一个男孩的心愿，本文主要内容关键词为：一个男孩论文,心愿论文，此文献不代表本站观点，内容供学术参考，文章仅供参考阅读下载。
In 1945,a 12-year-old boy saw something in a shop window that set his heart racing.But the price-five dollars-was far beyond Reuben Earle's means.Five dollars would buy almost a week's groceries for his family.
[2]Reuben couldn't ask his father for the money.Everything Mark Earle made through fishing in Bay Roberts,Newfoundland,Canada.Reuben's mother,Dora,stretched like elastic（注：橡皮圈；松紧带） to feed and clothe their five children.
[3]Nevertheless,he opened the shop's weathered door and went inside.Standing proud and straight in his floursack shirt and washed-out trousers,he told the shopkeeper what he wanted,adding,"but I don't have the money right how.Can you please hold it for me for some time?"
[4]"I'll try,"the shopkeeper smiled."Folks around here don't usually have that kind of money to spend on things.It should keep for a while."
[5]Reuben respectfully touched his worn cap and walked out into the sunlight with the bay rippling（注：ripple
vi 起微波）in a freshening wind.There was purpose in his loping stride（注：大步）.He would raise the five dollars and not tell anybody.
[6]Hearing the sound of hammering from a side street,Reuben had an idea.
[7]He ran towards the sound and stopped at a construction site.People built their own homes in Bay Roberts,using nails purchased in hessian（注：粗麻布） sacks from a local factory.Sometimes the sacks were discarded in the flurry（注：忙乱；慌乱） of building,and Reuben knew he could sell them back to the factory for five cents a piece.
[8]That day he found two sacks which he took to the rambling wooden factory and sold to the man in charge of packing nails.
[9]The boy's hand tightly clutched the five-cent pieces as he ran the two kilometres home.
[10]Near his house stood the ancient barn that housed the family's goats and chickens.Reuben found a rusty baking-so-da（注：小苏打） tin and dropped his coins inside.Then he climbed into the loft of the barn and hid the tin beneath a pile of sweet-smelling hay.
[11]It was dinner time when Reuben got home.His father sat at the big kitchen table,working on a fishing net.Dora was at the kitchen stove,ready to serve dinner as Reuben took his place at the table.
[12]He looked at his mother and smiled.Sunlight from the window gilded her shoulder-length blonde hair.Slim and beautiful,she was the centre of the home,the glue that held it together.
[13]Her chores were never-ending.Sewing clothes for her family on the old Singer treadle（注：踏板） machine,cooking meals and baking bread,planting and tending a vegetable garden,milking the goats and scrubbing soiled clothes on a washboard.But she was happy.Her family and their well-being were her highest priority.
[14]Every day after chores and school,Reuben scoured the town,collecting the hessian nail bags.On the day the two-room school closed for the summer,no student was more delighted than Reuben.Now he would have more time for his mission.
[15]All summer long,despite chores at home-weeding and watering the garden,cutting wood and fetching water-Reuben kept to his secret task.
[16]Then all too soon the garden was harvested,the vegetables canned and stored,and the school reopened.Soon the leaves fell and the winds blew cold and gusty（注：阵阵的） from the bay.Reuben wandered the streets,diligently searching for his hessian treasures.
[17]Often he was cold,tired and hungry,but the thought of the object in the shop window sustained him.Sometimes his mother would ask:"Reuben,where were you?We were waiting for you to have dinner."
"Playing,Mum.Sorry."
[18]Dora would look at his face and shake her head.Boys.
[19]Finally spring burst into glorious green and Reuben's spirits erupted.The time had come!He ran into the barn,climbed to the hayloft and uncovered the tin can.He poured the coins out and began to count.
[20]Then he counted again.He needed 20 cents more.Could there be any sacks left anywhere in town?He had to find four and sell them before the day ended.
Reuben ran down Water Street.
[21]The shadows were lengthening when Reuben arrived at the factory.The sack buyer was about to lock up.
[22]"Mister!Please don't close up yet."The man turned and saw Reuben,dirty and sweat stained.
"Come back tomorrow,boy."
[23]"Please,Mister.I have to sell the sacks now-please."The man heard a tremor in Reuben's voice and could tell he was close to tears.
[24]"Why do you need this money so badly?"
"It's a secret."
[25]The man took the sacks,reached into his pocket and put four coins in Reuben's hand.Reuben murmured a thank you and ran home.
[26]Then,clutching the tin can,he headed for the shop.
"I have the money,"he solenmly told the owner.
[27]The man went to the window and retrieved Reuben's treasure.
He wiped the dust off and gently wrapped it in brown paper.Then he placed the parcel in Reuben's hands.
[28]Racing home,Reuben burst through the front door.His mother was scrubbing the kitchen stove."Here,Mum!Here!"Reuben exclaimed as he ran to her side.He placed a small box in her workroughened hand.
[29]She unwrapped it carefully,to save the paper.A blue-velvet jewel box appeared.Dora lifted the lid,tears beginning to blur her vision.
[30]In gold lettering on a small,almond-shaped brooch was the word Mother.
It was Mother's Day,1946.
[31]Dora had never received such a gift;she had no finery（注：华丽的饰物） except her wedding ring.Speechless,she smiled radiantly（注：容光焕发地） and gathered her son into her arms.
