These were wonderful and happy moments for the old tree，full of peace and joy，and yet，amidst all this happiness，the tree felt a yearning，longing desire that all the other trees，bushes，herbs，and flowers beneath him，might be able also to rise higher，as he had done，and to see all this splendor，and experience the same happiness.The grand，majestic oak could not be quite happy in the midst of his enjoyment，while all the rest，both great and small，were not with him.And this feeling of yearning trembled through every branch，through every leaf，as warmly and fervently(fervently adv.热心地，热诚地)as if they had been the fibres of a human heart.The summit of the tree waved to and fro，and bent downwards as if in his silent longing he sought for something.Then there came to him the fragrance of thyme，followed by the more powerful scent of honeysuckle(honeysuckle n.［植］忍冬，金银花)and violets，and he fancied he heard the note of the cuckoo.
这是极为美好的一刻，极其幸福！充满安宁和愉悦。然而在这一切幸福之中，它产生一种渴望和希望，渴望树林里下面所有的树，如果的矮丛、花草都能够和它一起长大，一起感受，一起体会这种辉煌和欢乐。如果这些大大小小的花草树木都不能和它一起感受，那么宏伟的橡树在这最欢乐的梦中却不完全愉快。这种感觉在它的枝子、叶子中动荡，非常真诚、非常强烈，就像是在一个人的脑海中一样。橡树的树杆在摇曳，好像它正在寻找什么却没有找到。它低头望去，于是它感觉到了车叶草的香味，很快又有了紫罗兰的、忍冬的和更强烈的芳香，它幻想听到杜鹃在歌唱。
At length his longing was satisfied.Up through the clouds came the green summits of the forest trees，and beneath him，the oak saw them rising，and growing higher and higher.Bush and herb shot upward，and some even tore themselves up by the roots to rise more quickly.The birchtree was the quickest of all.Like a lightning flash the slender stem shot upwards in a zigzag line，the branches spreading around it like green gauze and bannersban(ner n.旗帜，横幅，标语).Every native of the wood，even to the brown and feathery(feathery adj.生有羽毛的，柔软如羽毛的)rushes，grew with the rest，while the birds ascende(dascend v.攀登，上升)with the melody of song.On a blade of grass，that fluttered in the air like a long，green ribbon，sat a grasshopper，cleaning his wings with his legs.May beetles hummed，the bees murmured，the birds sang，each in his own way，the air was filled with the sounds of song and gladness.”
它的愿望实现了，它从树林的绿顶透过那云朵望过去，看到在它的下面，其他的树和它一样在成长，挺拔起来；矮丛和草秆高高地挺向上方，有个别的很快地飞了起来，甚至脱了根。桦树生长得最快，就像一道白色的电光，它的纤细的躯干往上伸去，它的枝子像旗幡，像柔纱一样在波动。树林中所有的植物，就连那些长着棕绒毛的苇子秆都在跟着长，鸟儿跟随着歌唱，蚂蚱在一根细长的像飘舞的绿丝带一样的草秆上歇着，在它茎节脚上蹭擦自己的翅膀；蜂儿在嗡嗡鸣唱，金龟子在喃喃细语，每一只鸟儿都在用自己的方式歌唱，空气中充满了歌声与欢悦。
“But where is the little blue flower that grows by the water？”asked the oak，“And the purple bellflower，and the daisy？”You see the oak wanted to have them all with him.
“可是水边的那些小蓝花也应该同乐呀！”橡树说道，“还有紫色的风铃花和春黄菊！”——没错，橡树愿意它们全都来参加。
“Here we are，we are here，”sounded in voice and song.
“我们早已经来了！我们已经来了！”歌声和响声传了过来。
“But the beautiful thyme of last summer，where is that？And the liliesofthevalley，which last year covered the earth with their bloom？And the wild appletree with its lovely blossoms，and all the glory of the wood，which has flourished year after year？Even what may have but now sprouted forth could be with us here.”
“可是去年夏天的那些车叶草呢——去年这里还是一大片铃蓝花——还有野苹果花，多漂亮啊！——还有多年来林子里那一派茂盛的景象——要是这繁华景象还在，一直到今天仍有的话，那么那也是可以参加进来的！”
“We are here，we are here，”sounded voices higher in the air，as if they had flown there beforehand.
“我们已经参加了，我们已经参加了！”歌声和响声从那更高更高的地方传来，就好像它就在眼前飞翔一样。
“Why this is beautiful，too beautiful to be believed，”said the oak in a joyful tone.“I have them all here，both great and small，not one has been forgotten.Can such happiness be imagined？”It seemed almost impossible.
