It is the last afternoon before the Festival of Lights. Ximena's workshop is full of paper, glue and thin bamboo. Many lanterns hang from the roof. They glow in blue and gold and green.
这是灯节前的最后一个下午。希梅娜的作坊里堆满了纸、胶水和细竹条。许多灯笼从屋顶垂下来，泛着蓝色、金色和绿色的光。
In the middle of the room stands the biggest lantern of all. It is a heron, taller than two people. Its wings are white silk. Its eyes are two small round lamps.
房间正中立着最大的一盏灯笼。那是一只苍鹭，比两个人还高。它的翅膀是白色的丝绸，眼睛是两盏小小的圆灯。
Ximena makes one great lantern every year. Tonight, the town will see it.
希梅娜每年做一盏大灯笼。今晚，全镇的人都会看到它。
Egon walks in with a long wooden shape on his shoulder. It is an oar. The blade is pale and worn. One side has a deep scratch.
埃贡肩上扛着一件长长的木制物件走进来。那是一支桨。桨叶颜色发白，已经磨旧，一面有一道很深的划痕。
"I found it behind the boat shed," he says. "It is the only spare oar left."
“我在船棚后面找到的，”他说。“这是剩下的唯一一支备用桨。”
"Why an oar?" asks Ximena.
“为什么要桨？”希梅娜问。
"You need something. The heron has no pole, and no steering stick."
“你需要点东西。苍鹭没有杆子，也没有操纵用的棍子。”
She looks at the heron. He is right. The lantern has a place for a pole under its feet. The old pole broke last week. The wood for a new one is not dry.
她看着苍鹭。他说得对。灯笼的脚下有放杆子的位置。旧杆子上星期断了。新杆子要用的木料还没干透。
"So the oar must be the pole," she says.
“这么说，桨就得当杆子，”她说。
"Or the oar must be an oar," says Egon.
“或者桨就得当桨，”埃贡说。
Ximena frowns. "What do you mean?"
希梅娜皱起眉头。“什么意思？”
"The festival has two ways to end," says Egon. "Some people march the great lantern through the streets. Some people float it down the river in a boat. We have to choose one."
“灯节有两种收尾的方式，”埃贡说。“有些人扛着大灯笼在街上游行。有些人把它放在船上，顺河漂下去。我们得选一个。”
Ximena knows this already. Each way is good. Neither way is wrong. She has only one oar. She can prepare only one of them.
希梅娜早就知道这一点。每种方式都很好，哪种都没有错。可她只有一支桨。她只能准备其中一种。
"If we march," she says, "the oar becomes the pole. Four people carry the heron on the pole. Everyone in town can see it."
“如果游行，”她说，“桨就成了杆子。四个人用杆子扛着苍鹭。镇上的人都能看见它。”
"If we float," says Egon, "the oar steers the boat. The heron shines on the water. The river carries the light away."
“如果漂流，”埃贡说，“桨就用来给船掌舵。苍鹭在水面上发光。河水把光带走。”
"Which do you like?"
“你喜欢哪个？”
"I like the streets," says Egon. "I want to hear the children shout when it passes."
“我喜欢街上，”埃贡说。“我想听孩子们在它经过时欢呼。”
"I like the river," says Ximena. "But I do not know why."
“我喜欢河，”希梅娜说。“可我不知道为什么。”
They both go quiet. The lanterns move above them.
两个人都沉默了。灯笼在他们头顶轻轻晃动。
Then Ximena has an idea. She lifts the oar. She carries it to the washing trough at the back. It is a long tub of water for her brushes.
这时，希梅娜有了个主意。她举起桨，把它扛到后面的洗涮槽边。那是一只长长的盛水木桶，用来洗她的画笔。
"What are you doing?" asks Egon.
“你在干什么？”埃贡问。
"A test," says Ximena. "A small test with a big answer."
“做个测试，”希梅娜说。“一个小测试，换一个大答案。”
She puts the blade of the oar into the water. For a moment nothing happens. Then a soft light begins at the end of the wood. It is a faint silver glow, like the moon on a pond.
