Ted英语演讲：关于狗所想—诗两首——BillyCollins
BillyCollins在Ted英语演讲：关于狗所想—诗两首，BillyCollins大胆讲述了他对狗的内心世界的猜想，以两只狗所想为例。
I do not know if you have noticed, but there’s been a spate of books that have come out lately contemplating or speculating on the cognition and emotional life of dogs. Do they think, do they feel and, if so, how? So this afternoon, in my limited time, I wanted to take the guesswork out of a lot of that by introducing you to two dogs, both of whom have taken the command “speak” quite literally.
不知各位是否留意到， 最近陆续上架了 一些新书， 作者尝试对狗的认知和情感生活 进行解读。狗是否思考“狗”生？ 是否也有七情六欲？ 今天下午，我想借此机会， 不揣浅陋，对它们的内心世界大胆猜测。 我会谈到两条狗， 它们借我之口，娓娓而谈， 款吐心曲。
The first dog is the first to go, and he is contemplating an aspect of his relationship to his owner, and the title is “A Dog on His Master.
先来听听第一条狗， 它试图对自己与主人的关系， 做一个剖析。我给这段独白 加了一个标题——《人狗奇恋》。
“As young as I look, I am growing older faster than he. Seven to one is the ratio, they tend to say. Whatever the number, I will pass him one day and take the lead, the way I do on our walks in the woods, and if this ever manages to cross his mind, it would be the sweetest shadow I have ever cast on snow or grass.”(Applause)
“这一刻，我虽然年轻、矫健， 但是，时光的鼓点如此密集、急促， 七比一， 正是我与他走向各自终点的速度。 终有一天，我会走在前头。 回想林中漫步的欢洽， 如果有一天他会想起， 愿那雪地和草坪上的嬉戏， 成为彼此珍藏一生的心迹。”
Thank you.
谢谢。
And our next dog speaks in something called the revenant, which means a spirit that comes back to visit you.
第二条狗，仙逝多年， 像一个归来的亡魂，对它昔日的主人 诉说阴阳两隔、岁月更替 都无法化解的恩怨。
“I am the dog you put to sleep, as you like to call the needle of oblivion, come back to tell you this simple thing: I never liked you.” (Laughter) “When I licked your face, I thought of biting off your nose. When I watched you toweling yourself dry, I wanted to leap and unman you with a snap. I resented the way you moved, your lack of animal grace, the way you would sit in a chair to eat, a napkin on your lap, a knife in your hand. I would have run away but I was too weak, a trick you taught me while I was learning to sit and heel and, greatest of insults, shake hands without a hand. I admit the sight of the leash would excite me, but only because it meant I was about to smell things you had never touched. You do not want to believe this, but I have no reason to lie: I hated the car, hated the rubber toys, disliked your friends, and worse, your relatives. The jingling of my tags drove me mad. You always scratched me in the wrong place.” (Laughter) “All I ever wanted from you was food and water in my bowls. While you slept, I watched you breathe as the moon rose in the sky. It took all of my strength not to raise my head and howl. Now, I am free of the collar, free of the yellow raincoat, monogrammed sweater, the absurdity of your lawn, and that is all you need to know about this place, except what you already supposed and are glad it did not happen sooner, that everyone here can read and write, the dogs in poetry, the cats and all the others in prose.”
“我就是那条被你注射致死的狗， 你说那一针会让我忘却此生的恩仇。 我回来告诉你一件事： 我从来没有喜欢过你。” （笑声） “每次舔你脸庞时， 真想一口咬下你的鼻子。 每次看你用毛巾擦身， 真想猛扑上去，了断你的命根。 我厌恶你的粗鄙与笨拙， 全无我们动物的敏捷与优雅。 你习惯坐在椅子上吃东西， 腿上铺着餐巾，双手举着刀叉。 我早想弃你而去， 无奈年老体衰，只能寄人篱下。 还记得当年， 你训练我端坐、跟随， 我被迫遭受奇耻大辱—— 你教我与人握手，你明知道我只有爪！ 我承认，那条皮带让我兴奋不已， 因为你会牵着我，去闻一些奇怪的东西， 而你自己小心翼翼，唯恐避之不及。 说来你不会相信， 但我无意隐瞒： 我恨你的车，讨厌车里的橡胶玩具， 憎恶你的狐朋‘猪’友，诅咒你的远亲近邻。 那叮当响的项圈让我抓狂， 还有，你连挠痒都挠不到地方。” （笑声） 添衣加被，让我吃饱喝足， 这就是你为我做的的全部。 还记得那时，常听着你的鼾声， 凝望屋外一轮圆月徐徐升起。 我一声不吭， 压抑自己：不要张望，不要悲泣。 现在，我永获自由， 没有禁锢我的项圈，没有恶俗的黄雨披， 没有绣着我名字的汗背心， 也没有草地上的荒诞不经。 这些，就是我要和你讲的一切， 关于家，关于诗歌中的狗， 关于散文里的猫和其他动物。 也许，你认为这些稀松平常， 这里每一个人都能和你分享。 但这就是我特意回来 的用意所在。
Thank you.(Applause)
谢谢。