The Lantern of Marrow Cove

For as long as anyone could remember, the lighthouse at Marrow Cove had never gone dark. Twelve-year-old Wren lived at its foot with her grandmother, the keeper, and she knew every one of its hundred and one stairs.

在人们记忆所及的岁月里，马罗湾的灯塔从未熄灭过。十二岁的伦恩和她的祖母——那位灯塔看守人——就住在灯塔脚下，她熟悉塔里那一百零一级台阶中的每一级。

One stormy night, the great lamp flickered and died. Ships would come with the tide, and without the light they would break upon the rocks.

一个暴风雨的夜晚，那盏巨大的灯忽明忽暗，终于熄灭了。船只随着潮水就要到来，没有灯光，它们就会撞上礁石。

Her grandmother's knees were too old for the climb. So Wren took the spare oil, a box of matches, and a stubborn kind of courage, and began to climb.

祖母的膝盖已经太老，爬不动那么高的塔了。于是伦恩拿上备用的油、一盒火柴，还有一份倔强的勇气，开始往上爬。

The stairs groaned beneath her feet. Wind pushed through the cracks in the walls and tried to steal her small flame.

台阶在她脚下发出呻吟。风从墙壁的裂缝中钻了进来，想要吹灭她手中那点微弱的火苗。

Halfway up, she found the reason for the darkness. A gull had built its nest against the lamp, and the oil line was clogged with feathers and salt.

爬到一半时，她发现了灯熄灭的原因。一只海鸥在灯旁筑了巢，输油管被羽毛和盐粒堵住了。

Wren worked with cold fingers, clearing the line piece by piece. Twice the wind blew out her match, and twice she lit it again. She thought of the ships out on the dark water, and she did not stop.

伦恩用冻僵的手指，一点一点地清理着油管。风两次吹灭了她的火柴，她又两次重新点燃。她想到那些还在黑暗海面上的船只，便没有停下来。

At last the oil flowed freely, and Wren touched her flame to the wick.

终于，油顺畅地流动起来，伦恩把火苗点上了灯芯。

Light burst out across the water, sweeping over the waves like a hand pushing the ships gently away from the rocks. Far below, she heard her grandmother cheer.

光芒骤然照亮了整片海面，像一只手轻轻地把船只从礁石边推开，扫过层层波浪。在塔底下很远的地方，她听见祖母欢呼起来。

In the morning, the fishermen came to thank the new keeper of the light. Wren only smiled and looked up at the tower.

第二天早上，渔夫们前来感谢这位新的灯塔看守人。伦恩只是笑了笑，抬头望向那座高塔。

Some lights, she understood now, are kept burning by those who are brave enough to climb.

她如今明白了，有些灯光，正是靠着那些有勇气去攀登的人，才得以一直燃烧下去。