Getting out of the back of the truck I stood in at a ranch home
從卡車(chē)后面翻身下車(chē)，我來(lái)到這座牧場(chǎng)里的木屋前

that was set back from the dirt road
木屋蜷縮在那條泥濘的公路里側(cè)

just enough to be completely shaded by the biggest oak tree I had ever seen.
正好被一株橡樹(shù)投下的樹(shù)陰完全籠罩，那是我見(jiàn)過(guò)的最大的橡樹(shù)

The house was square with a rusty old screened in porch that went all the way around.
木屋四面環(huán)繞著一圈封閉式的門(mén)廊，銹跡斑斑，衰朽不堪

I found out later it was built around 1860 and was completely constructed with square nails.
據(jù)我后來(lái)得知，這座木屋大約是在1860年建造的，全部用方頭釘建成

To the left was a very impressive carriage barn with several vacant horse stalls.
木屋的左邊是一座龐大的馬車(chē)車(chē)廂，旁邊還有幾個(gè)空空的馬廄

I could tell by the ware on the wood of these stalls
從馬廄的木料上被磨損的痕跡我能看出

that at some time in the past
在過(guò)去的某個(gè)時(shí)候

this now quiet barn was a very active and important part of life on this ranch.
這座如今寂靜無(wú)聲的谷倉(cāng)曾經(jīng)充滿喧囂，在牧場(chǎng)的生活中扮演著自己重要的角色

The trunk of the oak tree was the corner of a fenced off section, out from one of the stalls strolls a huge cow.
橡樹(shù)的樹(shù)干正好在一連串牛棚的拐角，這些牛棚邊緣被柵欄圍了起來(lái)，一只身形巨大的奶牛在牛棚外面閑庭散步。

It was the biggest animal I had ever seen.
它是我見(jiàn)過(guò)的體型最大的動(dòng)物。

This cow comes right towards me as if we knew each other.
奶牛徑直朝我走過(guò)來(lái)，就像我們倆很熟悉似的

I step back away from the fence thinking what it wants.
我向后退步，離開(kāi)圍籬，想著它想要干什么

She lifted her head enough to get it between the top and second fence rail
它把頭抬起來(lái)，正好從圍欄最高一格和第二格中間的縫隙里探出頭來(lái)

which was good because she was still moving forward
這樣挺好，因?yàn)樗€在向前移動(dòng)

when she bumped the fence and it strained and squeaked trying to hold her as she pushed that enormous head towards me
奶牛那只龐大的腦袋還是直直對(duì)著我，它開(kāi)始用頭撞圍欄，圍欄被撞變形，發(fā)出吱吱嘎嘎的聲音，竭力阻攔前者。
.

Rodger said that's daisy Rodger
告訴我，那頭母牛名叫Daisy

Seemed like everything daisy did was in slow motion
似乎Daisy的一舉一動(dòng)都是以慢動(dòng)作進(jìn)行的

and I was fascinated by the gentle animal...
我對(duì)這只溫柔的動(dòng)物著了迷

We became close friends over the next couple of years
在之后的幾年中，我們變成了親密的朋友

and she marked the beginning of my life long affection love and understanding of animals.
以它為起點(diǎn)，我的心里生出對(duì)動(dòng)物的關(guān)愛(ài)和理解，這種關(guān)愛(ài)和理解延續(xù)了一輩子

Over time, I managed to explore every inch of that place.
過(guò)了一段時(shí)間，我已經(jīng)把牧場(chǎng)周?chē)拿恳淮缤恋囟继剿髁艘槐?/div>

Today I am proud of the knowledge I have about the place that I call home.
如今，對(duì)這個(gè)我稱(chēng)為家園的地方我積累了百科全書(shū)般的知識(shí)，對(duì)此我感到驕傲

Well a couple summers went by
幾個(gè)夏天匆匆過(guò)去

and Kenny asked me to go with him to help his brother over at the ranch of course I went.
Kenny請(qǐng)我跟他的哥哥一起到農(nóng)場(chǎng)那頭去，幫忙干農(nóng)活。我欣然前往。

While Kenny was talking with Roger, I went to hang out with Daisy.
Kenny和Roger交談的時(shí)候，我走去跟Daisy一起玩耍

Standing at the pen I though how strange.
站在圍欄邊，我心想，這多么奇怪呀。

For the last two years since we met, whenever I was around the ranch she was at the fence watching me.
我們相識(shí)已經(jīng)兩年了，可是每次我走到圍欄邊，它都會(huì)跟著走到圍欄邊來(lái)看著我。

