“Well，now，this is a surprise，a glorious surprise too.”said the paper.“I am now finer than ever，and I shall be written upon，and who can tell what fine things I may have written upon me.This is wonderful luck！”
“哎唷，这真是奇事，一件可爱的奇事！”纸说。“我现在比以前更美丽了，人们将在我身上写出字来！这真是绝顶的好运气！”
And sure enough the most beautiful stories and poetry were written upon it，and only once was there a blot，which was very fortunate.Then people heard the stories and poetry(poetry n.诗，作诗法，诗意，诗情)read，and it made them wiser and better.For all that was written had a good and sensible meaning，and a great blessing was contained in the words on this paper.
它上面写了字——写满了最美丽的故事。人们听着这些写下来的故事——这都是些聪明和美好的事情，听了能够使人变得更聪明和更美好。这些写在纸上的字是最大的幸福。
“I never imagined anything like this，”said the paper，“when I was only a little blue flower，growing in the fields.How could I fancy that I should ever be the means of bringing knowledge and joy to man？I cannot understand it myself，and yet it is really so.Heaven knows that I have done nothing myself，but what I was obliged to do with my weak powers for my own preservationpreservation n.保存。And yet I have been promoted from one joy and honor to another.Each time I think that the song is ended，and then something higher and better begins for me.I suppose now I shall be sent on my travels about the world，so that people may read me.It cannot be otherwise.Indeed，it is more than probable，for I have more splendid thoughts written upon me，than I had pretty flowers in olden times.I am happier than ever.”
“这比我是一朵田野里的小蓝花时所能梦想得到的东西要美妙得多。我怎能想到我能在人类中间散布快乐和知识呢？我连自己都不懂得这道理！不过事实确是如此。上帝知道，除了我微弱的力量为了保存自己所能做到的一点事情以外，我什么本事也没有！然而他却不停地给我快乐和光荣。每次当我一想到‘歌儿完了’的时候，歌儿却以更高贵、更美好的方式重新开始。现在无疑地我将要被送到世界各地去旅行，好使人人都能读到我。这种事情是很可能的！从前我有蓝花儿，现在每一朵花儿都变成了最美丽的思想！我在一切东西中是最幸福的！”
But the paper did not go on its travels.It was sent to the printer，and all the words written upon it were set up in type，to make a book，or rather，many hundreds of books.For so many more persons could derive pleasure and profit from a printed book，than from the written paper，and if the paper had been sent around the world，it would have been worn out before it had got half through its journey.
不过纸并没有去旅行，却到一个印刷所里去了。它上面所写的东西都被排成了书，也可以说几千几百本的书，因为这样才可以使无数的人得到快乐和好处。这比起写在纸上、周游世界不到半路就毁坏了的这种情况来，要好得多。
“This is certainly the wisest plan，”said the written paper，“I really did not think of that.I shall remain at home，and be held in honor，like some old grandfather，as I really am to all these new books.They will do some good.I could not have wandered about as they do.Yet he who wrote all this has looked at me，as every word flowed from his pen upon my surface.I am the most honored of all.”
“是的，这的确是一个最聪明的办法！”写上了字的纸想。“我确实没有想到这一点！我将待在家里，受人尊敬，像一位老祖父一样！文章是写在我的身上；字句从笔尖直接流到我的身体里面去。我没有动，而是书本在各处旅行。我现在的确能够做点事情！我是多么高兴，我是多么幸福啊！”
Then the paper was tied in a bundle with other papers，and thrown into a tubtub n.浴盆that stood in the washhouse.
于是纸被卷成一个小卷，放到书架上去了。
