Once upon a time there were four seeds who were good friends of each other. Taken up by the wind they finally landed in a jungle clearing（空地）. There they remained, hidden in the ground, hoping they would be able to grow up and become beautiful trees. But when the first seed began germinating（萌芽）, they realized it wouldn't be such an easy task.
从前，有四颗种子，她们是好朋友。一阵风把她们刮到了丛林里的一片空地上。她们就待在原地，藏在土里，希望自己将来能长成俏丽的大树。 第一颗种子开始萌芽的时候，她们才意识到长成大树并不是件随意马虎的事儿。
In that clearing（空地） there lived a group of monkeys, and the smallest monkeys would amuse themselves by throwing bananas at any plant they noticed was starting to grow. Using this game, the monkeys learnt how to throw bananas and they also kept the clearing free of vegetation（植被）.
在这片空地上住着一群猴子，最小的猴子们一见到有成长迹象的植物就扔喷鼻香蕉玩儿，猴子们通过这个游戏学习如何扔喷鼻香蕉，这片空地上也从来不长植物。
They threw so many bananas at that first seed that it was almost split in two. And when it told the other seeds what happened, they all agreed it would be better to wait for that group of monkeys to move on, before they attempted to grow. Well, they all thought that, apart from one, who thought she should at least attempt it.
猴子们朝第一粒种子扔了好多喷鼻香蕉，这粒种子险些被砸成两半。她给其他种子讲述了自己的遭遇，大家都以为还是等这群猴子搬走之后再试着成长吧。 可是，有那么一颗种子还是以为至少该当试一试。
And when she tried she was pelted with（一贯被砸） bananas, and was left folded（折叠） over in two. The other seeds got together and asked her to stop trying, but that little seed was completely determined to become a tree, and time and again she would try and try.
她果真也遭到了喷鼻香蕉的攻击，搞得自己被折成了两半。其他的种子都来劝她别试了，但是小种子要长成大树的决心非常武断。她试了一次又一次。
On each new occasion the little monkeys had slightly improved their air（行为）, and so the little seed ended up doubled over yet again. But the seed didn't give up. Every time they pelted（投掷） her with bananas, she tried even harder, despite her friends begging her to stop, and telling her to wait until the monkeys left.
接下来的每一次小猴子们都稍稍改进投掷方法，小种子一次次被砸弯。 可是小种子从未放弃过。每次猴子们朝她扔喷鼻香蕉，朋友们都劝她放弃，见告她等猴子们走了就能成长了，可是她只会更努力。
And so, for days, weeks and months the little plant was attacked by the monkeys, and she always ended stooped （弯腰）and doubled over. For a few days she would manage to avoid the bananas, but then the next day some monkey would hit her, and it would all start over again.
就这样，一每天、几个星期乃至几个月过去了，小种子一贯被喷鼻香蕉砸来砸去，每次都砸得弯腰折断。有几天，她竟然能够躲开喷鼻香蕉了，可是接下来的一天，又有几只猴子砸她，统统又要从头再来。
And then, one day, she didn't double over. She was hit by a banana, and then another, but none of them managed to make her stoop. She had taken so many blows, and been doubled over so many times, that she was full of hard knots（结） and scars that helped her to grow more strongly than the other seeds.
后来，有一天，她没被砸断。一只喷鼻香蕉砸过来，接着又一只，但是没有一只能把她砸弯。她承受过太多打击，折断过太多次，周身遍布着坚硬的结节和伤疤，正是由于这样，她才比别的种子长得结实。
So, her slim trunk（ /trʌŋk/ 树干） got thicker and more resistant（抵抗力）, until it could withstand the impact of a banana. And she was already so well developed that nor could the little monkeys uproot（连根拔起） her from the ground. And there she stayed, growing, growing and growing.
她纤细的躯干变粗了，也更有抵抗力，终于禁得住一只喷鼻香蕉的击打了。她长势良好，连小猴子都不能把她连根拔起了。她就在原地长啊，长啊，一贯长。
Thanks to the extraordinary strength of her trunk she could continue overcoming all difficulties, until she became the most majestic（/məˈdʒestɪk/ 宏伟的） tree in the jungle.
凭着分外结实的躯干，她不断战胜了所有的困难，终于长成了丛林里最宏伟的树。
Meanwhile her friends remained hidden in the ground, and they continued as ever, hoping that those horrible monkeys would abandon the clearing（空地）, never realizing that those very same monkeys were the only ones capable of strengthening the seeds' trunks by their method of throwing bananas, something that would prepare the seeds for all the problems they would confront during their growth.
她的朋友们呢？都还待在土里，一如既往地盼着胆怯的猴子们离开空地，却没意识到正是由于那群猴子扔喷鼻香蕉，种子们才能长出结实的躯干。只要禁得住喷鼻香蕉的击打，就能面对成长过程中会碰着的所有问题。
众人只道“树欲静而风不止”，反过来，倘若风停，树又怎会为了哪怕少焉的安静而努力不迭？
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