皇帝的新衣英文版（包括中文翻译）

皇帝的新衣英文版（包括中文翻译）
皇帝的新衣英文版（包括中文翻译）

皇帝的新衣英文版（包括中文翻译）
Preface
Thirty years ago I wrote a few dozen stories for children and those published here have been selected from among them.My intention was to call upon children to take an interest in real life and be attentive to things around them.
After "The Statue of the Ancient Hero"appeared in a Chinese reader a great number of teachers and students wrote to me about it,each holding a different view as to the moral of the story and asking whether their interpretation of it was correct.In my replies I could only tell them what I had in mind when I wrote it and that the moral would be divulged only at the end.The greatest significance in life for the stones of all sizes lay in forming a solid road for people to walk on.Before the road was built the hewing of the great rock into the statue of a hero and the use of the smaller stones for its base were of rather minor significance.When the big stone became proud after having been hewn into the statue of a hero,thought himself high and mighty and looked down upon the others,I only guessed at the "psychology" of that big rock.And when I wrote about how the smaller stones felt about the big one's pride,I was also only venturing a guess at how they must have felt.
"The Language of Birds and Animals" was written at the time when Mussolini launched his war of aggression against Abyssinia."The Experience of a Locomotive" was written during the Japanese imperialist invasion of China when the entire Chinese people had a strong desire to resist the Japanese but were prevented from doing so by the reactionary Kuomintang government.To point out this one fact is sufficient for our foreign readers and there is no need for further explanation.
It must be made particularly clear,however,that the actual conditions in China as related in my stories began to change on a nation-wide scale in 1949.The Chinese people,under the leadership of the great Communist Party of China,carried out a thoroughgoing revolution against the unreasonable old social system and took up the struggle against a ruthless nature.Though it has been only ten years since the task was begun,the face of China is already entirely changed.
If the thrush were flying now,he would certainly meet with many happy adventures wherever he went.There would be no end to his joyful praises.And if the scarecrow were standing in the fields now he would see large tracts of well-cared-for farmland,protected by rows of shelter belts and water flowing in irrigation canals.None of these things could he have seen ten years ago.He would be surprised to see the great enthusiasm the peasants show for their work.How well they work together,smiles on their faces,their songs echoing above the clouds!Such things never happened ten years ago.He would also find it strange to see such sturdy crops and rich harvests.Are these the same as the crops that were planted ten years ago?The scarecrow would begin to feel sorry for himself in an entirely different way.He would reproach himself for being immobile like a tree rooted in the ground,unable to take so much as half a step,but for which he would have long since joined the peasants in their work.
The sensitive plant 1 would never have occasion to feel ashamed of itself for anything,because all that brought shame on it has vanished for ever.True,its leaves may still fold and droop as a bashful child lowers its head but this happens only when the children touch it out of curiosity,for the children like to see it act that way,and how can it disappoint them?
But changes have taken place not only in China; the whole world has moved on.Where is Mussolini today?The whole continent of Africa,like a giant awakened from a deep sleep,has stood up proudly and stretched out its arms to the rising sun.True,there are still men of Mussolini's ilk in the world.Sometimes we say,"Here is a second Mussolini" and "There's a third." But they can never run amuck as did Mussolini himself because they are closely watched by giants standing guard on every continent.Besides,these Mussolini men might not relish the thought of a public hanging in Milan.
Thus,almost all the stories in this volume deal with events of the past.This is just right!Isn't it the custom to begin children's stories and fables with "Once upon a time ...