后院里的大山
池塘后面有一座长满青草的小山坡。黛西每天早上都看着它。对她来说,那不只是一座小山坡。那是一座大山。 大山高高地耸立在池塘上方。山上的小路弯弯曲曲,一直向上。云朵好像在山顶附近休息。黛西待在山脚下,看着微风吹过草地。 “也许我可以爬上去。”她说。 然后她摇了摇头。“也许我不行。” 黛西是一只小鸭子,可是这座大山让她觉得特别巨大。她想象着滑溜溜的石头、呼呼作响的大风,还有很长很长的下山路。她的小肚子轻轻地扭了一下。 一天早上,黛西听见草丛里传来沙沙声。皮普沿着小路走了下来。他住在大山半山腰一个舒适的小窝里。他停在黛西身边,歪着头。 “你在看这座大山吗?”他问。 “是的。”黛西说,“它对我来说太大了。”
皮普坐在她身边。“它确实很大。不过,我们不用一下子走完全程。我们可以先走一小步,再走一小步。” 黛西看着小路。“如果我害怕了怎么办?” “那我们就一起害怕。”皮普说,“勇敢并不代表一点儿也不害怕。勇敢可以是在害怕的时候,仍然向前走一小步。” 黛西喜欢这个想法。她迈了一步,走上小路。然后她又迈了一步。身后的池塘看起来变小了。 不久,他们走到了皮普住的地方。他的小窝在一根宽宽的树根下面。他请黛西坐下来休息一会儿。黛西坐在树根旁,听着树叶沙沙低语。 “我已经爬到这里了。”她说。 “你做到了。”皮普说,“你的脚现在已经认识这条路了。” 黛西又站了起来。小路变得更陡了。它绕过一块石头,又穿过一片松软的泥土。黛西滑了一下,赶快坐了下来。 “我做不到。”她小声说。
皮普没有拉她。他只是待在她身边。“你可以停一停。”他说,“停一停不是放弃。” 黛西慢慢吸了一口气。她把一只脚稳稳地踩在地上,然后又迈出另一只脚。他们一步一步地向上走。 最后,小路通向了山顶。风儿在他们身边跳舞。远远的下方,池塘看起来像一小勺水。树木看起来像一把把小刷子。黛西一动不动地站着。 一块温暖的平石头旁边,坐着博,一头聪明的老牦牛。他把下巴放在前腿上,望着宽广的天空。 “欢迎你们。”博说,“是什么带你们来到了山顶?” 黛西回头看着小路。“我很害怕。皮普帮我爬了上来。” 博慢慢地点了点头。“那是一件勇敢的事。勇敢的心也可能跳得很快。勇敢的脚也可能觉得摇摇晃晃。勇敢不是一扇能让害怕消失的门。勇敢是一盏你带在身边的小灯,陪着你一路向前走。” 黛西想着博话里的那盏小灯。她带着害怕一路走了上来。害怕并没有阻止她。 “这座大山真的有这么大吗?”她问。
博笑了。“从池塘那里看,它很大。可是每走一步,它就变小一点。” 皮普把尾巴卷在身边。“现在我们已经认识这条路了。” 三个朋友看着云朵飘过天空。黛西感觉风儿轻轻挠着她的羽毛。她低头往下看时,还是有一点儿紧张,但她没有被吓得动不了。 太阳开始落山时,他们走到山顶一个安静的地方。天空变得柔和起来,第一颗星星出现了。黛西站在皮普和博中间。她展开翅膀,朝着开阔的景色又迈出了一步。 “我害怕。”她说。 “我知道。”皮普说。 “可是我也很勇敢。”黛西说。 博满意地轻轻哼了一声。“这两件事可以同时是真的。” 黛西笑了。大山没有改变,小路也没有改变。但是黛西改变了一点点。明天,她也许会再爬一次。也许她会在池塘边休息。不管怎样,她都会记住:一小步,就能打开一个非常大的世界。
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