告诉我什么是爱（一）
　　 A very long time ago, in a prosperous kingdom of the west, there lived a knight in his mighty castle. Some years before, he had helped the king to drive away an invading force of barbarians, and this castle was a gift from the king to show his gratitude. Though his name was Faldan, everyone knew him as the Southern Knight, ause many years ago he had arrived to the kingdom from the remote lands beyond the southern frontiers, riding a white horse and seeking his fortune.

　　　　 Now, with the kingdom at peace and being also a good friend of the king, he lived in his castle with his young son. But he was not happy. His wife had died two autumns ago, and he felt very lonely. She had been her faithful companion for many years. At night, after eating dinner, Faldan used to stay alone at the table for a long time. He often strolled and wandered in his gardens and orchards, thinking that he would never find love again in his life.

　　　　 One day, he realized that such a long time had passed, that he had even forgotten what love meant. This made him feel sad and puzzled. Could love actually be forgotten？So he decided to go to some of his friends and ask them. In fact, his question was very simple："Can you tell me something about love, about what it is？"He asked many, but he always got the same answers：--It's a beautiful feeling!--It's the best thing in the world!--It makes you happy forever!

　　　　 "I know all that, but those are not really answers, "he said. "Tell me, What is it？and Where？"--Ahh. . . mmmh hh．．．No one could give an answer．"Was it so difficult?" he wondered．"Everybody seems to be able to speak about it, but nobody can define it．" After a while, there was nobody left to question．So one day, he decided to find out．Spring-time was just beginning．He took leave from his son, leaving him on the care of his tutors and teachers, and telling him, "I always tell you to study hard so you can understand the things in the world．Now I myself have to go on a trip to study．This is to show you can never think you have reached the utmost knowledge．"

　　　　 The sun had already risen．He left his castle without his horse, going all by hilf, but he didn't know where to start．Who should he ask now? He took the road that went east．After a long time of walking silently, he came to a quiet garden by the road．Near a tree, he saw a tortoise walking slowly, trying to make its way through the high grass．Faldan went near the tortoise and smiled．He saw how it moved quite slowly and with difficulty, and he said out loud, "Before me, I have a long and uncertain journey, and my steps are even slower than this tortoise, ause I don't even know where I'm headed．Who knows where I can find a wise man, a man of understanding to help me? Ah, I wish that you, little tortoise, could tell me something about love! " The tortoise answered, "I can't．" The Southern Knight gave a start．He was so surprised that for some time he thought that he had only imagined the tortoise speak．But the tortoise looked at him fixedly with calm eyes and with her head facing up, as if waiting．He ventured to ask, "Can you talk?" "Of course" , the tortoise said．"Everybody can! But I can't tell you what you are looking for．Love is something quite difficult to describe．But nevertheless, I can tell you something that can help you．"

　　　　 Faldan could still hardly beleive his own eyes and ears．Indeed, the tortoise was speaking to him! Her voice was as slow as her walking．"Everybody can speak?" What did she mean by that? But his curiosity was even stronger than his surprise："And what is it that you can tell me?" "I can tell you something about me!" , the tortoise answered．He didn't understand how this could help him in his quest, but he was so intrigued by this little tortoise that could speak, that he asked, "Tell me, then．" The tortoise started, with her paused voice, "There are many beings in this garden．．．animals, in-sects, plants．Yet you have fixed your attention in me．Why is that?Um! You don't know, I see．You have found some thing without looking for it, yes! But now you have to know what is it that you found．I will tell you．"

　　　　 "I am very slow．Oh, yes．Very slow．You know, every body advances as they are fit: horses, rabbits, birds. But I am very slow, and you have to be patient, very patient with me. Besides, I am very shy. If you try to touch me, or to lift me and take me with you, I will hide inside my shell. And you may look at me when I'm hiding, and you may even think I'm empty! Yes, ause I won't come out as long as I feel I'm in danger. "

　　　　 "Another thing: you see, my shell is hard and tough, but even so, you have to be careful with me. Yes! If you take me and turn me upside down, I will certainly die. Alone, and without help, I can't put my feet back on the ground. " "So you can see, I poise a lot of problems, and it's hard to wait for me. But I can tell you this: even if you leave me behind, if you grow tired of my being so slow and you go away, even if you forget about me. . . with my slow step, I will catch up with you one day. " The tortoise made a long pause, during which Faldan didn't say anything. He seemed as if moved by the last words he had heard. "Do you understand？" After another silence, he finally said, "Maybe you are right. What you have said has given me many things to think and consider. But even so, I still think I need a better answer. Love, certainly, must be something else, not only Waiting! But anyhow, I thank you for your help. I must be on my way now. "

　　　　 "Goodbye! I hope that you can soon find an answer to your question! " The tortoise saw the knight as he walked away, and when he was finally out of sight, she resumed her slow, difficult walk amidst the rocks and the high grass of the garden. Faldan walked for a long while, thinking over and over about what he had heard. "Maybe the tortoise is right. But nevertheless, her answer seems incomplete. . . " After going through a road sided by fields of wheat, he came to the foot of a high mountain. It was majestic and awe－inspiring. The Southern Knight saw that the road split into two farther ahead. To the north, the wheat fields extended, and a small town could be seen far away. But straight ahead, the road went directly to the mountain, winding as it climbed up, finally disappearing in the mist. Without knowing why, he felt the irresistible wish to climb the mountain, so he took the road that went up. . . （To be con tinued）

