一顆特別碩大的種子， 從母親身體中迸出來,

蹦得比其他兄弟姐妹都遠, 掉進了森林中被大火燒後的沃土。當它翠綠發紅的新芽從泥土中冒出頭來時, 它聽見它母親歡叫的聲音：「好壯的小子啊！」

  在陰暗的森林裡, 它以其他幼苗趕不上的速度向陽光的空隙衝去，接受頂上落下來點點滴滴甜美的雨水。母親催眠的歌聲夜夜訴說給它聽藍天白雲外一個榮耀的世界，「快快長啊，小寶貝。」

  十呎、二十呎、它畢直地向上長去,優雅地向四周伸展它茂盛的枝葉,七十呎、八十呎、它比母親還高了。從別的樹梢灑眼望去,它遐想著那無盡的天邊會有些什麼？

  一團採購的人來到, 他們一致認為它將是今年發現全國最美的一棵聖誕樹, 果真拉開尺來一量,一百一十二尺, 果真比去年的還高三尺。一根像緞子似的黃色寬塑膠帶開始在它的腰間飄蕩, 引起周圍夥伴們不斷的羨慕。

  「兒啊，你將有你特別的使命!」母親對它說。

  秋天到了，森林裏許多樹的葉子變黃變紅,隨風飄落,更顯出它的蔥蘢蓬勃。終於在十二月中,砍伐小組帶著他們最新的配備來到森林。機器一開，白亮的刃片在它根部忽地鋸過。它不由地遍身顫抖,便被小心翼翼地安放在一節紅色的拖車上。拖車載著它緩緩地向林外開去。

  祝你好運！」歡送聲音四起。它清楚地聽見母親在它身後帶著嗚咽的道別:「記得你的使命，親愛的兒啊，再見了!」

  「再見啊! 母親， 再見!」它混身的樹眼湧出陣陣潮濕。

拖車在高速公路上飛奔, 將它的離情暫時一掃而空。來往車輛都對紅色拖車上藍綠、身驅長又豐滿的它投以驚奇讚美的眼光,它不由得感到一陣驕傲。

它被載到一個濱海依山的小城，山坡上佈滿著一幢幢豪華的住宅和它們綠寶石般的游泳池。它先被放了下來, 一隊工作人員立刻聚集在它身邊,有的替它噴上翠綠的新衣,有的給它繫上大紅的緞帶和結子, 有的將金色、銀色的玻璃球掛滿它全身。它斜眼望去, 附近辦公大樓二十層的玻璃窗映出了它幾乎認不出來是它自己的晶亮面目。

晚上,工作人員都走了，孤零零的它, 看見另外一批清潔工人推著車子, 將一堆堆大塑膠袋扔到離它不遠的一排垃圾箱中。張口的袋子露出五顏六色的冷飲杯,堆著剩餘炸薯條、比薩餅的速食紙盤, 還有在百貨公司櫥窗中陳列過,色彩精美, 但已被拆得支离破碎的包裝紙。

  從海港的方向襲來濃濁的酸霧, 凝聚在它四周, 使它窒息，一陣陣打著它的細雨, 點點滴滴從它的枝葉滾下, 竟是那樣的苦澀。白茫茫中, 何處是綠色的家鄉? 清新的空氣? 還有母親溫柔訴說過的它的使命,「是嗎？是嗎？母親啊。」

  終於它與大家正式見面的大日子來臨了， 連夜, 工作人員再為它作最後的打扮,將它移到購物中心廣場。整天, 它面對著海的港灣，陽光下, 兩邊鏡子般的高樓反映著它的華麗。

  黃昏，人群從四面八方湧來，廣場的燈照得比白晝還亮. 媒體各界密密麻麻圍繞在它四周。慶祝假日的音樂在廣場四周踞高臨下的擴音器中響起。一陣電流, 片刻驚慄,它枝上萬個小燈泡全部亮了起來。 一群白鴿從它的身後飛出, 掠過它的頭梢, 飛向自由。  鎂光燈像天上繁星似地閃爍。

