Daily Archives: November 4, 2007

The Fable of the Bee And the Flower

The third installment of my “Chinese Fable translation series“. I love translating.

rose

Original Chinese text:

放弃的寓言

玫瑰花枯萎了,蜜蜂仍拼命吮吸,因为它以前从这朵花上吮吸过甜蜜。但是,现在在这朵花上,蜜蜂吮吸的是毒汁。蜜蜂知道这一点,因为毒汁苦涩,与以前的味道是天壤之别。于是,蜜蜂愤不过,它吸一口就抬起头来向整个世界抱怨,为什么味道变了?!
终于有一天,不知道是什么原因,蜜蜂振动翅膀,飞高了一点。这时,它发现,枯萎的玫瑰花周围,处处是鲜花。

My English translation:

The Fable of Letting Go

A rose withered. A bee however was still sucking on it because she had sucked honey from it before. Now, on the same rose, all she could suck out was bitter, poisonous juice. The bee felt the difference as it was so sweet before. She became miserable and complained and complained, why did the taste change? Why couldn’t it be just like before?
Finally, one day, the bee gathered her strength and flew a bit higher. Then and there, she saw that, nearby the withered rose, there were blossoming flowers all over the place.

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