1945年，12岁的男孩鲁本在一家商店橱窗里看到一样令他动心的东西，但那5美元的价钱远远超出了鲁本·厄尔的支付能力。5美元几乎是他家里一星期饭食的开销。
[2]鲁本不能向父亲要钱。全家就靠父亲马克·厄尔在加拿大纽芬兰罗伯茨湾捕鱼维持生计，母亲多拉也终日为他们5个孩子的衣食操劳。
[3]尽管如此，鲁本还是推开了商店那扇久经风雨的门走了进去。他穿着面粉袋改做的衬衫和洗得褪了色的裤子，自豪地站得笔直，告诉店主他想要的东西，并说：“我现在还没有钱买它，能请您为我留一段时间吗？”
[4]“我尽量吧，”店主微笑着说道。“这儿的人一般不花钱买这种东西，一时半会儿卖不出去。”
[5]鲁本有礼貌地碰了碰他的破帽子，走出店外，沐浴在阳光下。清新的微风吹得罗伯茨湾的海水泛起阵阵涟漪。鲁本有所企盼地迈着大步。他要攒足那5美元，而且不告诉任何人。
[6]听到小街传来的铁锤声，鲁本有了个主意。
[7]他顺着那声音跑过去，来到一处建筑工地。罗伯茨湾的人喜欢自建房屋，用的钉子是从本地一家工厂买的，都装在麻袋里。有时干活一忙乱，麻袋就被随手丢弃了，而鲁本知道工厂按5分钱一个回收这种麻袋。
[8]那天，他找到了两条麻袋，拿到杂乱的木建筑构件工厂，卖给了负责钉子装袋的人。
[9]那孩子紧紧地攥着那两个5分的硬币，跑了两公里回家。
[10]他家房子附近有个古老的谷仓，里面圈着山羊和小鸡。鲁本在那里找到一个生锈的小苏打铁罐，并把两枚硬币放了进去。然后，他爬上谷仓的阁楼，把钱罐藏在一堆散发出甜香味的干草下面。
[11]晚饭时分，鲁本跨进家门。父亲正坐在厨房大饭桌旁摆弄渔网，母亲多拉在厨房炉边忙碌着，准备开饭。鲁本就在桌旁坐下了。
[12]他微笑地看着妈妈。窗户透进的些许夕阳将她亚麻色的披肩长发染成了金色。修长、漂亮的母亲是这个家的中心，是凝聚这个家所有成员的粘合剂。
[13]母亲的家务活永远也没个完。她要在那台旧的胜家牌脚踏缝纫机上为家人缝缝补补；要做饭和烤面包；要种草和照看菜园；要挤羊奶；还要用洗衣板搓洗脏衣服。可母亲是快乐的，家人和他们的幸福在她心目中是最重要的。
[14]每天放学，做完家务事后，鲁本就在镇上搜寻和收集装钉子的麻袋。只有两间教室的学校开始放暑假那天，鲁本比谁都高兴。因为现在他有更多时间完成他的任务了。
[15]整整一个夏天，鲁本除了干家务——给菜园锄草、浇水、砍柴和打水外，始终为完成他那秘密使命而不懈努力。
[16]时间飞逝，转眼菜园收获季节来到，蔬菜装罐腌制后储藏起来，学校也重新开学了。不久，树叶纷纷飘零，海湾刮来阵阵寒风。鲁本在街头四处逛荡，努力寻找着被他视为宝物的麻袋。
[17]他经常又冷又累又饿，但是一想到商店橱窗里的那件东西，他就能坚持下去。有时妈妈会问：“鲁本，你上哪儿啦？我们等你吃晚饭呢！”
“玩去啦，妈妈。对不起。”
[18]多拉总会瞧着他的脸，无奈地摇摇头，心想男孩究竟是男孩。
[19]春天终于来了，大地一下子变得一片绿油油，鲁本的精神也随之振奋起来。是时候了！他跑到谷仓，爬上草垛，打开铁罐，倒出所有硬币清点起来。
[20]他又数了一遍，还差20美分。镇上还会有丢弃的麻袋吗？他必须在傍晚前找到4条去卖掉。
鲁本沿着沃特街走着。
[21]天色渐暗，影子越拉越长，鲁本来到了工厂。收购麻袋的人正要锁门。
[22]“先生！请先不要关门。”那人转过身来，看到了脏兮兮、汗涔涔的鲁本。
“明天再来吧，孩子。”
[23]“求您了，先生。我必须现在把麻袋卖掉——求您啦。”那人听出了鲁本声音中的微颤，知道他快要哭了。
[24]“你为什么这么急着要这点钱？”
“这是个秘密。”
[25]那人接过麻袋，手伸进口袋，掏出4个硬币放在鲁本手里。鲁本轻声说了声“谢谢”就往回跑。
[26]之后，他紧紧抱住钱罐，直奔那商店。
“我有钱啦！”他一本正经地告诉店主。
[27]店主走向橱窗，取出鲁本梦寐以求的东西。
他掸去灰尘，用棕色厚纸把东西小心包好。然后，他把这个小包放到鲁本手中。
[28]鲁本一路跑回家，冲进前门。妈妈正在厨房擦炉子。“瞧，妈妈！瞧！”鲁本一边跑向她一边大叫着。他把一个小盒子放在她因劳作而粗糙的手上。
[29]为了省下那张包装纸，她小心翼翼地把它拆开。一个蓝色天鹅绒的首饰盒映入眼帘。多拉打开盒盖，泪水顿时模糊了双眼。
[30]在一个小巧的扁桃状胸针上刻着金字：母亲。
那是1946年的母亲节。
[31]多拉从未收到过这样的礼物；除了结婚戒指外，她没有别的饰物。她一时说不出话来，脸上洋溢着喜色，笑着把儿子揽入怀中。