2. Góa siūⁿ, he sī Sian-ko͘ pah
Hō͘ yi put-an ê sī, chun-hî chóng-sī kāng chi̍t-ê chu-sè; i bô ūi thang sóa-tāng; gîn-sek pak-tó͘ it-ti̍t téng-ē khí-lo̍h; nā bô, tō sī tāng to bô tāng. Yi m̄-chai i ū chia̍h siáⁿ bô, tī yi khì hóng-būn Joey Pony, khì kò-chûn, khì sé-e̍k lâm-liâng ê tiong-kan, yi tiu-tiu siūⁿ tio̍h i ê ki-iau. Yi chah mī-chhè sap-á lâi hō͘ i; ū chi̍t-pái yi chah chi̍t-bóe thâng lâi. I bô kha̍p yi chah ê si̍t-bu̍t. I kan-ta sī teh chhoán. Àⁿ lo̍h khòaⁿ i, yi án-ne siūⁿ, ná ū khó-lêng kui-ê kôaⁿ-thiⁿ, yi tī ha̍k-hāu ê sî, i tō í-keng tī chia ah. Kui-ê kôaⁿ-thiⁿ, tī O͘-àm Lō͘, ji̍t hām mê, ko͘ chi̍t-ê tī chia phiau-phû. Yi kā bō-á kîⁿ ah-lo̍h, khàm kàu hīⁿ-á hām chhùi-phé, kim-kim khòaⁿ i. Tng yi tó tī bîn-chhn̂g ê sî, yi mā iáu teh siūⁿ che.
Hit-sî sī la̍k-goe̍h bóe, chi̍t-nî tang-tiong ji̍t siōng tn̂g ê sî-chūn. Ji̍t-thâu tn̂g ló-ló í-keng chiò chi̍t lé-pài, sè-kài tit-boeh tio̍h hóe-sio ah. Sui-bóng àm-sî 10 tiám gōa, ji̍t-thâu iáu-sī kng koh iām. Yi tó thán-chhiò, kah chi̍t-niá chhn̂g-toaⁿ, siang-kha khui khui, chhì boeh pó-chhî liâng-sóng. Yi ē-tàng thàng-kòe léng-sam khòaⁿ tio̍h pòaⁿ-goe̍h -- in khùn tī it-lâu. In chiūⁿ-chhn̂g chìn-chêng, mama koh kā Stephen kóng chun-hî ê kò͘-sū, yi tó tī chhn̂g, koat-ì kō͘ kha-chiah-āu hiòng in, tha̍k ka-tī ê chheh. M̄-koh yi mā giàng chi̍t-pêng hīⁿ-á teh thiaⁿ.
"Chū án-ne, lo̍h-bóe, chit-bóe bô-ài lâu tī chhù ê gia̍t-thiok hî-á lú lâi lú tōa, chúi lú lâi lú sè..."
Yi kek-tōng kah that koh kiò, "Mama, mài kā he kóng chò chi̍t-ê khó-phà ê kó͘-chá tō-tek kò͘-sū!" Yin mama tō chhòng-chō chi̍t-ê Sian-ko͘, hit-ê Sian-ko͘ chah-lâi chē-chē ê chúi, kā chúi-khut té tīⁿ-tīⁿ, chúi lâu chhut-lâi piàn-chò chi̍t-tiâu sió khe, chun-hî tòe chúi phiau kàu ē-bīn ê hô khì. Ba̍k-chiu lia̍h goe̍h khòaⁿ, yi chai-iáⁿ bô Sian-ko͘ chit-lō tāi-chì, hit-bóe tī O͘-àm Lō͘ ê chun-hî iáu-sī chhoán kah ná chhiūⁿ chi̍t-tâi enjín. Yi thiaⁿ tio̍h ū-lâng teh ká thâng-si. Sī m̄-sī ū tōng-bu̍t boeh khì tiò hit-bóe hî?
