2014-10-28

【Aiden in English】

        My Chinese history teacher has literally driven this one phrase into my brain. She would always say that the future comes from the past, and that the past determines the future. Today, the entire sixth grade would be going to our past and to see the long journey we humans have made. So, we went to the one place where the past lived on. Here came the Renaissance Faire.

        The day prior to the trip, my anxiety was already out of control. The night before, I was about to explode because tomorrow wouldn’t come any faster. It seemed like eternity, but finally, my brain shut down and allowed me to sleep. The next day, I woke up with a jolt in the morning, knowing that today was the big day. I was so excited that I bounded down the stairs like a rabbit with coffee, and wolfed down my breakfast as fast as my mouth could chew. Then I took my bags, yelled at mom for being too slow, and bolted out the door, not wanting to be a second late. I arrived just in time before everything left without me. I barely gave my friends a greeting before the classes left. As we exited the building, I took a real good look at our buses. They weren’t the plain, horrible, dull yellow school buses we took in the mornings. No, these were the legendary Hagey Coaches, the ones all sixth graders get to ride and the ones that we were all told about from other sixth graders since first grade, and finally seeing it in first person confirmed that every single sixth grader were telling the truth. The Hagey Coaches were enormous compared to the regular school buses. They seemed like the double decker buses that tourists rode on. Inside, the coach was even more spectacular. Rows upon rows of seats filled the coach, and each was as soft as a pillow stuffed with feathers. They were so soft that I almost thought that I was still in bed at home. As I sat down, all I wanted to do was to close my eyes and relax. But then, the TV screens turned on, and the movie Shrek played. This was going to be a long ride, so I might as well enjoy the movie.

        When you watch a movie, the climax is obviously your favorite part. The climax is also when we decided to stop the movie because we had reached our destination. The Renaissance Faire was huge, even on the outside. It looked like a huge town in the colonial times, with large sounds emanating from inside. The class proceeded off the heavenly coaches, stretched our cramped muscles, got with our groups, and went with the giant crowd. We continued to go in the direction of the crowd, which led to the main entrance. When I took my first step onto Renaissance Faire property, I was absolutely blown away. There was a maze of streets heading in all directions, each with shops selling all sorts of things. Some sold food, others sold souvenirs. I even saw a store selling costumes and hats, and a stand selling… …sticks? Even cooler was that everyone that worked at the faire was in costume and character. They treated us like royalty, which I thought it was pretty amazing. There were even famous places and stages like the Globe. The Renaissance Faire really gave me the feeling that I was no longer a student at Montgomery Elementary on a field trip in the 21^st century, I was a person in the 1500’s doing my daily business, roaming the streets and looking at what people had to offer in their stores. I went straight to asking our group’s chaperone what time the first show was at. It turned out it was in 20 minutes, so we slowly took our time to get to the stage. The show’s title was the Mud Show, so I made a prediction, just like the school taught us. If the name was the Mud Show, the show would probably be about mud. As a result, I was correct, just that I didn’t expect to have people jumping in mud, splashing the substance all over my favorite shirt. Other than that downside, the show was pretty spectacular. There were three people that did all kinds of crazy stuff in a giant pit of mud. Yes, it was real mud, because the three people on stage even chose a volunteer to take the mud test. I felt sorry for the victim, because she had to touch some mud, smell the mud, and taste the mud. To me, looking at the mud was already enough to throw up, but tasting the mud would be like eating cabbage stew. Luckily for the volunteer, one of the three performers shoved the mud into his mouth instead. In the end, everyone knew that the mud was real. Then came the part where mud started to rain down on us. The three performers did belly-flops and splashed mud, splattering the audience with the disgusting brown substance. Unfortunately for my clothing, there was just mud all over my pants and shirt. I thought it was a great show, seeing people getting themselves dirty. But when it finally came to an end, I felt slightly grateful that the show was over.

        My group and I then roamed the huge streets of the Renaissance Faire, searching for entertainment. After going in circles for so long, we managed to find a few games that interested us. Now, what in the world would influence a bunch of boys’ attention to spend a dollar bill on? It was probably violence and weapons, and that’s exactly what we found. There were four tents, each with a different game. One was knife-throwing, another was ax-throwing, and archery. But the one that separated itself from the others was the Ninja star tent. When I was a small, immature little boy, I dreamed of myself one day becoming a Ninja. Now that I experienced the real world, my dreams were crushed. In fact, I had never seen a real Ninja star in my entire life. At that moment, I looked at the shiny, sharp lethal weapon that I was holding in my hands. I wondered if it wasn’t too late of becoming the Ninja I’d always wished to be. There was only one way to find out. I paid a dollar for three tries. I handled the weapons with precious care, then drew my arm back, and threw the Ninja star. It went way high of the target. So did the other two. It looked as if I knew what I was not going to be when I grew up.

        Soon came what everyone was waiting for, the Joust. Out of all the friends that went to the Renaissance Faire, all of us had said something about a joust and awesomeness and things exploding. Hearing this, I was excited to see what made everyone so amazed. It turned out they were right to be amazed, because the Joust was just absolutely stunning! It was about an evil knight, Sir Corway, hoping to conquer England by killing the King. He challenged England’s finest knight, Sir William to a joust to the death, knowing that the king will spectate. A joust was where two knights would charge at one another on their horses, holding a shield and a long pole. They fought hard, but in the end, Sir William disarmed Sir Corway, but gave mercy to him. In a blink of an eye, Sir Corway ordered cannons to fire, and explosions blasted the field. Suddenly, all the normal people on the stage drew swords and knives concealed in their clothing, and attacked the throne. The knights that protected the King drew their mighty broad swords and engaged the enemy. A battle began, and Sir Corway stood up and dueled with more skill than he had used in the match. The cannons continued to blast away, blowing up barrels and even sent a person flying off the roof of the palace were the King hid. Swords clashed, shouts rang across the battlefield which was chaos. Then, as quickly as it started, a cannon blasted the center of fighting, ending the battle. The King and most of the knights were safe, and surprisingly, so was Sir William. That was probably the best way a field trip could have ended.

