0304翻译：槐乡的孩子（尹黎）
Translation: Children of Huai Xiang (Yin Li)
(translated by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)
槐乡的孩子，从小就和槐树结成了伴。
Children of Huai Xiang have been accompanied by pagoda trees since they were little.
槐乡的孩子离不开槐树，就像海边的娃娃离不开大海，山里的孩子离不开石头。
Children of Huai Xiang could not be separated from pagoda trees, just like babies at seaside could not leave the seas or kids in mountains could not be taken away from rocks.
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八月，槐树打了花苞，
In August, floral buds come out.
那花苞米粒般大小，散发着淡淡的清香，不仔细闻是闻不到的。
Those buds are rice-sized, and they emit a faint fragrance which is hardly noticeable unless you really pay attention to your smelling.
小槐米藏在槐树丛中，轻轻地随风飘动。
Tiny pagoda buds hide in pagoda tree bushes and waver gently in wind.
它们一点儿也不惹人注意，却是槐乡孩子的宝贝。
They do not attract any attention but are treasures of Huai Xiang children.
槐米，可以入药，还能做染料。
Pagoda buds can be used as ingredients in herb medicine or dye.
勤劳的槐乡孩子是不向爸爸妈妈伸手要钱的，他们上学的钱是用槐米换来的。
Hard-working Huai Xiang children do not ask parents for money, and their tuition comes from selling pagoda buds.
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八月，天气热。鸡热得耷拉着翅膀，狗热得吐出舌头，蝉热得不知如何是好，在树上不停地叫着“知了，知了”。
It is August and the weather gets hot—so hot that chickens are slouching their wings, dogs are sticking out their tongues, and cicadas don’t know what to do and chirp nonstop on trees sounding like “I know, I know” in Chinese.
槐乡的孩子可不怕热，
However, Huai Xiang children are not afraid of heat.
他们背着水葫芦，带着干粮，
They carry water gourds on their backs and snacks somewhere else.
没等云雀开口歌唱黎明，就已经爬到小山上了。
Before skylarks start singing at daybreak, these children have already gone up a small hill.
男孩常常是爬到树上，用长长的钩刀一下又一下地削着槐米。
Boys usually climb up trees and use long hook-knives to cut down pagoda buds one after another.
一簇簇槐米落下来了。
Clusters of pagoda buds fall down.
女孩有的弯腰捡着，两条鞭子像蜻蜓的翅膀，上下飞舞着；
Some girls bend down to retrieve them and their twin-pigtails fly up and down like wings of dragonflies.
有的往篮里塞着槐米，头一点一点的，像觅食的小鸭子。
Others stuff pagoda buds into baskets and their heads bob up and down like ducklings hunting for food.
当缕缕炊烟从村中升起的时候，孩子们满载而归，
When wisps of uninterrupted kitchen smoke rise up in the village, children come home with their full loads.
田野里飘荡着他们快乐的歌声。
Their joyous singing drifts in the field.
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月落柳梢，
The moon sinks below branch tips of willow trees.
劳累一天的孩子们带着甜蜜的微笑进入梦乡。
After a hard day’s work, children go into dreamland with sweet smiles.
孩子们的小床下放着磨好的长钩刀、篮子。
Underneath their little beds are sharpened long hook-knives and baskets.
明天，只要是晴天，孩子们又将投入到火热的劳动中……
As long as it is good weather tomorrow, children will engage in grueling manual work again.
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