Yi chē khí-lâi. Stephen chi̍t-oân sio-sio, khùn kah giān-giān. O͘-àm Lō͘ eng-kai ū chē-chē ê goe̍h-kng sap-á. Yi thiàu khí-lâi, khòaⁿ thang-á gōa-kháu, m̄-chai án-chóaⁿ chit-sî ká-ná bô hiah kng, yi khòaⁿ tio̍h hn̄g-hn̄g ê soaⁿ-iáⁿ hām o͘-sek léng-sam khiā tī chhoán-khùi tiong ê thó͘-tē téng, koh thiaⁿ tio̍h chi̍t-chiah káu teh pūi: bark-bark. Yi chēng-chēng the̍h chúi-ô͘, peh chhut thang-á, iân liâng koh chhak ê chio̍h-lia̍p-á chông hiòng pōng-khang kháu. Yi ê khùn-saⁿ chin té, só͘-tì yi chhoat-chúi ê sî, chúi lâm-tâm yi ê kha-ba̍k. Yi khòaⁿ ji̍p pōng-khang. Ū oa̍h-bu̍t tī lāi-bīn si-si sā-sā. Yi kín cháu ji̍p-khì, chông koh chhiong, koh tōa-siaⁿ kiò, "Oh, Thiⁿ ah, góa chhōe bô i," jiân-āu yi chhōe tio̍h. Kūi lo̍h tī hit-ê tâm só͘-chāi, yi chhun chhiú ji̍p hit-ê ku̍t-liu ê tōng. Hî-sin phia̍t-tāng ê sî, in nn̄g-ê lóng kiaⁿ kah boeh khí-siáu. M̄-koh, yi kā i teⁿ tio̍h, koh kā i that ji̍p chúi-ô͘ lāi, tō chhùi-khí kā ân, sûi khí-kha cháu kàu pōng-khang iáu chi̍t-thâu, koh iân lo̍h-kiā ê sió-lō͘ cháu kàu hô piⁿ.
Yi it-ti̍t kám-kak ē-tio̍h, i kō͘ bóe phia̍t chúi-ô͘ ê piⁿ. Yi kiaⁿ i khó-lêng ē thiàu chhut-lâi. Chio̍h-lia̍p-á chhak yi ê kha-té, it-ti̍t kàu yi lâi-kàu hô hōaⁿ ê liâng nńg-thô͘, chúi-bīn ê goe̍h-chhí (moon-mice) chǹg kàu yi ê kha khì. Yi tò-chúi ná khòaⁿ, it-ti̍t kàu i tóm chi̍t-siaⁿ lo̍h-chúi. Ū chi̍t bió-cheng, iáu ū khòaⁿ-e i tī chúi nih. Yi hi-bōng i bô iûⁿ-hîn. Koh-lâi, yi kan-ta khòaⁿ tio̍h goe̍h kng tī chēng-chēng lâu-tāng ê chúi-chhiò siám-sih, khòaⁿ tio̍h o͘ léng-sam, àm soaⁿ-iáⁿ, hām tī khòng-tōa thiⁿ-téng chhiò-bīn khòaⁿ yi ê hit-ê oan-khiau hoat-kng ê bīn.
Yi cháu peh-kiā, ji̍p thang-á, phiaⁿ-lo̍h chúi-ô͘, koh ná chiáu-á án-ne poe chiūⁿ bîn-chhn̂g. Káu bark-bark pūi. Yi thiaⁿ tio̍h thâng-si s-s ê siaⁿ. Yi siang-chhiú sio-siâm, ki-ki chhiò.
Yi ê ká-kî ná chhiūⁿ chi̍t-tiâu hoaⁿ-hí ê hô tī yi bīn-chêng tián-khui.
Keh-kang chá-khí, Stephen chông lâi yi bīn-chêng, tōa-siaⁿ hoah, "i" cháu khì ah, koh mn̄g kóng "khì tó-ūi" hām "ná-ē án-ne." Yi kā phīⁿ giâ koân, kek chi̍t-ê hong-sîn-khùi, kóng, "Góa siūⁿ, he sī Sian-ko͘ pah?" tō ná phah pho̍k-á ná kiâⁿ-khui.