她把桨叶放进水里。起初什么也没发生。接着，木头的一端泛起一点柔和的光。那是一缕微弱的银光，像池塘上的月亮。
Egon steps closer. The glow runs up the oar to Ximena's hands. It does not hurt. It feels cool and quick, like a fish.
埃贡走近了些。那光顺着桨一直爬到希梅娜的手上。它不疼，感觉清凉而敏捷，像一条鱼。
"It knows the water," Ximena whispers.
“它认得水，”希梅娜低声说。
"It is an oar," says Egon. "Of course it knows the water."
“它是桨，”埃贡说。“当然认得水。”
"No. Look."
“不。你看。”
Ximena lifts the oar out of the trough. The glow fades at once. She puts a bamboo pole in the tub instead. Nothing happens. The pole is only a pole.
希梅娜把桨从水槽里提了出来。光立刻熄了。她改把一根竹竿放进槽里。什么也没发生。竹竿只是竹竿。
"The oar likes the river," says Egon slowly.
“桨喜欢河，”埃贡慢慢地说。
"And the heron likes it too." Ximena points to the lantern. Its wing lamps blink, one by one. They shine brighter when the oar is near the water.
“苍鹭也喜欢。”希梅娜指着灯笼。它翅膀上的灯一盏接一盏地闪烁。桨靠近水的时候，它们更亮了。
"But the streets," says Egon. He sounds sad. "The children will miss it."
“可是街上呢，”埃贡说，听上去有些难过。“孩子们会错过的。”
"I know," says Ximena. "A new pole needs a week. We do not have a week."
“我知道，”希梅娜说。“做一根新杆子要一个星期。我们没有一个星期。”
"Then the oar must choose," says Egon.
“那就让桨来选吧，”埃贡说。
"It did," she says. "The oar is special. I cannot use it as a stick."
“它选了，”她说。“这支桨很特别。我不能把它当棍子用。”
Egon laughs. He puts the oar down on the table and sits beside it.
埃贡笑了。他把桨放在桌上，坐在它旁边。
"All right," he says. "The river. But I have one wish."
“好吧，”他说。“走河路。不过我有一个心愿。”
"Tell me."
“说吧。”
"Four friends carry the heron down one street. It is a short walk. The children can still see it."
“让四个朋友把苍鹭抬着走过一条街。路很短。孩子们还是能看到它。”
Ximena thinks about it. This is a good idea. It is not both choices, but it is a kind plan. The heron will pass the school, the market and the old gate. Then it will reach the water.
希梅娜想了想。这是个好主意。它不是两个选择都要，却是一个体贴的计划。苍鹭会经过学校、市场和老城门。然后它会来到水边。
"One street," she says. "Not the whole town."
“一条街，”她说。“不是整个镇子。”
"One street is enough."
“一条街就够了。”
They shake hands over the oar. It is heavy and smooth. The light inside it glows once, like a heartbeat.
他们隔着桨握了握手。它沉甸甸的，光滑温润。里面的光亮了一下，像一次心跳。
They work until the sun goes down. Egon fixes the heron's wings with new thread. Ximena paints a thin line of gold along the oar's blade. She covers the scratch with silver paint. When she finishes, the oar looks like a piece of the river.
他们一直干到太阳落山。埃贡用新线固定了苍鹭的翅膀。希梅娜沿着桨叶描了一道细细的金线。她用银漆盖住了那道划痕。完工后，这支桨看上去像是河流的一部分。
At dusk, the first drums sound outside. The town begins to gather. Voices rise in the street, and children laugh.
黄昏时分，第一阵鼓声从外面传来。镇上的人开始聚集。街上人声渐起，孩子们笑着。
Ximena holds the oar in both hands. Egon and three friends lift the heron by its base. The wings catch the light of every lantern on the wall.
希梅娜双手握着桨。埃贡和三个朋友托起苍鹭的底座。翅膀捕捉着墙上每一盏灯笼的光。
At the workshop door, Ximena stops. The river waits at the end of the road. It is dark and quiet and wide. She feels the oar warm in her palms.
在作坊门口，希梅娜停住了。河就在路的尽头等着。它黑暗、安静而宽阔。她感到掌心里的桨暖暖的。
"Egon," she says. "Do you want to steer, or do I?"
“埃贡，”她说。“你来掌舵，还是我来？”
