■ 哥哥歌唱的奇迹　The Miracle of a Brother’s Song

◎ Henry Clarke

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy’s tummy.

像其他的好妈妈一样，当卡伦发现自己又怀孕时，她就尽力帮她3岁的儿子迈克尔做好准备，迎接这个新生儿的到来。他们知道这是个女孩，于是，日复一日，夜复一夜，迈克尔趴在妈妈的肚子上，为他的小妹妹唱歌。

The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the labor pains come. Every five minutes ... every minute. But Complications arise during delivery. Hours of labor. Would a C-section be required? Finally, Michael’s little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren[38] howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal[39] intensive care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee.

卡伦是田纳西州莫里森市卫理公会教堂的活跃分子，她的怀孕期进展正常。接着产前阵痛就来临了。每5分钟一次……每分钟一次。但在分娩过程中出现了并发症，阵痛持续了几个小时。是不是需要剖腹产？最终，迈克尔的小妹妹降生了，但她的情况很糟糕。伴着夜间警报器的鸣叫声，救护车把婴儿送到田纳西州诺克斯维尔市的圣玛丽医院，新生儿重症监护病房。

The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatric specialist tells the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.” Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby—now they plan a funeral.

日子一天天过去了。这个小女儿的情况愈来愈糟。小儿科专家告诉这对父母：“希望非常渺茫。请做好最坏的打算吧。”卡伦和她的丈夫联系了当地一家公墓，安排了葬礼的计划。他们曾在家里布置好一间特别的婴儿房——现在却要计划一个葬礼。

Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, “I want to sing to her.” he says. Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over. Michael keeps nagging[40] about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not.

迈克尔一直乞求父母，让他进去看看小妹妹。“我想唱歌给她听。”他说。这是重病特护的第二周了。看来好像到不了这周结束，葬礼就要来临了。迈克尔不断地缠着要给小妹妹唱歌听，然而重病特护区不允许儿童入内。不过卡伦下定了决心，不管他们愿不愿意，她都要带迈克尔进去。

If he doesn’t see his sister now, he may never see her alive. She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. He looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, “Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed.” The mother raises up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head nurse’s face, her lips a firm line. “He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!” Karen tows Michael to his sister’s bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings:

如果现在他看不到他的小妹妹，就再也没机会见到她了。卡伦给儿子穿了一身特大型的洗刷服，带他走进加护病房。他看起来就像一个行走的洗衣篮，不过护士长认出来这是一个孩子，便吼道：“马上带那个孩子离开这儿！小孩禁止入内。”卡伦的母性变得坚强起来，这位平日里温柔的女士用坚毅的目光盯着护士长的脸，坚定地说：“他不会离开的，除非给他的妹妹唱首歌。”卡伦拉着迈克尔走到他小妹妹的床前。他凝视着这个不再为生存挣扎的小婴儿，开始唱歌。用3岁孩子单纯的心声，迈克尔唱道：

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray—”

“你是我的阳光，我唯一的阳光，当天空灰暗时，你能让我快乐——”

Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.

女婴立刻有了反应。脉搏的跳动开始变得平稳起来。

Keep on singing, Michael. “You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away—” The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten’s purr.

迈克尔继续唱着：“亲爱的，你从不知道我有多么爱你。请不要把我的阳光带走——”不规则的、紧张的呼吸开始变得平滑，像小猫的呼噜声那般安稳。

Keep on singing, Michael. “The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms ...” Michael’s little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over her.

迈克尔继续唱着：“亲爱的，那天晚上当我睡着，我梦到我把你抱在怀中……”他的小妹妹仿佛休息般地放松下来，复原般的休息似乎在她身上扩展开来。

Keep on singing, Michael. Tears conquer[41] the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don’t, take my sunshine away.”

迈克尔还在唱着。泪水在护士长的脸上肆意流着。卡伦变得容光焕发。“你是我的阳光，我唯一的阳光。请别把我的阳光带走。”

Funeral plans are scrapped. The next day—the very next day—the little girl is well enough to go home!

葬礼计划取消了。第二天——就在第二天——小女孩好了起来，可以回家了！

Woman’s Day magazine called it “the miracle of a brother’s song”. The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God’s love!

《妇女日》杂志称之为“哥哥歌唱的奇迹”。医护人员说这就是一个奇迹。卡伦说它是上帝之爱的奇迹。

超多双语阅读，尽在听力课堂