Caged birds

海波

（导读：爱，并不代表紧紧地抓在手中，而是要给予它广阔的空间，让其自由地飞翔。）

There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love. One day while she was walking in the forests， she found two thirsty songbirds. She took them home and put them in a small cage. She cared them with love and the birds grew strong. Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful song. The girl felt great love for the birds.

从前，有个孤独的女孩非常渴望得到爱。一天，她在丛林中漫步，发现两只快要饿死的鸟儿。她把它们带回家，放进一个小鸟笼里。在她细心照顾下，鸟儿逐渐强壮起来。每天早晨，鸟儿都用美妙的歌声向她道早安。女孩不禁对这两只小鸟产生了深深的爱意。

One day the girl left the door with the cage open. The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage. The girl was so frightened ， fearing that he would fly away. As he flew close， she caught him wildly. Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing him. Suddenly she felt the bird go weak. She opened her hand and stared in horror at the dead bird. Her extreme love had killed him.

一天，女孩把鸟笼的门打开了。那只又大又壮的鸟儿飞了出去。女孩很担心它会飞走，再也不回来了。于是当鸟儿飞近时，她拼命抓住它。她非常高兴，鸟儿终于又抓了回来。突然，她感觉鸟儿有些软弱无力。松开手，她惊恐地发现鸟儿死在她的手中。是她极端的爱害死了鸟儿。

She noticed the other bird moving back and forth in the cage. She could feel his great need for freedom. He needed to fly into the clear， blue sky. She lifted him from the cage and tossed him softly into the air. The bird circled once， twice， three times before he flew away.

她發现另一只鸟儿在笼里扇动着翅膀扑来扑去。她感受得到它也十分向往自由，渴望飞向湛蓝的天空。她把它从笼中拿起，轻轻地抛向空中。鸟儿盘旋了好几圈，才肯离去。

The girl watched happily at the birds enjoyment. Her heart no longer cared her loss. She wanted the bird to be happy. Suddenly the bird flew back and landed softly on her shoulder. It sang the sweetest song that she had ever heard.

看到鸟儿欢快的样子，女孩高兴极了。她的内心不再关心自己的得失。她希望鸟儿幸福。突然，鸟儿飞回来了，轻轻落在她的肩头，鸣唱起她从没听过的动人曲调。

（牢牢地将爱握于手心只会更快地失去爱；赋予爱一双翅膀，将它放飞，才会令爱永存！同学们，你们体会到这篇文章的深意了吗？爱“它”就给它自由。）