英語翻譯
There is a world so flat that,wherever you go,you can never glide your bicycle,never toboggan down a slope,and never,ever play king of the hill.Eight rows of eight squares comprise the boundaries of the world,and it is peopled by creatures much like you and me.There are kings and queens,knights and castles,and there are pawns.Our story is about the smallest pawn on the chessboard,Theresa.
Theresa was a thoughtful little girl.Brunette hair draped her narrow shoulders,and a tentative smile nestled between her two dimples.She liked to pretend the golden coronet creasing her brow was the crown of a queen.She would imperiously march back and forth,up and down - all the while giving orders to imaginary chessmen,and wielding her little sword as if it were a scepter.
Many of the other pawns thought Theresa ridiculous for pretending to be a queen.They said her small body was unfit even for the duties of a pawn.Pawns,you see,earned their living taking care of the chessboard in times of peace and served as foot soldiers in times of war.
Theresa had never seen a war,but her fellow pawns told stories about what a terrible thing it could be.They spoke of ferocious war cries,clanging swords,piercing lances and,most frightening of all,the possibility of capture by the enemy.However,the banter of the other pawns did not frighten Theresa; instead,it inspired her to prepare for the conflict sure to come.
Theresa meticulously studied her chess manual.Even on her free days she occupied herself by skipping among other chessmen to ask them about the mysteries of her world.Her first mentor was the tall bishop of the dark squares,made taller by the peaked cap he wore.One long white eyebrow ran the length of his forehead and cascaded over a pair of tiny spectacles.
"Why do you remain so steadily on the same color squares?" she asked him.She knew that he moved diagonally about the board.Since the squares alternated between dark and light,he would never leave his assigned color.
He smiled and waved his staff at the open squares before them.The wisdom of his years tumbled slowly from his lips."It is the duty of a chessman to remain constant and true."
His answer prompted the favorite question of all pawns,"Why?"
He patted her kindly on top of her flowing locks,"Because,my dear,one must rule themselves before they can hope to influence the world around them."
She mulled over this advice from the bishop.It was not easy to be constant - it meant she must be loyal and not cause mischief with her sister pawns.And true?That meant no lying,and she must be faithful.
"Is it so important?" she asked.
"Indeed,it is," responded the bishop."Imagine how bad things would be if you could not trust anyone and no one could trust you.