情歌(The Love Song)
从前,有个诗人写了首情诗,诗是美丽的。他复写了几份,分送给他的朋友们和相识者,男的女的都送了,甚至送给了一位他只遇见过一次的、住在山岭那一边的年轻女子。
一两天后,那年轻女子派人给他送来了一封信。她在信中写道:"让我推心置腹地向你保证,我深深地被你写给我的情诗感动了。现在就来吧,来看望了我的父亲和我的母亲,咱们就可以为订婚作好安排了。"
诗人复信,他在信中对她说道:"我的朋友啊,这不过是出之于诗人心灵的一首情诗,由每一个男人吟唱给每一个女子听的。"
她再一次写信给他,说道;"玩弄语言的伪君子和说谎者!从今天到我去世之日,我将因为你的缘故而憎恨一切诗人。"
The Love Song
A poet once wrote a love song and it was beautiful. And he made many copies of it, and sent them to his friends and his acquaintances, both men and women, and even to a young woman whom he had met but once, who lived beyond the mountains.
And in a day or two a messenger came from the young woman bringing a letter. And in the letter she said, "Let me assure you, I am deeply touched by the love song that you have written to me. Come now, and see my father and my mother, and we shall make arrangements for the betrothal."
And the poet answered the letter, and he said to her, "My friend, it was but a song of love out of a poets heart, sung by every man to every woman."
And she wrote again to him saying, "Hypocrite and liar in words! From this day unto my coffin-day I shall hate all poets for your sake."