  聖誕快樂！它出現在億萬家電視螢幕上。 在這平安、聖善之夜, 此時此刻它給全世界帶來了和平的祝福與希望。 鐘聲迴響在遠山近谷, 海港上空爆出千紫萬紅的焰火, 一次又一次地照亮它。母親在黃昏的夢中此時必看到了它的榮耀。在千萬個五彩淚珠小燈泡的閃爍下, 它勇敢地站立在那裏。

The Christmas Tree

            A seed, unusual in its size, bursts forth from his mother’s bosom and jumps

further than any of its siblings, into the dark fertile soil which is rich because of the recent fire. When his two jade-green wings lift him above the ground, he hears his mother’s glee, “What a wondrous offspring of mine!”

            In the shaded forest, he stretches toward the sun and drinks in the sweet rain from the

sky above. His mother’s voice sings a nightly lullaby, “Grow my child, grow.”

            Ten feet, twenty, he lifts his arms high. His abundant leaves, young, energetic, and

elegant, reach out to all sides. Seventy feet, eighty, he grows taller than his mother.

He looks over the tops of other trees and dreams about the world beyond the forest, wondering what kind of surprises are there waiting for him.

            A group of scouting people come. They all agree that he is the most

handsome Christmas tree of the year. They measure him, one hundred and twenty-

eight feet, three feet taller than last year’s handsomest. A wide yellow ribbon is put around

him, making leaves of other trees flutter with envy.

            “You have been chosen,” his mother says to him.

            Fall arrives. Many leaves turn yellow and red and drift away with the wind, revealing his extraordinary beauty. In the middle of December, the workers come. They turn their newest machine on him. The white silvery blade cuts through his bottom in just a few seconds, a sudden sharp shudder. Then he is gently put on the flatbed of a red truck and slowly carried away.

            “Good luck in your adventure!” voices of congratulations surround him.

            He clearly hears his mother’s sobbed blessing, “Remember your destiny, my child. Goodbye!”

            “Goodbye, Mother!” Drops of fluid ooze out all over his trunk, running uncontrollably along the bark.

            The truck, picking up speed, carries him away. The wind washes away his parting melancholia. Cars alongside him, both coming and going, praise his handsomeness

and unusual size.

            The truck drives him to a city by the ocean. The slopes are full of mansions with

gleaming white walls and russet roofs. Jade swimming pools dot the backyards.

            He is transported carefully to a secret place at the back of a big shopping center.

Workers immediately gather around him. Some spray green mist onto his needles.

Some put red ribbons on his small branches. Some hang gold and silver decorations and

millions of tiny tear-like bulbs all over him. He glances out from where he stands. The glass walls of twenty-story-high buildings reflect his glittering new look. He can

no longer recognize himself. 

            In the evening, all the workers leave. He stands alone and sees another group of

workers pushing gigantic garbage cans passing him. They dump trash into a row of bins not far from him. The gaping black bags reveal leftover pizza stuck on plastic plates, shriveled French fries, and shiny wrapping paper already discarded from the display windows. From

the harbor a sour fog mixed with the fetid smell of trash nauseates him. The bitter rain beats on him incessantly.

            He misses home, the fresh air and the sweet raindrops in the forest, and his mother’s soft voice singing him to sleep.

            Finally, it is the day that he meets with the holiday crowds. He is wheeled to the center of the plaza. Holiday music showers from loudspeakers at the four corners of the plaza. The crowd gathers around him. A sudden electric current goes through him. He shudders. Millions of tiny drops on him light up. A flock of white doves fly over him

and disappear into the night sky. Flashlights flicker everywhere, brighter than the stars above.

            “Merry Christmas!” Millions of television sets are tuned to him as he appears on screen. In the silence of the holy night, he has brought blessings, hopes of peace, and future prosperity to the whole earth. The bright carillon mingle with the sounds of bright fireworks dazzling the sky above. The brilliant displays go on around him, again and again. Mother in her evening dream must have seen his glory at this very moment.

            In the twinkling of millions of teardrop lights, he bravely smiles.