這是一本關(guān)于自我認(rèn)知的繪本。大象Elmer雖然和其他大象一樣有長鼻子误甚,大耳朵,龐大的身軀,但卻有著很特別的膚色剥纷。他一開始并不喜歡自己的不同娩鹉,甚至將同伴的友好和欣賞視為嘲笑牙瓢,于是他決定逃離象群并企圖改變自己酌儒。大象Elmer會(huì)收獲怎樣的經(jīng)歷呢?
There was once a herd of elephants.
從前有一群大象为居。
Elephants young, elephants old, elephants tall and short, fat and thin.
有年輕的碌宴,年老的,有高的蒙畴,矮的贰镣,有胖的,有瘦的膳凝。
All were different but all were happy and almost all were the same color.
他們各不相同,但卻一樣地快樂碑隆,并且.....有著差不多一樣的膚色。
All except Elmer.
除了Elmer蹬音。
Elmer was not elephant color.
Elmer的膚色不是灰色的上煤。
He was patchwork.
他是混合色。
Elmer was yellow and orange and red and pink and purple and blue and green and black and white.
是黃色著淆、橙色劫狠、紅色、粉色永部、紫色独泞、藍(lán)色、綠色扬舒、黑色和白色混合在一起的阐肤。
It was Elmer who kept the other elephants happy.
Elmer是大家的開心果。
Their games and jokes were always his idea.
他總能想到好玩的游戲和玩笑讲坎。
If an elephant was laughing, the cause was usually Elmer.
如果有大象在開心地笑,通常是因?yàn)镋lmer愧薛。
But Elmer himself wasn’t happy.
但是Elmer卻不開心晨炕。
"Whoever heard of a patchwork elephant?" he thought, "No wonder they laugh at me!"
他并不欣賞自己彩色的身體,因而大象們善意的笑毫炉,開心的笑瓮栗,在他看來是在嘲笑他。
One morning, just as the others were waking up, Elmer slipped away.
有一天早晨,趁著其他大象不注意费奸,他偷偷地溜走了弥激。
As he walked through the jungle, Elmer met other animals.
當(dāng)他穿過叢林時(shí),遇到了很多動(dòng)物愿阐。
"Good morning, Elmer," they said.
他們跟他打招呼:“早上好微服,Elmer.”
After a long walk Elmer found what he was looking for—a large bush covered with elephant-colored berries.
Elmer 走了很久,終于找到了他正在尋找的東西——一大叢長滿灰色漿果的植物缨历。
Elmer caught hold of the bush and shook it until the berries fell on the ground.
他用長鼻子勾住他以蕴,搖啊搖,把植物上的漿果都搖到了地上辛孵。
Then Elmer lay down and rolled over on the berries, this way and that.
Elmer 躺在漿果上打滾丛肮,用長鼻子拾起它們把自己渾身上下涂了個(gè)遍。
He picked up bunches of berries and rubbed himself all over until he was covered with berry juice.
他終于擁有了其他大象都有的“灰色”皮膚魄缚。
When he had finished, there wasn’t a sign of any yellow, or orange, or red, or pink, or purple, or blue, or green, or black, or white.
最后宝与,漿果的灰色蓋住了Elmer身上的所有顏色。
Elmer looked like any other elephant.
他看起來和他們并無二致了冶匹。
On his way back through the jungle, Elmer passed the other animals.
他愉快地穿過叢林往回走時(shí)习劫,又遇到了叢林中的動(dòng)物。
"Good morning, elephant," they said.
動(dòng)物們跟他打招呼:“早上好徙硅,大象榜聂。”
When Elmer rejoined the herd, none of the other elephants noticed him.
Elmer回到了象群嗓蘑,但沒有任何大象認(rèn)出了他须肆。
As he stood there, Elmer felt that something was wrong. But what?
但Elmer卻發(fā)覺有些不對(duì)勁。
He looked around: same old jungle, same old blue sky, same old rain cloud, same old elephants.
Elmer看了看周圍:一樣的叢林桩皿,一樣的天氣豌汇,一樣的烏云,一樣的象群泄隔。
The other elephants were standing absolutely still, silent and serious.
象群死氣沉沉的拒贱,伙伴們一個(gè)個(gè)安靜地僵硬地站著。
Elmer had never seen them so serious before.
Elmer從沒看到他們這么嚴(yán)肅過佛嬉。
It made him want to laugh.
他覺得好笑逻澳。
Finally he could bear it no longer.
他終于忍不住。
He lifted his trunk and, at the top of his voice, shouted—
舉起長長的象鼻暖呕,用最大的力氣斜做,打了一個(gè)超級(jí)響的噴嚏——
The other elephants jumped in surprise.
所有的大象都被嚇了一跳。
Elmer was helpless with laughter.
Elmer卻再也忍不住大笑起來湾揽。
Then the others began to laugh.
其他大象也跟著笑了起來瓤逼。
"Too bad Elmer isn’t here to share the fun," they said, langhing harder and harder.
他們笑得越來越大聲笼吟,只是,他們覺得遺憾霸旗,Elmer沒能一起分享這么快樂的時(shí)刻贷帮。
And then the rain cloud burst.
這時(shí),天開始下雨了诱告。
When the rain fell on Elmer, his patchwork started to show again.
雨水淋到Elmer身上撵枢,他身上的灰色被一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)洗掉。
"Oh, Elmer," gasped an old elephant as Elmer was washed back to normal.
“哦蔬啡,艾默爾诲侮,””他的彩色皮膚又顯現(xiàn)出來了。
"You’ve played some good jokes, but this has been the biggest laugh of all. What would we do without you ?"
“你開過很多玩笑箱蟆,但這是最棒的玩笑沟绪。沒有你我們?cè)趺崔k?”
"We must celebrate this day every year," said another.
“我們必須每年的這一天來慶祝空猜≌来龋”其他大象說。
"The day of? Elmer’s best joke."
"這是Elmer開過的辈毯,最棒的玩笑坝疼。"
"All of us elephants will decorate ourselves in his honor," said a third.
“我們將會(huì)把自己染成彩色∽晃郑”
"And Elmer will decorate himself elephant color."
"而Elmer钝凶,則可以把自己染成普通大象的顏色。"
以后唁影,每年的這一天耕陷,大象們都會(huì)把自己染成各種各樣的顏色,歡快地游行据沈。
If you happen to see an elephant in the Elmer’s Day parade who is ordinary elephant color, you will know it must be Elmer.
而假如你在游行的隊(duì)伍中看到了一頭大象哟沫,他是普通的灰色,那一定是Elmer哦锌介。