小女孩和20隻鬆鼠精

小女孩和20隻鬆鼠精

2024年10月9日

有個小女孩，七歲，叫莎拉。她的父母隻有她一個孩子。一個學期結束了，學校放假兩周。莎拉的同學們，大部分都去這裏或者那裏和父母一起休假去了。莎拉的父母沒有什麽錢，也沒有什麽時間，他們都要上班。媽媽為了照顧她，要她一個人在樓下玩耍，自己則在樓上電腦前一直劈劈啪啪地忙著；直到做飯的時間，才下來給莎拉做飯。

莎拉一個人玩久了，很孤單。但是怎麽辦呢？假期的時光就這麽一天天地孤單過著。

忽然有一天上午，有個小男孩出現在莎拉家的後院裏。小男孩敲敲玻璃門，問莎拉自己可以和她一起玩嗎？莎拉高興地點了點頭，讓小男孩進來了。明明快到夏天了，小男孩還穿著厚厚的外套，兩隻眼睛明亮又好奇地四處打量。小男孩說，他叫肖恩，在這附近住了很久了，但是從來沒有進到這房子裏麵玩過。肖恩說著，在室內嫌熱，就把厚外套脫掉，放在沙發上。莎拉和肖恩，一起玩橡皮泥、拚圖、畫畫、做手工，高興極了，整個上午都在咯咯咯咯笑個不停。

快到中午時分，肖恩說，他要走了，因為莎拉的媽媽要下樓做飯了，也因為肖恩要回家睡午覺了。肖恩說，自己白天一定要睡午覺的，隻有早晨和傍晚才是玩耍時間。但傍晚時分，莎拉的媽媽會在樓下準備晚飯，肖恩不願意過來。莎拉依依不舍地和肖恩告別了，約定肖恩明天再來。

不一會兒，媽媽下樓做午飯的時候，莎拉興奮地告訴了媽媽關於肖恩的一切。媽媽嗯啊嗯啊地應著，好象一直在想著工作上的事情，也好象以為女兒在編故事給她聽，並沒當真。

第二天，肖恩又來玩了一上午。這次，他帶來了一個鬆果和一塊鬆脂給莎拉做禮物。莎拉從來沒有見過那麽大的鬆果，也從沒有聞過那麽香的鬆脂。

午飯前肖恩又走了。他一出門，就忽悠一下不見了。莎拉又和媽媽談了半天肖恩，並把鬆果和樹脂拿給媽媽看。媽媽驚訝地盯著女兒，說：“我們家後院是密閉的，肖恩真的是從後院來的、又從後院走的嗎？”莎拉看著媽媽，肯定地點了點頭。

下午的時候，媽媽下樓來，拿著一團細細的絲線，柔聲告訴莎拉：“明天呀，要是肖恩再來，你把這絲線的一頭，係在他的外套上。”

第三天上午，在肖恩入迷地玩樂高的時候，莎拉悄悄地把絲線係在了肖恩的外套一角。 午飯時間前，肖恩穿上外套，又走了。細細的絲線隨著肖恩，飛快延伸出去。

媽媽下樓的時候，拉著莎拉，看那絲線一路延到了附近的一棵古老繁茂的鬆樹頂上，在高高的藍天中和綠色的樹枝間若隱若現地漂浮著。

媽媽找來剪刀，盡可能多地剪掉了漂浮的絲線。然後，她告訴莎拉，肖恩喜歡吃橡果、花生、鬆籽。下午的時候，媽媽就帶莎拉去買了一些。

第四天，肖恩再來的時候，莎拉把一盤橡果、花生、鬆籽拿出來。肖恩一看，果然高興極了，吃個不停。肖恩告訴莎拉，其實自己是隻鬆鼠，已經550歲了，就住在附近的大鬆樹上。莎拉驚奇地睜大眼睛：“550歲了？你怎麽看起來和我一樣大？我才七歲。”肖恩笑笑說，在鬆鼠王國，550歲隻是個小男孩。他長到400歲，才可以把自己變成一個小男孩。他的玩伴，很多都800歲、900歲，甚至1000歲了呢。臨走的時候，肖恩問，明天可以帶兩個朋友來嗎？莎拉高興地答應了。

第五天一早，媽媽準備了更多的堅果，就上樓去工作了。肖恩果然帶了兩個朋友來，一個男孩叫查理，一個女孩叫莉娜，都比肖恩的年齡大一點。查理說自己850歲了，莉娜說自己720歲了。四個人吃各種各樣的堅果、玩各種各樣的遊戲，高高興興地渡過了一個上午。

第六天吃完早飯，莎拉興奮地等待著自己的朋友到來。這時候，後院呼呼啦啦來了20個小朋友，領頭的就是肖恩、查理和莉娜。後麵跟著或大或小的男孩女孩，有的看起來好象還在讀幼兒園，全都好奇地朝室內望著，怯怯不敢進來。他們一看到莎拉端出堅果盤，就激動起來，馬上開始排隊，所有的眼睛都盯著那果盤，卻不敢靠近。肖恩、查理和莉娜幫著莎拉，給每個小朋友都分發了一個橡果、兩顆花生和三粒鬆籽。有的小朋友，拿到堅果立即跑開了，躲到一邊吃起來。幾個膽大的，留下來和莎拉玩耍了一個上午。