　　从前，在西方一个富裕的国家，巨大的城堡里住着一位骑士。很多年以前他曾经帮助国王打败过企图侵入这个国家的一群野蛮人，国王特地赐给他这座雄伟的城堡以表示对他的感谢。尽管他的名字叫福达，但在这个国家，每个人都称他南王，因为最初他就是骑着白马从遥远的南边为寻找财富而来到这个国家。

　　　　如今，国家和平了，作为国王的朋友，福达和他的小儿子住在国王赐给他的城堡里。但是他并不快乐。两年前，与他朝夕相伴的妻子去世了，他从此开始了孤独的生活。吃过晚饭，福达经常会长时间独自坐在桌子旁。他经常在花园和果园里徘徊，想着在他生命里可能再也找不到真爱了。

　　　　一天，他突然意识到，时间飞逝，他都快忘记爱是什么了，这使他感到很沮丧迷茫，爱真的能够被遗忘吗？他决定去拜见他的朋友并问问他们。其实，他的问题很简单，那就是：你能不能告诉我爱是什么？他问了很多人，但他总是得到几乎相同的回答："它是一种美好的感觉"，"它是这世界上最美妙的事情"，"它使你永远快乐"。

　　　　"这些我都知道，但这都不是真正的答案，"他说，"爱到底是什么，它在哪呢？请告诉我。"没有人能给他一个满意的答案。"竟如此困难，好像每个人都了解一些，但没人能说出爱的确切含义"。没多久，他便问遍了所有的人。因此，福达决定出去寻找答案。此时，春天正悄悄来临。在他临走之前，他安排老师督促教导他儿子学习，并对他儿子说："你一定要努力学习，才能理解世界上的万事万物，现在，我不得不出去继续寻求知识，学无止境啊。"

　　　　太阳刚刚升起，福达就只身离开城堡，这回他没有骑马。但是他不知道该从哪开始，该去问谁？最后，他决定往东走。默默地走了很长的一段路，福达来到一个路边的花园，花园里很静，他看见临近有一棵树，一只乌龟正艰难地在杂草中爬行。福达走近这只乌龟，它爬得如此缓慢而又艰难，他不禁莞尔一笑，大声说道?quot;在这之前，那段长而不确定的路程，我走得甚至比这只乌龟还要慢，因为我甚至不知道该往那儿去，不知道怎样才能找到可以为我解答的智者，哈，我希望你，小乌龟能告诉我什么是爱。"小乌龟答道："我不能。"南王吓了一跳，好一会儿，他才回过神来，想着刚才肯定是幻觉。但这只乌龟昂起头，眼睛盯着他看，好像在等待他的回答。他又试着问了一句："你会说话。""当然"，乌龟回答，"世上万物都能！但是我不能给出你正在寻求的答案，爱是很难描述的，不过不论怎样，我可以告诉你一些可能对你有帮助的事情。"

　　　　福达仍然很难相信自己的眼睛和耳朵，这只乌龟确实在跟他说话，她说话的语调就像她走路一样慢。"世上万物都会说话"，她想表达什么意思？他的好奇远胜于他的惊奇："那你能告诉我什么呢？""我能告诉一些关于我自己的事，"乌龟回答道。福达虽然不大明白这对他的问题有什么帮助，但他对这只会说话的乌龟感到很好奇，于是说："那么你说下去。"乌龟开始用她那缓慢的语调说道："这园子里有许多其他的动物、昆虫、花草树木，而你只注意到我，为什么？我想你肯定不知道，因为你已经毫不费力地找到了一些你想寻找的东西。但是你还得知道你找到的是什么。我将告诉你。"

　　　　"我很慢，是的，非常慢，你知道，每种动物都有自己特有的行走方式，像马、兔子、鸟等，但我非常慢，你不得不对我有耐心。""而且，我很害羞，如果你碰到我，或试图抓起我，或要把我带走，我都会把头缩进去。我藏起来时，你可能会看我，你可能认为我是空壳。是的，我要等到安全了，才会把头伸出来。"

　　　　"另外，你看，我的壳很硬，但即使如此，你也得很小心。是的，如果你把我翻转过来，我一定活不成。独自一人，没有帮助，我自己是没有办法翻身的。因此显而易见，我有很多的困难，等我是很烦的。但是，我可以告诉你，如果你把我丢在了后面，如果你对我的缓慢感到不耐烦而走开，甚至是你忘记了我......，总有一天我会用我缓慢的脚步追上你。"乌龟停顿了很长时间，而此时福达沉默不语，对于乌龟说的话若有所思。"你明白吗？"一阵沉默之后，福达终于说道："也许你是对的，你说的这些留给我很多思考的空间，但即便如此，我仍然认为我需要一个更好的答案，爱不仅仅是等待，肯定还有别的，不论怎样，我还是谢谢你，现在我必须继续上路了。"

　　　　"再见，希望你很快能得到你需要的答案。"乌龟目送他离去，直至消失在视线里。然后，乌龟继续艰难、缓慢地在岩石、杂草中爬行。好一会儿，福达一直在想着乌龟说的话?quot;也许乌龟是对的，但她的答案好像不完全。"走过麦田，福达来到一座山脚下。这山很高，气势磅礴，在山脚下，路分成两个方向，往北是一望无际的麦田，远处仿佛有一个小镇；直走，则通往山上，蜿蜒曲折，看不到尽头。不知为什么，福达感到一股不可抵挡的冲动促使他向山上走，因此他选择了那条上山的道路......（待续）