I looked for the gate to be opened but it wasn't
我等著它撞開(kāi)欄門(mén)走出來(lái)，它卻遲遲沒(méi)有出現(xiàn)。

so I went into the barn and there she was,
我走進(jìn)谷倉(cāng)，它果然在那

I walk up talking to her and shaking the bucket of apples
我走近它，跟它說(shuō)話，還搖晃著手中的一桶蘋(píng)果，想吸引它的注意

but she didn't move
它卻一動(dòng)不動(dòng)

Daisy's head was stuffed into the corner of the barn like she was frightened.
Daisy正把腦袋埋在谷倉(cāng)的角落里，似乎受到了驚嚇。

I drop the pail thinking something is wrong and I have to tell Roger.
我放下裝蘋(píng)果的桶，心想一定是出了什么事，我得告訴Roger。

I ran as fast as I could out the barn accost the pen
我以最快的速度跑出谷倉(cāng)，穿過(guò)馬廄

and normally I would go over the fence
通常我會(huì)從圍欄上翻過(guò)去

but I was in far too big of a hurry
但此刻我得趕時(shí)間

so I dove on me belly and slid right under the thing.
于是便趴在地上，從圍欄下面的縫隙爬了過(guò)去

I ran around to the front of the house and up on the porch.
我跑到房子正面，登上門(mén)廊

Where's everybody I yell as my eyes searched the house in seconds.
我邊用眼睛迅速掃視房屋各處，邊沖四處喊叫，想找到其他人

They’re not in the house maybe the fruit shed!!!
他們不在屋里，或許在果棚里？

As I leap off the porch on the other side of the house,
我跑到房間另一邊，從門(mén)廊上跳下來(lái)

The vet I see explains what is wrong with Daisy and sends me in to a fright before my feet even hit the ground.
在我的腳到達(dá)果棚之前，已經(jīng)有一股恐懼襲上我的心頭，因?yàn)槲铱匆?jiàn)一股獸醫(yī)，這讓我明白了Daisy到底出了什么問(wèn)題。

Temporarily hidden in a cloud of dust I hear the silence of death.
天上是淺灰色的烏云，我聽(tīng)到云中傳來(lái)死神的寂靜之聲。

I took off for home, about an hour's walk through the woods
我從牧場(chǎng)跑了出去，在樹(shù)林里徐徐步行，大概度過(guò)了一個(gè)小時(shí)的時(shí)間

but it took me all day for some reason.
但理清思緒卻花了我一天的時(shí)間

I remember walking in the house well past dark.
我記得，直到天擦黑的時(shí)候，我才走回房里。

I knew my mom would be worried sick.
我知道母親一定為我著急壞了

I was never home past dark without telling her.
我從沒(méi)這樣，在不告訴她的情況下天黑才回家過(guò)。

Mom and I had a deal.
我跟母親有一個(gè)約定

I could leave in the morning and be gone all day without checking in.
我可以早晨就出門(mén)，一整天都不回家

but I had to be home by dark without fail.
但是我一定得在天黑前回家

When I came in the house, my mom was standing in the kitchen with her arms out
當(dāng)我回到家里時(shí)，母親正站在廚房里，兩只胳膊朝我伸過(guò)來(lái)

and I broke down in tears while she hugged me.
我的淚水奪眶而出，母親抱住了我

Mom said Kenny came by and told her what had happened.
母親說(shuō)Kenny來(lái)過(guò)，把事情經(jīng)過(guò)都告訴了母親

The next thing I know it's morning.
后來(lái)如何我不記得了，只記得第二天早上

For the first time in my life
有生以來(lái)第一次

I entered the day with a huge hole in my heart
新一天來(lái)臨時(shí)，我感到心里有一個(gè)巨大的黑洞

that only a day before wasn't there.
就在一天以前那個(gè)黑洞還不在那兒。

That's when I was acquainted with the feelings of loss.
直到此刻，我才明白什么是失去的感覺(jué)

Over the years I have acquired many of these holes
多年之后，我的心上已經(jīng)有了許多這樣的黑洞

and before my time is up their will be plenty more.
到我大限之期到來(lái)之前，我的心上會(huì)有更多黑洞

Some of the lessons life taught me come from love and happiness
生活給我的啟示中，有些來(lái)自愛(ài)和幸福

and some come from love and sadness.
還有一些來(lái)自愛(ài)和悲傷

I think they are equally important teachers.
無(wú)論是哪一種，我想它們都是重要的人生導(dǎo)師

?

翻譯：小木