介绍:
Sometimes Miguel Rivera thought he was cursed. If he was, it wasn't his fault. It was because of something that happened before he was even born.
有的时候，米格 · 里韦拉觉得自己被诅咒了。如果真是这样，那也不是他的错。事情要从他出生之前说起。
Long ago, in the town of Santa Cecilia, there was a family with a mamá, a papá, and a little girl. Their house was always full of joy — and music. The papá played guitar. The mamá and the girl danced. And everyone sang.
很久以前，圣塞西莉亚的一座小镇上住着一家三口，妈妈、爸爸和一个小女孩。这个家里总是充满了欢声笑语，还有音乐常伴左右。爸爸弹着吉他，妈妈和女儿跳舞， 大家一起唱着歌。
But the music in the happy house wasn't enough for the papá. His dream was to play for the world. So one day, he left with his guitar and never returned.
但是，幸福小家里的这点音乐对爸爸来说还远远不够。他的梦想是为全世界的人演奏。于是有一天，他带着吉他离开了家，再也没有回来。
Miguel didn't know what happened after that for the musician. But he sure knew what the mamá had done. The story of Mamá Imelda had been handed down in the Rivera family for generations.
米格不知道这个音乐家爸爸后来怎么样了。但他对那个妈妈的故事一清二楚。梅尔达曾曾奶奶的故事在里韦拉家族代代相传。
Imelda didn't waste one tear on that walk-away musician! She banished all music from her life, throwing away instruments and records, and found a job. Was it making candy? Fireworks? Sparkly underwear for wrestlers? No!
梅尔达没有为那个一走了之的音乐家浪费一滴眼泪！她扔掉了所有的乐器和唱片，将音乐逐出自己的生活，又找了份工作。是做糖果？做烟花？还是做摔跤手穿的亮闪闪的摔跤服？都不是！
Mamá Imelda made shoes. And so did her daughter. And then her son-in-law. And her grandkids. The Rivera business and the family grew in sync. While music tore the family apart, shoes held them together.
梅尔达做的是鞋子。后来，她女儿也跟着做鞋，接着是女婿，然后孙辈们也无一例外。里韦拉家族的鞋店生意就这样延续下来。这个因音乐而破碎的家庭，又因做鞋而紧密相连。
Miguel heard this story each year on Día de los Muertos: the Day of the Dead. He used to hear it from his Mamá Coco, but she didn't remember much anymore.
每年的亡灵节，米格都会听到这个故事。那是缅怀祖辈的节日。从前都是他的可可太奶奶讲给他听，但她现在已经记不得多少事情了。
This year, she sat in a wicker wheelchair, vacantly staring at the ofrenda, that special place in their house where Miguel's family placed remembrances of and gifts for their ancestors to honor them.
今年的亡灵节，她坐在一把柳条轮椅上，盯着灵坛，一脸茫然。 那是米格家专门摆放纪念品和礼物的地方，以此纪念他们的祖辈。
Miguel kissed her cheek. "Hola, Mamá Coco."
米格亲了亲她的脸颊。“嗨，太奶奶。”
"How are you, Julio?"
“你好吗，胡利奥？”
Miguel sighed. Sometimes Mamá Coco had trouble remembering things, like his name. But that made her the best secret-keeper! He told her pretty much everything — things he couldn't tell his abuelita, who ran their household with an iron fist.
米格叹了口气。可可太奶奶有时候会忘事，比如他的名字。但这也让她成了最好的保密人！他向太奶奶倾诉了几乎所有的心事，而这些事没法说给奶奶听。 奶奶是家里的铁腕人物，做事向来说一不二。
If Abuelita said he needed to eat more tamales, then Miguel ate more tamales.
如果奶奶命令他多吃点墨西哥玉米粽子，米格就会多吃一点。
If Abuelita wanted a kiss on her cheek, then Miguel kissed her cheek.
如果奶奶想要他吻她的脸颊，米格就会亲吻她的脸颊。
And if Abuelita caught Miguel blowing a tune over the top of a soda bottle — "No music!" — then Miguel would stop.
如果奶奶听到米格对着汽水瓶吹小曲，吼上一句："不许吹曲！" 米格就会停下。
Abuelita even yelled at passersby. "No music!" to the truck driver blaring his radio. "No music!" to the gentlemen singing while they strolled down the street. Her ban on music had affected all the aunts, uncles, and cousins, too.
奶奶甚至会朝陌生人大吼。她朝听收音机的卡车司机吼："不许放歌！"朝街上边散步边哼小曲的男士们吼："不许哼歌！"她对音乐的禁令影响了米格所有的叔叔阿姨，还有兄弟姐妹。
Miguel was pretty sure they were the only family in Mexico that hated music. The worst part was that no one in his family seemed to care.
米格十分肯定，全墨西哥只有他们一家人讨厌音乐。而最糟糕的是，家里竟没人在意这件事。
No one, that is, but him.
确切点说，没有人，除了他。
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