Ted 的故事 3:我的名字是 TED! “My name is TED !”

story-3-1-river-bank-in-sunset-684x400

3-1.  Mother Nature

寧謐寂靜的大自然,應是青蛙家族的理想居所。至少,這裡不愁食物,小蝌蚪們愛吃的水藻隨處可見。偶然,青蛙先生青蛙太太還會找到一些昆蟲的屍體裹腹。然而,小蝌蚪們的日常生活並不輕鬆。

青蛙夫婦對於教育子女是一絲不苟的。每天,這群初生小蝌蚪都要上課學習。除了學習覓食和求生技能外,牠們還須背誦弟子規,學習如何與大自然的其他生物相處,目標是將來成為一隻才德兼備的好青蛙。這一天,青蛙先生對孩子們訓話。

青蛙先生:「二千多年前,人類世界有一位聖賢,他將人類社會的文明與智慧,傳給了幾個物種,青蛙是其中之一。這些大智慧,經我們祖先代代的承傳下去,我們的社會因而有了很大的進步。到後來,青蛙繁衍成為很多的品種和家族。然而,有幸能受到祖先文明所薰陶的,漸漸成為少數族群,我們是其中之一。我們的使命,是要將祖先的文化遺產保存,再傳給下一代。」

青蛙太太:「今後,你們都要用心好好學習喔!」

Here, Mother Nature provided a serene nesting ground for many species. At the very least, food was in abundance in this gifted land.  Algae, the main diet for tadpoles, was easy to be found.  For the tadpoles, all was good, except ………  THEY HAD TO ATTEND SCHOOL!

This was a day for history lesson.

Mr. Frog, “More than two thousand years ago, a sage from the homo sapien world shared the secret of their civilization with a number of other species.  Frog was lucky enough to be one of them.  The Great Teaching, as we called it, was then passed down from generation to generation.  Through time, the frogs have evolved into many kinds and many clans.  The sad fact is : families who have never heard of the Great Teaching become the majority today.  We belong to a lineage of frogs tasked with the duty of preserving and spreading the Great Teaching. This is both a great honour and a great responsibility.”

Mrs. Frog, “This is the reason you have to attend school.”

story-3-2-trespassing-684x400

3-2. Crossing Over

雖然爸爸和媽媽劃下界線,淺水區以外就是禁區。爸爸和媽媽告誡子女不要進入禁區,但小蝌蚪們始終是天性頑皮貪玩,很想到處冒險探奇,去看看外面的世界。這天,大哥、大姐們嚷著叫大伙兒跟牠們走岀去闖一闖………

小蝌蚪T:「爸爸媽媽說前面會有危險,大家還是不要去吧!」

小蝌蚪甲:「我們只是逗留一會便走,你膽小就不要跟來!」

Mr. and Mrs. Frog had clearly mapped out the shallow water zone for their children. The tadpoles were instructed to stay inside that area for their own good.  Nevertheless, it was always tempting for young hearts to cross the boundary to see the world on the other side.  Today, Tadpole A volunteered to lead everyone to breach the boundary.

Tadpole T, “Dad and mum said it would be dangerous!”

Tadpole A, “Don’t follow if you are a faint-hearted !”

story-3-3-the-turtle-684x400

3-3 The funny stone

大伙兒游到了一個小山丘,山丘上有一塊有腳的石頭,大家覺得很新奇,大哥建議大家來個比賽,在石頭上滑下去,看誰最快。

小蝌蚪T:「爸爸媽媽說過,到新環境就要先躲藏起來,打探一會,切忌魯莽闖禍!」

小蝌蚪甲:「石頭又有甚麼好怕!」

The pack of tadpoles breached the border despite Tadpole T’s pleading.  They came to a small hill with a funny looking stone on top of it.  The stone was round and had four pillars on its sides.  Tadpole A suggested to rest and play there but Tadpole T was worried.  Again, his objection fell on deaf ears.

story-3-4-the-angry-turtle-684x400

3-4. “Who wake me up!”

