THE BOY AT THE DYKE
水塘边的男孩
1.Let me tell you a story about a little boy in Holland，which I read in a book a good many years ago.Perhaps you have seen it before；but no matter；you will like to read it over again，I am sure.
2.This little boy was on his way home one night，from a village，to which he had been sent by his father on an errand，when he noticed the water trickling through a narrow opening in the dyke，a large bank which had been built up to keep out the sea.
3.He stopped，and thought of what would happen if the hole were not closed.He knew；for he had often heard his father tell of the sad disasters which had come from small beginnings，how in a few hours，the opening would become bigger and let in the mighty mass of water pressing on the dyke，until，the whole defense being washed away，the roiling，dashing，angry sea would sweep on to the next village，destroying life and property，and everything in its way.
4.Should he run home and alarm the villagers，it would be dark before they could arrive；and the hole，even then，might be so large as to defy all attempts to close it.What could he do toprevent such a terrible ruin？-he only a little boy！
5.I will tell you what he did.He sat down on the bank of the canal，stopped the opening with his hand and patiently awaited the passing of a villager.But no one came.
6.Hour after hour rolled slowly by，yet there sat the heroic boy，in cold and darkness shivering，wet，and tired，but stoutly pressing his hand against the water that tried to pass the dangerous breach.
7.All night he stayed at his post.At last morning broke，when a clergyman，walking up the canal，heard a groan，and looked around to see where it came from.
8.“Why are you there，my child？”he asked，seeing the boy，and surprised at his strange position.
“I am keeping back the water，sir，and saving the village from being drowned，”answered the child，with lips so benumbed with cold that he could hardly speak.
9.Then the astonished minister relieved the boy and sent him to alarm the villagers，who came out and mended the dyke，thus removing the danger which threatened hundreds of lives and vast amounts of property.
10.Heroic boy！What a noble spirit of self-devotedness he had shown！And what was it that sustained him through that lonesome night？Why，when his teeth chattered，his limbs trembled，and his heart was wrung with anxiety，did he not fly to his home？What thought bound him to his seat？
11.Was it not the responsibility of his position？Did he not resolve to brave all the fatigue，the danger，the cold，the darkness，rather than permit the ruin that would come if hedeserted his post.His mind pictured the quiet homes and beautiful farms of the people all desolated by floods of water，and he said to himself，“I will stay here and die at my post if need be.”
【中文阅读】
1.让我给你们讲一个荷兰小男孩的故事吧，这个故事是我在很多年前一本书中看到的。也许你们已经看到过，但是不管怎样，我相信你肯定想再看一遍。
2.一天晚上，这个孩子正在回家的路上，他刚刚从父亲送他去做工的村子里往家走。正在这时，他突然注意到水正从水塘的一个细小的裂缝里流出来，这个水塘是用来挡住海水的。
3.他停下来，思考着如果这个裂缝不堵住会出现什么情况。他当然知道会发生什么，因为他经常听父亲讲小纰漏导致大灾难的悲惨故事；他明白，几个小时之后，这个小裂缝就会裂得更大，更多的水会灌到水塘中，直到整个堤坝被冲走。奔腾不息、横冲直撞的愤怒的海水会一直奔流不止，冲到下一个村子，毁掉很多生命、财产，以及一切阻挡它的东西。
4.如果他现在跑回家去警告村子里的人，那么天黑他才能到，而这个裂缝会变大到不可能再被堵上。要阻止这场可怕的毁灭发生，他该怎么做呢？--他还只是个孩子啊！
5.我来告诉你们他是怎样做的：他坐到水塘边，用一只手把裂缝堵住，然后耐心地坐在那里等着有村民路过。但是没有人。
6.就这样一个小时又一个小时过去了，这个勇敢的孩子还坐在那里，坐在冰冷、黑暗中，浑身发抖、满身湿漉漉的，而且疲惫不堪。但是他仍然顽强地一只手堵着会通过缺口造成灾难的水。
7.整整一夜他都以一个姿势待在那里。终于，天渐渐亮了起来。这时，一位牧师到水塘边散步，他听到了呻吟声，于是循声走过来看看究竟。
8.他看到了男孩后，很惊奇于那个奇怪的姿势，于是问道：“孩子，你在这里干什么呢？”“我堵水呢，先生，这样村子就不会被淹没了。”孩子回答，他非常冷，以至于嘴唇僵硬，几乎说不出话来。
9.牧师于是把孩子替换下来，让他跑回村子向村民发出警告。村民们得到消息后立刻跑来，把裂口重新修筑好，消除了威胁千万条生命和大量财产的危险。
10.多么勇敢的孩子啊！他显示出了一颗多么富有自我奉献精神的高贵的灵魂！那么是什么支撑着他能够忍受黑夜的孤独？在他冷得牙齿嘚嘚作响、双唇颤抖且心急如焚时，他为什么不跑回家呢？是什么想法让他坐在那里一动不动呢？
11.这是他应尽的责任吗？工作的劳累、面临的危险、黑夜的寒冷和黑暗就没有削弱他的勇气与决心，使得他最终没有阻止这场灾难吗？是因为他的内心描绘出了一幅家家团圆祥和、亲人邻里的土地和财产免于被洪水冲垮的美好图画，所以他能鼓励自己：“我要坚持，如果需要我可以死在这里。”