The Astronomer天文家

I only said，“When in the evening the round full moon gets entangled among the branches of that Kadam^[1] tree，couldn’t somebody catch it？”

But dada[elder brother]laughed at me and said，“Baby，you are the silliest child I have ever known.The moon is ever so far from us；how could anybody catch it？”

I said，“Dada how foolish you are！When mother looks out of her window and smiles down at us playing，would you call her far away？”

Still dada said，“You are a stupid child！But， baby，where could you find a net big enough to catch the moon with？”

I said，“Surely you could catch it with your hands.”

But dada laughed and said，“You are the silliest child I have known.If it came nearer，you would see how big the moon is.”

I said，“Dada，what nonsense they teach at your school！When mother bends her face down to kiss us does her face look very big？”

But still dada says，“You are a stupid child.”

我不过说：“当傍晚圆圆的满月挂在迦昙波的枝头时，有人能去捉住它么？”

哥哥却对我笑道：“孩子呀，你真是我所见到的顶顶傻的孩子。月亮离我们这样远，谁能去捉住它呢？”

我说：“哥哥，你真傻！当妈妈向窗外探望，微笑着往下看我们游戏时，你也能说她远么？”

哥哥还是说：“你这个傻孩子！但是，孩子，你到哪里去找一个大得能逮住月亮的网呢？”

我说：“你自然可以用双手去捉住它呀。”

但哥哥还是笑着说：“你真是我所见到的顶顶傻的孩子！如果月亮走近了，你便知道它是多么大了。”

我说：“哥哥，你们学校里所教的，真是没有用呀！当妈妈低下脸儿跟我们亲嘴时，她的脸看来也是很大的么？”

但哥哥还是说：“你真是一个傻孩子。”

[1]Kadam：迦昙波。Kadam亦作Kadamba，意为“白花”，即昙花。