What must I do, to tame you?" asked the little prince.
“那么我该怎么驯服你呢?”小王子说。
"You must be very patient," replied the fox. "First you will sit down at a little distance from me--like that-- in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me, every day…"
“应当非常耐心。”狐狸回答道,“开始你就这样坐在草丛中,坐得离我稍微远些。我用眼角瞅着你,你什么也不要说,话语是误会的根源。但是每天你坐得靠我更近些……”
The next day the little prince came back.
第二天,小王子又来了。
"It would have been better to come back at the same hour," said the fox. "If, for example, you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances.
“最好还是在原来那个时间来。”狐狸说道,“比如说,你下午四点钟来, 那么从三点钟起,我就开始感到幸福。时间越临近,我就越感到幸福。
At four o'clock, I shall already be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am! But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you… One must observe the proper rites…"
到了四点钟的时候,我就会坐立不安,就会发现幸福的代价。但是,如果你随便什么时候来,我就不知道该在什么时候准备好我的心情……应当有一定的仪式。”