這塊古怪的石頭,是一隻沉睡的淡水龜。大伙兒的吵鬧,把牠吵醒了。睡眼惺忪的水龜變得憤怒,雖然不餓,也決心教訓這一班混蛋。水龜追了過去,要吃掉小蝌蚪。小蝌蚪們拼命地逃走。

The funny looking stone was actually a turtle dozing off after feeding.  The playful kids were noisy and woke up the turtle.  With sleepy eyes, the turtle was very angry as any turtle would after being disturbed in her sleep.  She decided to take action and chased after the tadpoles.  The tadpoles made a run for their lives.

story-3-5-hidding-from-turtle-684x400

3-5 “You will pay for this!”

小蝌蚪T記得剛才來的時候,沿路有個一石頭堆。在情急下,便叫大伙兒跟著牠跑。牠帶著兄弟姐妹們,逃到了石頭堆。小蝌蚪T大嚷,分散水龜的注意力,讓大伙兒有時間躲進了石隙中。

Tadpole T came up with an escape plan.  He led his siblings to a pile of stones with a lot of small cracks.  He made noises to distract the turtle’s attention so as to give his brothers and sisters time to hide.

story-3-6-we-are-sorry-684x400

3-6. “We are sorry!”

勇敢的小蝌蚪T,救了自己的兄弟姐妹,自己卻險些兒葬身龜腹。最後,牠總算能逃出生天。躲了一會,水龜走了,大伙兒很慚愧地來找小蝌蚪T,卻看見牠的尾巴受了傷,是剛才被水龜咬傷了。

小蝌蚪甲:「是我們不好,大家都很感謝你!」

小蝌蚪T:「弟子規教我們應兄友弟恭,這是我的責任!」

While he was brave, Tadpole T almost ended up as snack for the turtle.    Fortunately, the turtle was not hungry and let Tadpole T escaped.  After the turtle was gone, everyone came out of their hidings to check on Tadpole T only to find that his tail was bleeding.  Everyone felt sorry for him.

story-3-7-he-saved-us-684x400

3-7 Telling the Saga

回到家中,小蝌蚪甲將今天發生的事情,原原本本的告訴父母,大家都稱讚小蝌蚪T的勇敢和機智,而且都很後悔沒有聽從父母的叮囑,答應以後不會再犯錯。

Back home, the tadpoles were honest and told their parents about what happened today.  They were grateful for what their little brother had done for them and felt sorry for his injury.

story-3-8-thy-name-is-ted-684x400

3-8. “Thy name is Ted!”

青蛙先生在眾子女前指著小蝌蚪T說:「牠在你們當中年紀最小。然而,牠有一顆善良而富有責任感的心。以後,牠的名字就是 TED,TED以後就是你們的領袖。這個名字,也曾是我們很久以前,一位德高望重的祖先的名字。這位祖先,曾帶領著很多個青蛙家族,逃岀了黑暗恐怖的沼澤地帶,才來到這裡安居。牠也教導我們,不要做自私自利的事,要對社群有所貢獻。」

Mr. Frog (pointing to Tadpole T and speaking to all the children), “What he did was exemplary of what a good leader would do.  From now on, Ted is his new name.  He is your new leader.  Ted was also the name of our great ancestor who had led many frog families out of the Black Swamp, a place of horror and destruction, before we came here.  He taught us not to be selfish.  He told us to serve the greater good.”

story-3-9-we-love-ted-684x400

3-9. “We love TED !”

TED的無比喜悅,並非來自一個新的名子,而是因為獲得了一個身份的認同。TED的行為,完全是出於善良的本能。由始至終,牠從沒想過要當領袖,也不太明白以後會有甚麼責任和挑戰。無論如何,兄弟姐妹們,都非常擁戴TED,而且很高興有了一位新領袖。

Ted was now exuberant, not because he had a new name, but because he was given a gift of identity.  Ted did what he did out of sheer instinct.  He never thought of becoming a leader and certainly had no idea what it really meant.  Nevertheless he was happy.  His brothers and sisters loved him and welcomed him as their leader.