--
2. 我想, 彼是仙姑 pah
Hō͘ 她不安 ê 是, 尊魚總是仝一个姿勢; 伊無位通徙動; 銀色腹肚一直頂下起落; 若無, tō 是動 to 無動. 她毋知伊有食啥無, tī 她去訪問 Joey Pony, 去划船, 去洗浴淋涼 ê 中間, 她 tiu-tiu 想著伊 ê 饑枵. 她扎麵粞屑仔來 hō͘ 伊; 有一擺她扎一尾蟲來. 伊無磕她扎 ê 食物. 伊干焦是 teh 喘. Àⁿ 落看伊, 她 án-ne 想, 那有可能規个寒天, 她 tī 學校 ê 時, 伊 tō 已經 tī chia ah. 規个寒天, tī 烏暗路, 日和暝, 孤一个 tī chia 漂浮. 她 kā 帽仔墘壓落, 崁到耳仔和喙䫌, 金金看伊. Tng 她倒 tī 眠床 ê sî, 她 mā 猶 teh 想這.
彼時是六月尾, 一年當中日上長 ê 時陣. 日頭長 ló-ló 已經照一禮拜, 世界得欲著火燒 ah. 雖罔暗時 10 點外, 日頭猶是光 koh 炎. 她倒袒笑, 蓋一領床單, 雙跤開開, 試欲保持涼爽. 她會當迵過冷杉看著半月 -- in 睏 tī 一樓. In 上床進前, mama koh kā Stephen 講尊魚 ê 故事, 她倒 tī 床, 決意 kō͘ 尻脊後向 in, 讀家己 ê 冊. 毋過她 mā giàng 一爿耳仔 teh 聽.
"自 án-ne, 落尾, 這尾無愛留 tī 厝 ê gia̍t-thiok 魚仔 lú 來 lú 大, 水 lú 來 lú 細..."
她激動 kah 踢 koh 叫, "Mama, 莫 kā he 講做一个可怕 ê 古早道德故事!" 姻 mama tō 創造一个仙姑, 彼个仙姑扎來濟濟 ê 水, kā 水窟貯滇滇, 水流出來變做一條小溪, 尊魚綴水漂到下面 ê 河去. 目睭掠月看, 她知影無仙姑 chit-lō 代誌, 彼尾 tī 烏暗路 ê 尊魚猶是喘 kah ná 像一台 enjín. 她聽著有人 teh 絞蟲絲. 是毋是有動物欲去釣彼尾魚?
她坐起來. Stephen 一丸燒燒, 睏 kah giān-giān. 烏暗路應該有濟濟 ê 月光屑仔. 她跳起來, 看窗仔外口, 毋知按怎這時 ká-ná 無 hiah 光, 她看著遠遠 ê 山影和烏色冷杉徛 tī 喘氣中 ê 土地頂, koh 聽著一隻狗 teh 吠: bark-bark. 她靜靜提水壺, peh 出窗仔, 沿涼 koh 鑿 ê 石粒仔傱向磅空口. 她 ê 睏衫真短, 所致她 chhoat 水 ê 時, 水淋澹 她 ê 跤目. 她看入磅空. 有活物 tī 內面 si-si sā-sā. 她緊走入去, 傱 koh 衝, koh 大聲叫, "Oh, 天 ah, 我揣無伊," 然後她揣著. 跪落 tī 彼个澹所在, 她伸手入彼个滑溜 ê 洞. 魚身 phia̍t 動 ê 時, in 兩个 lóng 驚 kah 欲起痟. 毋過, 她 kā 伊捏著, koh kā 伊 that 入水壺內, tō 喙齒咬絚, 隨起跤走到磅空猶一頭, koh 沿落崎 ê 小路走到河邊.
她一直感覺會著, 伊 kō͘ 尾 phia̍t 水壺 ê 邊. 她驚伊可能會跳出來. 石粒仔鑿她 ê 跤底, 一直到她來到河岸 ê 涼軟塗, 水面 ê 月鼠 (moon-mice) 鑽到她 ê 跤去. 她倒水 ná 看, 一直到伊 tóm 一聲落水. 有一秒鐘, 猶有看 e 伊 tī 水 nih. 她希望伊無羊眩. 閣來, 她干焦看著月光 tī 靜靜流動 ê 水面閃爍, 看著烏冷杉, 暗山影, 和 tī 曠大天頂笑笑看她 ê 彼个彎曲發光 ê 面.
