第9章 隱士和野獸（The Hermit And The Beasts）

從前，在蒼翠山嶺間住著一個隱士。他是個精神純潔和良心清白的人。大地上的一切走獸和天空裡的一切飛禽都成雙成對地來到他的面前，他就對它們講話。它們心悅誠服地聽他講話，它們圍了攏來，不到天黑不願離開；天黑時他就送它們走了，以他的祝福，把它們委託給風和森林。 有一天晚上，當隱士講到愛情的時候，一頭豹抬起腦袋對隱士說道："你給我們講到戀愛，先生，請告訴我們，你的伴侶在哪兒呢？"隱士說："我沒有伴侶。" 於是在飛禽走獸群裡騰起了大為詫異的喧嘩之聲，它們開始嘰嘰喳別地互相議論："他自己對此一無所知，怎麼能給我們講戀愛和結婚呢？"它們悄悄地鄙夷地走掉了，剩下隱士孤零零一個人。

那天夜間，隱士臉孔朝下倒在席子上，接著就搥胸痛哭。 The Hermit And The Beasts Once there lived among the green hills a hermit. He was pure of spirit and white of heart. And all the animals of the land and all the fowls of the air came to him in pairs and he spoke unto them. They heard him gladly, and they would gather near unto him, and would not go until nightfall, when he would send them away, entrusting them to the wind and the woods with his blessing.

Upon an evening as he was speaking of love, a leopard raised her head and said to the hermit, "You speak to us of loving. Tell us, Sir, where is your mate?" And the hermit said, "I have no mate." Then a great cry of surprise rose from the company of beasts and fowls, and they began to say among themselves, "How can he tell us of loving and mating when he himself knows naught thereof?" And quietly and in distain they left him alone.

That night the hermit lay upon his mat with his face earthward, and he wept bitterly and beat his hands upon his breast.