終於，學校的假期要結束了。莎拉想著要返回學校，見到自己分別兩周的20個同學，卻要和鬆鼠夥伴們告別了，高興又傷心。她和鬆鼠小夥伴們約定，下個假期再見！

A GIRL WITH 20 SQUIRLS

There was a little girl, Sara, 7 years old. She was parents’ only child. In a two-weeks’ school holiday, most of Sara’s school friends went holidays with parents. Sara’s parents did not have much money. They had to work every day. In order to look after Sara, mom decided to work from home. Yet she’s busy with her computers upstairs all times. Sara had to play downstair, alone. Mom did not come downstairs until she needed to cook lunch for Sara.

Sara was lonely. But what could she do? It was a really lonely school holiday.

One morning, a little boy appeared in Sara’s backyard, out of surprise. He knocked glass door, asked if he could come in. Sara nodded, and let him in. The little boy said his name was Shaun, had been living nearby for long, but never visited Sara’s house. Shaun had a pair of bright shining eyes, looking around Sara’s house curiously. It was nearly summer. Soon Shaun felt too warm wearing coat indoor. He took it off, and left it on a couch. Sara and Shaun played playdough, puzzles, and colouring happily, giggling all the time.

When near lunchtime, Shaun said he’d have to go. Sara’s mom would come downstairs soon, and Shaun himself needed to have middle-day nap. Shaun said that he must have middle-day nap, every day. His play time was only at early mornings, or late afternoons. Sara’s mom would be preparing dinner late afternoon, so Shaun wouldn’t come. Sara said goodbye and asked Shaun to visit her again tomorrow morning. Shaun agreed.

When mom came downstairs preparing lunch, Sara told mom everything about Shaun. Mom responded with “oh, yeah, really, is it”, yet her mind seemed still on the computer things. Or, perhaps mom thought Sara made a story up altogether.

The next morning, Shaun visited again. He brought a pinecone and a piece of resin this time, as presents to Sara. Sara never saw such a ginormous pinecone and a pleasantly smelling resin in her life.

Shaun left again before lunchtime. He just disappeared as soon as left the backdoor. Sara again talked a lot about Shaun when mum came down, and showed her the pinecone and resin. Mum was surprised. She asked: “there are no other entries to backyard. Are you sure Shaun came and left in backyard?” Sara nodded affirmatively.

In the afternoon, mum brought a ball of silk thread, and spoke to Sara softly: “tomorrow, if Shaun visits again, you tie the silk thread to his coat, okay?”

The next morning, when Shaun was concentrated playing Lego toys, Sara tied the silk thread to his coat.

A few hours later, Shaun put on coat and left before lunchtime, as usual. The fine silk thread extended out rapidly upon Shaun’s disappearance.

When mum came downstairs, they discovered that the silk thread extending to the top of a very old, strong and big pine tree, the thin silk thread floating in blue sky and among green branches.

Mum cut out as much silk thread as possible. After a while, she told Sara that Shaun loved eating acorns, peanuts and pine nuts. They shopped for some in the afternoon.

In the fourth morning, Sara presented a plate full of acorns, peanuts and pine nuts when Shaun visited again. Shaun was so excited. He enjoyed it whole-heartedly. Shaun told Sara that he was actually a squirl, 550 years old, living on the nearby pine tree. Sara was so surprised: “550 years? Why you looked like my age? I am just 7.” Shaun smiled. He said, 550 is a young age in squirl kingdom. He was able to transform himself to a boy only at 400 years old. A lot of his playmates were older, 800, 900 or 1000 years old. Shaun asked: “can I bring them here tomorrow to play with you too?” Sara agreed excitedly.

In the fifth morning, mum left for upstairs after prepared more nuts. Soon Shaun showed up with two friends: a boy Charlie and a girl Lina, both looked slightly older than Shaun. Charlie said he’s 850 years old, and Lina said she’s 720. Four of them thoroughly enjoyed the nuts, played all sorts of silly games, had a wonderful morning together.

On sixth morning, after breakfast, Sara was excitedly expecting her friends. All of sudden, 20 kids appeared in the backyard. Apart from Shaun, Charlie and Lina, there were a group of younger girls and boys, some looked like still in ELC.  All of them looked at the indoor area with full of curiosity.

They became really excited when saw Sara brought out a basket of nuts. However, all of them were too shy to get closer. Shaun, Charlie and Lina helped Sara distributed the nuts. Every squirl got one acorn, two peanuts and three pine nuts. Some of them run away immediately, eating while hiding. Some not-so-shy ones, stayed on and played with Sara in the morning.

A few days later, the school holiday was over. Sara would need to go back to school and meet 20 school friends. However, she’d have to say farewell to squirl friends. It was mixture of feelings. Sara made a deal with Shaun: see you next school holiday!