The Story of a Stone
一個石頭的故事
In a small village nestled among the hills, there lived a young boy named Tom. Tom was known among his peers as a dreamer, someone who often stared at the sky with a faraway look in his eyes. But what they didn't know was that Tom had a very special friend: a stone.
在一個坐落在群山之間的小村莊裏，住著一個名叫湯姆的小男孩。湯姆在同齡人中被認為是一個夢想家，一個經常凝視著遠方，眼神迷離的人。但他們不知道的是，湯姆有一個非常特別的朋友：一塊石頭。
It was just an ordinary stone, picked up from the riverbed near his home. But to Tom, it was a symbol of his dreams and aspirations. He carried it with him everywhere, a constant reminder of his goals.
那只是一塊普通的石頭，是從他家附近的河床上撿來的。但對湯姆來說，它象征著他的夢想和抱負。他無論走到哪裏都帶著它，不斷提醒自己的目標。
Tom's family was poor, and his parents worked hard to make ends meet. They often told him to be practical, to focus on the here and now. But Tom's heart was set on something greater. He wanted to see the world beyond his village, to learn and explore.
湯姆的家庭很貧窮，他的父母努力工作以維持生計。他們經常告訴他要現實一點，要關註眼前的生活。但湯姆的心卻向往著更偉大的事物。他想看看村莊之外的世界，想學習和探索。
Every day, after his chores were done, Tom would sit by the river and hold his stone tightly. He would gaze at the horizon and imagine what lay beyond. Sometimes he would talk to the stone, pouring out his dreams and fears.
每天做完家務後，湯姆都會坐在河邊，緊緊地握著那塊石頭。他會凝視著地平線，想象著那邊有什麽。有時他會對著石頭說話，傾訴自己的夢想和恐懼。
As the years passed, Tom's peers settled into the routine of village life, getting married, having children, and working the fields. But Tom's dreams did not fade. In fact, they grew stronger.
隨著歲月的流逝，湯姆的同齡人們逐漸安於村莊的生活，結婚生子，在田地裏辛勤勞作。但湯姆的夢想並沒有消退，反而變得更加強烈。
One day, a traveling teacher came to the village. He saw Tom sitting by the river, lost in thought. Curious, he approached and asked what Tom was thinking about. Tom hesitated, then showed the teacher his stone and shared his dreams of seeing the world.
有一天，一個旅行的老師來到了村莊。他看到湯姆坐在河邊，陷入了沈思。出於好奇，他走近湯姆，問他在想什麽。湯姆猶豫了一下，然後給老師看了他的石頭，並分享了他想周遊世界的夢想。
The teacher was impressed. He told Tom that dreams were like seeds that needed to be planted and nurtured. He encouraged Tom to pursue his dreams, no matter how difficult the journey might be.
老師印象深刻。他告訴湯姆，夢想就像種子，需要播種和滋養。他鼓勵湯姆無論旅途多麽艱難，都要追求自己的夢想。
Inspired, Tom decided to take action. He bid farewell to his family and friends, and set out on a journey with his stone. He faced many challenges along the way: hunger, thirst, exhaustion. But whenever he felt like giving up, he would hold his stone tightly and remember why he was on this journey.
受到鼓舞的湯姆決定采取行動。他向家人和朋友告別，帶著他的石頭踏上了旅程。一路上，他面臨了許多挑戰：饑餓、口渴、疲憊。但每當他想放棄的時候，他都會緊緊地握住那塊石頭，提醒自己為什麽要踏上這段旅程。
After months of traveling, Tom finally reached his destination: a big city with towering buildings and bustling streets. It was everything he had dreamed of and more.
經過幾個月的旅行，湯姆終於到達了目的地：一座有著高樓大廈和繁華街道的大城市。這裏的一切都是他夢寐以求的，甚至比他想象的還要好。
Tom found work and started saving money. He sent some back to his family and used the rest to further his education. With each passing day, he felt closer to his dreams.
湯姆找到了工作，開始攢錢。他寄了一些錢回家，用剩下的錢繼續深造。每一天過去，他都感覺離自己的夢想更近了一步。
Years later, Tom stood on the balcony of his own house in that big city. He held his stone tightly and looked out at the horizon. He had achieved everything he had dreamed of and more. But he knew that none of it would have been possible without that small stone, which had been his companion and inspiration throughout his journey.
多年以後，湯姆站在那座大城市中自己的房子的陽台上。他緊緊地握著那塊石頭，凝視著地平線。他已經實作了自己夢寐以求的一切，甚至更多。但他知道，如果沒有那塊一直陪伴著他、激勵著他的小石頭，這一切都不可能實作。
The moral of this story is that dreams do come true if you believe in them and are willing to work hard. Just like Tom, we all have a stone within us that represents our dreams and aspirations. It's up to us to hold on to that stone and never let go, no matter what obstacles we may face along the way.
這個故事的寓意是，如果你相信自己的夢想並願意為之努力，那麽夢想就會成真。就像湯姆一樣，我們每個人的內心都有一塊代表著我們夢想和抱負的石頭。無論我們在路上遇到什麽障礙，都要緊緊抓住那塊石頭，永不放手。