“这真是太美妙，美妙得不可思议！”老橡树兴高采烈地喊道。“它们都来了，小的大的！没有一个被漏掉！这种幸福却怎么可能，怎么能想像得到！”
“In heaven with the Eternal God，it can be imagined，and it is possible.”sounded the reply through the air.
“在上帝的天上是可以想像得到的，这都是可能的！”天空中传来这样的声音。
And the old tree，as it still grew upwards and onwards，felt that his roots were loosening(loosen v.解开，放松，松开)themselves from the earth.
一直都在往上长的橡树感觉到它的根从泥土里脱了出来。
“It is right so，it is best，”said the tree，“no fetters hold me now.I can fly up to the very highest point in light and glory.And all I love are with me，both small and great.All—all are here.”
“现在是最好的了！”橡树说道，”现在没有任何东西可以束缚我了！我可以飞向最高处，飞向灿烂，飞向光辉！一切我心爱的东西，小的大的，都和我在一起了！全都跟我在一起！”
Such was the dream of the old oak，and while he dreamed，a mighty storm came rushing over land and sea，at the holy(holy adj.神圣的，圣洁的n.神圣的东西)Christmas time.The sea rolled in great billows towards the shore.There was a cracking and crushing heard in the tree.The root was torn from the ground just at the moment when in his dream he fancied it was being loosened from the earth.He fell—his three hundred and sixtyfive years were passed as the single day of the Ephemera.On the morning of Christmasday，when the sun rose，the storm had ceased.From all the churches sounded the festive bells，and from every hearth，even of the smallest hut，rose the smoke into the blue sky，like the smoke from the festive thankofferings on the Druidsaltars.The sea gradually became calm，and on board a great ship that had withstood the tempest(tempest n.暴风雨，骚乱，动乱vt.使狂怒，扰乱，使激动vi.起大风暴，小题大作)during the night，all the flags were displayed，as a token of joy and festivity.“The tree is down！The old oak，—our landmark on the coast！”exclaimed the sailors.“It must have fallen in the storm of last night.Who can replace it？Alas！No one.”
这就是橡树的梦，正当它做梦的时候，在这圣洁的圣诞夜里刮起了猛烈的风暴，刮遍了海面和陆地。汹涌的大海波涛冲向海滩，橡树裂了，并断折了，它被连根拔起了，正在它梦见自己的根从泥土里松了出来的那一刻。它倒下了，它的三百六十五年现在就像是蜉蝣的一天。太阳升起的时候，圣诞节的早晨，风暴已经停息了，所有的教堂的钟都在喜庆地鸣响着，每一根烟囱，就连那些极小的烟囱，都升起了烟，宛如占卜师欢宴时祭坛上升起的感恩的香烟，那蓝蓝的烟。海逐渐地平静下来，越来越静，远处一艘经受住了那夜晚的风暴的大船上，所有的旗子全部升起了，一派圣诞的欢乐景象，美丽极了。“那棵树不见了！那老橡树，我们陆上的坐标！”海员们说道，“它在暴风雨的夜里倒下了，谁还能顶替它！谁都不能！”
This was a funeral oration over the old tree，short，but wellmeant.There it lay stretched on the snowcovered shore，and over it sounded the notes of a song from the ship—a song of Christmas joy，and of the redemptionredemption n.赎回，偿还，拯救，履行of the soul of man，and of eternal life through Christs atoning blood.
伸展得开开地躺在海滩上的橡树听到了这样一篇入葬时的悼词，言简但意善！远处船上传来了圣诞节欢乐的歌声、圣洁的歌声，基督拯救人类和歌唱永恒生命的歌声：
“Sing aloud on the happy morn， All is fulfilled，for Christ is born； With songs of joy let us loudly sing，‘Hallelujahs to Christ our King.’”
“上帝的虔诚信徒，让歌声冲上天！哈利路亚，我们当然都已经丰足，那种幸福无可比拟！哈利路亚，哈利路亚！
Thus sounded the old Christmas carol，and every one on board the ship felt his thoughts elevated，through the song and the prayer，even as the old tree had felt lifted up in its last，its beautiful dream on that Christmas morn.
古老的赞美诗在回旋，船上所有的人都以各自的方式在这歌声中，在祈祷中得到了老橡树在圣诞夜最后也最美好的梦中体验到的那种解脱。
