寄生草莓的英文俱樂部

除了逗趣的劇情  在Arnold Lobel 的作品中不難找到一些發人省思的深刻題材

好比說   在宅男貓頭鷹裡的一段故事

Upstairs and Downstairs

Owl's house had an upstairs and a downstairs.  There were twenty steps on the stairway. .........

When Owl was downstairs he said, " I wonder how my upstairs is?"

When Owl was upstairs he said, " I wonder how my downstairs is getting along? I am always missing one place or the other. There must be a way to be upstairs and downstairs at the same time."
"Perhaps if I run very very fast, I can be in both places at once."

...................................

Owl ran up and down the stairs faster and faster.

"Owl!" he cried. " Are you downstairs?"

There was no answer.

"No, " said Owl. " I am not downstairs because I am upstairs. I am not running fast enough."

"Owl!" he shouted. " Are you upstairs?"

There was no answer.

"No," said Owl. " I am not upstairs because I am downstairs. I must run even faster."

這一小段敘述講的是什麼呢  
熟悉物理的人知道   這段講的是相對論的故事  
以貓頭鷹的這個例子   如果要讓樓上的貓頭鷹可以回答樓下貓頭鷹的問話
其實只需要讓貓頭鷹奔跑的速度大於聲速就夠了

當然   對於年幼的孩子是很難想像這樣的畫面的
但是   小時候的你是否也曾經有過這樣的幻想  
如果我跑得非常非常快   那我可不可能同時在兩個地方呢

這個故事場景可以說是混合了科學和孩童式的幻想

另一個有趣的場景也是發生在宅男貓頭鷹身上
貓頭鷹出去散步時發現月亮老是跟著他
於是貓頭鷹著急了
" Dear moon, you really must not come home with me. My house is small. You would not fit through the door. And I have nothing to give you for supper."

為什麼月亮老是跟著你走 ?  這恐怕也是我們從小心中的疑問
為什麼高雄看到的月亮跟台北的月亮是同一個?

這是一個科學問題   由一個故事來提出
你要怎麼回答呢

另一本作品蚱蜢上路囉 ( Grasshopper on the road ) 中提出了更多有趣的觀點
這本書提出的觀點是比較偏向哲學和價值觀的

第一篇是蚱蜢碰到一群熱愛早晨的甲蟲  他們組成了一個 Morning Club  每天早上群聚歌誦清晨之美  但是當他們聽到蚱蜢說他也喜歡下午和晚上時   憤怒的清晨熱愛者把蚱蜢踢出了 Morning Club
" Anyone who loves afternoon and night can never, never be in our club!"

另一篇是蚱蜢遇到了一隻蚊子   蚊子堅持蚱蜢必須搭船才能過那條他可以一躍而過的小湖

" It is a rule, " said the mosquito. " You must use this ferry boat to get across the lake."

" But sir," said Grasshopper, " I can easily jump over th the other side."

" Rules are rules," said mosquito. " Climb into my boat."

" Your boat is too small for me, " said Grasshopper.

" Rules are rules," said the mosquito. " You must get into my boat!"

爭執到了最後   蚱蜢決定拿起那條他坐不進去的小船  連同蚊子一同踩過小水漥



Arnold Lobel 的迷人之處   諸如此類 ~~~