by Michelle Obama

Twas the night before Christmas， when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring， not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care，

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds，

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her kerchief， and I in my cap，

Had just settled down for a long winters nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter，

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash，

Tore open the shutters and threw up the 1）sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When， what to my wondering eyes should appear，

But a miniature sleigh， and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver， so lively and quick，

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came，

And he whistled， and shouted， and called them by name！

“Now， Dasher！ Now， Dancer！ Now， Prancer and Vixen！

On， Comet！ On， Cupid！ On， Donner and Blitzen！

To the top of the porch！ To the top of the wall！

Now dash away！ Dash away！ Dash away all！”

As dry leaves that before the wild 2）hurricane fly，

When they meet with an obstacle， mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew，

With the sleigh full of toys， and St. Nicholas too.

And then， in a twinkle， I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head， and was turning around，

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur， from his head to his foot，

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back，

And he looked like a peddler， just opening his sack.

His eyes—how they twinkled！ His dimples how merry！

His cheeks were like roses， his nose like a cherry！

His 3）droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow，

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth，

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed， like a bowl full of jelly！

He was chubby and plump， a right jolly old elf，

And I laughed when I saw him， in spite of myself！

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head，

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word， but went straight to his work，

And filled all the stockings， then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose，

And giving a nod， up the chimney he rose！

He sprang to his sleigh， to his team gave a whistle，

And away they all flew like the down of a 4）thistle.

But I heard him exclaim， 5）ere he drove out of sight，

“Merry Christmas to all， and to all a good-night！”

在圣誕前夜，整個(gè)屋子里

無一生靈在吵，就連老鼠也不鬧。

長筒襪被小心地掛到煙囪旁，

期望圣尼古拉快快來到。

孩子們都被舒適地安頓到床上，

可腦子里還有糖球兒在跳躍。

媽媽裹起頭巾，我戴上睡帽，

我們剛定下神來要睡個(gè)冬天的長覺。

這時(shí)外面的草地上傳來咔嗒的聲響，

我從床上跳起去看個(gè)究竟。

我撲向窗戶，快得像一道閃光，

扯開百頁窗又拉起窗框。

只見月光灑在新雪的胸膛上，

給月下的萬物披上晌午的光芒。

這時(shí)竟出現(xiàn)了使我目瞪口呆的景象，

那是八只小鹿拉著小小雪橇一輛。

駕雪橇的小老頭，行動靈活又迅速，

我馬上就明白他一定是圣尼克。

他的駿鹿跑起來賽過雄鷹，

他吹著口哨，大聲吆喝著它們的名字！

“嘿，沖鋒者達(dá)舍！嘿，舞者丹瑟！

嘿，騰飛俠普蘭舍，還有悍婦維克星！

前進(jìn)啊，彗星科米特！前進(jìn)啊，愛神丘比特！

前進(jìn)啊，雷霆唐德和閃電布利森！

沖上門廊，沖向墻頭！

嘿，沖呀，沖呀，一起給我沖??！”

就像枯葉在颶風(fēng)中飛舞，

遇到阻礙就升向天空。

馴鹿們飛上了屋頂，

拉著裝滿玩具的雪橇，還有圣尼古拉。

轉(zhuǎn)眼之間我就聽到屋頂

有小蹄子騰躍踢踏的響聲。

當(dāng)我縮回頭來轉(zhuǎn)過身，

看見圣尼古拉從煙囪躍下現(xiàn)身。

他全身上下都裹著毛皮裝，

衣服上蹭滿煙灰，失去了華光。

背后還扛著一包玩具，

看起來就像正在開包的小商販。

他的眼睛——如此閃閃發(fā)光！他的酒渦充滿歡樂！他的兩頰紅似玫瑰，他的鼻子就如櫻桃！

他那滑稽的小嘴咧開著，就像一張弓，

下巴上的胡子潔白如雪。

他的牙間緊咬著一個(gè)煙斗，

白煙就像花環(huán)繞著他的頭。

他的臉龐寬寬，肚子圓圓，

笑起來，肚子就像一碗抖動的果凍。

他身形圓圓胖胖，是個(gè)不折不扣的快活老頑童，

我看到他時(shí)情不自禁地笑起來！

他轉(zhuǎn)過頭向我眨眨眼，

一下就讓我知道無須驚慌。

他一聲不吭就去干活了，

把每只長襪裝滿就急忙轉(zhuǎn)身。

他把手指放在鼻子旁，

點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭又上了煙囪！

他躍上雪橇，向他的鹿隊(duì)吹了聲哨，

他們就像薊花的絨毛一樣輕飄飄地飛走。

在他駕著雪橇走遠(yuǎn)前，我聽到他大喊：

“大家圣誕快樂！諸位晚安！”

賞析

每到圣誕前夜，孩子們把長筒襪放到床邊，然后美美地睡下，等待矮矮胖胖的圣誕老人從煙囪上跳下來，把自己的襪子填滿……這個(gè)圣誕前夜的習(xí)俗流傳已久，但你或許并不知道其由來與一位名叫克萊門特·克拉克·穆爾（1779─1863）的圣經(jīng)學(xué)教授有關(guān)。相傳穆爾在1822年12月24日，為他的孩子寫下這首名為《A Visit From St. Nicholas》（又稱《Twas the Night Before Christmas》）的經(jīng)典詩作，隨后匿名發(fā)表，引起廣泛回響，并且廣為傳抄。自此這個(gè)“穿紅衣、駕雪橇”的嶄新圣誕老人形象便深入人心。時(shí)至今日，在圣誕前夜給孩子朗讀這首詩仍然是許多美國家庭保留的傳統(tǒng)。

圣誕節(jié)是世界上影響最大、流傳最廣的節(jié)日。當(dāng)人們興高采烈地歡慶圣誕時(shí)，那些關(guān)于圣誕的傳說更透出一份溫馨和神圣的光芒。年歲日長，我們終會明白圣誕老人并不存在，愿望也并非靠祈禱就能成真，但我們依然愿意把這份純樸和天真?zhèn)鹘o孩子們，在他們心中播下善良的種子。圣誕的鐘聲又響起，讓我們再一次默念心中的期盼：世界和平，好人一生平安！翻譯、賞析：未幾