左右，你的天使仍会提起我，教你重返天堂之路。”

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard. The child knew he had to start on his journey very soon. He asked God one more question, softly⁷, "Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name." 此时，天堂一片宁静，凡间的声音已可听到，小孩明白自己得赶紧上路了。他又轻声问了最后一个问题：“哦，上帝，假如我现在就出发，请你告诉我，我的天使叫什么名字？”

God touched the child on the shoulder and answered, "Your angel's name is not hard to remember. You will simply call her Mommy." 上帝把手放在小孩的肩上，答道：“你的天使的名字很容易记住，你就叫她－－妈妈。”

1 helpless   

adj.无助的，无依无靠的；不能自力的

参考例句：

• The other team was helpless and we had a real field day.对方队很弱，我们轻易取胜。
• They felt helpless to do anything about it.他们对这事感到无能为力。

2 angel   

n.天使，守护神，可爱的人

参考例句：

• The angel of death's in the house!死神在屋里呢！
• I can say without exaggeration that she is an angel.我可以毫不夸张地说她是个天使。

3 angels   

n.天使( angel的名词复数 )；可爱的人；品行高洁的人；大好人（感激某人时所说）（非正式）

参考例句：

• Angels are usually shown in pictures dressed in white. 图画中的天使通常身穿白衣。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Angels are celestial beings. 天使是天上的神灵。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 patted   

v.轻拍( pat的过去式和过去分词 )；拍成，拍至；表扬，称赞（某人/自己）

参考例句：

• She patted the dog on the head. 她轻轻地拍着狗的头。
• He leaned forward and patted me on the shoulder. 他向前倾着身子并拍我的肩膀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

6 warily   

adv.留心地

参考例句：

• He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。
• They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。

7 softly   

adv.柔和地，静静地，温柔地

参考例句：

• He speaks too softly for her to hear.他讲话声音太轻，她听不见。
• She breathed her advice softly.她低声劝告。