她走 peh 崎, 入窗仔, 抨落水壺, koh ná 鳥仔 án-ne 飛上眠床. 狗 bark-bark 吠. 她聽著蟲絲 s-s ê 聲. 她雙手相尋, ki-ki 笑.
她 ê 假期 ná 像一條歡喜 ê 河 tī 她面前展開.
隔工早起, Stephen 傱來她面前, 大聲喝, "伊" 走去 ah, koh 問講 "去佗位" 和 "那會 án-ne." 她 kā 鼻夯懸, 激一个風神氣, 講, "我想, 彼是仙姑 pah?" tō ná 拍噗仔 ná 行開.
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2.
It troubled her that the trout was always in the same position; he had no room to turn; all the time the silver belly went up and down; otherwise he was motionless. She wondered what he ate and in between visits to Joey Pony, and the boat and a bathe to get cool, she thought of his hunger. She brought him down bits of dough; once she brought a worm. He ignored the food. He just went on panting. Hunched over him she thought how, all the winter, while she was at school he had been in there. All winter, in The Dark Walk, all day, all night, floating around alone. She drew the leaf of her hat down around her ears and chin and stared. She was still thinking of it as she lay in bed.
It was late June, the longest days of the year. The sun had sat still for a week, burning up the world. Although it was after ten o'clock it was still bright and still hot. She lay on her back under a single sheet, with her long legs spread, trying to keep cool. She could see the D of the moon through the fir-tree -- they slept on the ground floor. Before they went to bed her mummy had told Stephen the story of the trout again, and she, in her bed, had resolutely presented her back to them and read her book. But she had kept one ear cocked.
`And so, in the end, this naughty fish who would not stay at home got bigger and bigger, and the water got smaller and smaller. . . .'
Passionately she had whirled and cried, `Mummy, don't make it a horrible old moral story!' Her mummy had brought in a Fairy Godmother, then, who sent lots of rain, and filled the well, and a stream poured out and the trout floated away down to the river below. Staring at the moon she knew that there are no such things as Fairy Godmothers and that the trout, down in The Dark Walk, was panting like an engine. She heard somebody unwind a fishing-reel. Would the beasts fish him out!
She sat up. Stephen was a hot lump of sleep, lazy thing. The Dark Walk would be full of little scraps of moon. She leaped up and looked out the window, and somehow it was not so lightsome now that she saw the dim mountains far away and the black firs against the breathing land and heard a dog say, bark-bark. Quietly she lifted the ewer of water, and climbed out the window and scuttled along the cool but cruel gravel down to the maw of the tunnel. Her pyjamas were very short so that when she splashed water it wet her ankles. She peered into the tunnel. Something alive rustled inside there. She raced in, and up and down she raced, and flurried, and cried aloud, `Oh, Gosh, I can't find it,' and then at last she did. Kneeling down in the damp she put her hand into the slimy hole. When the body lashed they were both mad with fright. But she gripped him and shoved him into the ewer and raced, with her teeth ground, out to the other end of the tunnel and down the steep paths to the river's edge.
All the time she could feel him lashing his tail against the side of the ewer. She was afraid he would jump right out. The gravel cut into her soles until she came to the cool ooze of the river's bank where the moon-mice on the water crept into her feet. She poured out watching until he plopped. For a second he was visible in the water. She hoped he was not dizzy. Then all she saw was the glimmer of the moon in the silent-flowing river, the dark firs, the dim mountains, and the radiant pointed face laughing down at her out of the empty sky.
She scuttled up the hill, in the window, plonked down the ewer and flew through the air like a bird into bed. The dog said bark-bark. She heard the fishing-reel whirring. She hugged herself and giggled.
Like a river of joy her holiday spread before her.
In the morning Stephen rushed to her, shouting that `he' was gone, and asking `where' and `how'. Lifting her nose in the air she said superciliously, `Fairy Godmother, I suppose?' and strolled away patting the palms of her hands.
--
// 2022-8-21