        The past we come from seems like another world to ours. It’s hard to imagine we humans once used to be so different than us now. The knights and kings, merchants and nobles, the past feels so fanciful. Here I am now, in the 21^st century, on the Hagey Coach, returning to Montgomery Elementary, hoping to come back again one day. As I really think about it, we will one day become a part of the past too, just like the Renaissance Faire.

【红霞译文】

        中国历史老师字斟句酌的话语给我留下了深刻印象，她曾反复强调“未来从历史中走来，又向历史中走去”。时下我们初中一年级全体师生借助回首往昔探索人类所走过的漫长征程之际，正准备一同前往肩负承前启后历史使命的文艺复兴节所在地。

        临行前一天，我已经按捺不住自己内心深处期盼之情，晚上激动得几乎夜不能寐，恨不能第二天即刻到来，可时间却好像变成了永恒，直到脑袋瓜好不容易冷静下来，我才得以进入梦乡。第二天清晨我猛然醒来，意识到今天将是一个非同寻常的日子，兴奋得像只磕过咖啡的兔子上窜下跳，狼吞虎咽吃完早餐，然后拎起书包，扯开嗓门催促妈妈赶紧带自己上路，不大工夫车子便驶出门外。我按时抵达集合地点，尚未来得及跟其他哥们打声招呼立马列队出发。当走出教学楼，我一眼就瞧见等候已久的汽车，它们不是通常早起上学我们所乘坐的那种单调恐怖老掉牙的黄包车，而是富有传奇色彩的哈吉大巴，可以说这些运载初中一年级学生的专车是我们自打进入小学一年级起梦寐以求、被历届乘坐者倍感骄傲的御驾坐骑。与普通校车相比，哈吉大巴宽敞清爽，看上去堪比上下两层座位的旅游豪车；其内部设施更加新颖，一排排座位井然有序，椅垫极富弹性，靠背内塞满羽毛，坐下去感觉如同躺在家里质地松软的席梦思床垫上一般，现在我唯一想做的就是闭上眼睛放松身心，可就在此刻，电视机开始播放电影《怪物史莱克》，既然离终点站还有很长路途，趁机享乐一番未尝不可。

        看电影的时候，扣人心弦的镜头莫过于剧情发展到高潮的地方，可偏巧在这个节骨眼上高潮戛然而止，因为我们到了目的地。文艺复兴节气势非凡，外景场地宏大壮观，酷似殖民时期繁华小镇，里面熙熙攘攘好不热闹。同学们依次下车，伸伸胳膊撂撂腿儿，与各自划分的小组成员一起迅即淹没于茫茫人海之中，我们小组则继续前行，径直来到大门口。一踏进文艺复兴节地域，我一下子惊呆了，马路纵横交错，商店层出不穷，招呼吃饭的，推销纪念品的，兜售衣帽的，甚至叫卖……棍子的？不一而足。还有更为来劲的玩意，工作人员全副古装打扮各具特征，把咱哥们索性当成皇亲贵族加以侍奉，令我好生惊喜。文艺复兴节打造出若干名胜古迹，譬如环球剧场，更让我觉得本为廿一世纪蒙哥马利小学校外见习生，摇身一变成为十六世纪出入集市热衷讨价还价的生意人。之后我向陪同参观的家长询问几点钟开始舞台演出，哪知仍需等上廿分钟，于是我们慢慢朝戏台方向走去。即将上演的节目叫“泥巴表演”，凭借学校灌输的常识，不难推断肯定与泥巴有关，我虽猜得八九不离十，但万万想不到这是一场真人秀。演员跳进泥巴池时，随身飞溅出来的泥巴把我心爱的衣服弄得污七八糟，不过除此而外，这个节目表演得相当精彩。三位演员分别在泥巴里摸打滚爬，没错，这里指的确是泥巴，因为他们曾邀请观众上台验证其真实性。我非常同情那位自愿者，她要动手去摸，用鼻子去闻，亲自张开大口去舔，而我一看到粘糊糊的泥巴就想吐，何况啃泥巴犹如喝菜汤味同嚼蜡。值得庆幸的是，自愿者不必亲口品尝泥巴，而由其中一位演员出面挡驾，他主动吞下蒯来的泥巴。赶在演出结束之前，大家都相信泥巴货真价实。接下来到了该往我们身上泼浇泥巴的时候，三位演员先在泥巴里打滚，然后使劲拍打泥巴，以致观众身上溅满烂泥，我也未能幸免，衬衫裤子到处都是。看到大家被折腾得灰土狗脸，我觉得整个节目有它成功的方面，不过一旦节目进入尾声，心里还真有点求之不得。

        打那以后，我和同组其他哥们一道满世界寻找娱乐项目，大家兜了一圈又一圈，消磨掉很长时间，最后好歹发现几个好玩的游戏，试问当今天底下究竟有没有仅靠几块钱就能让咱这帮男生上杆子的东西？要么暴力要么凶器，但这些玩艺都不能打动我们。整个文艺复兴节总共设有四个娱乐帐篷，每一个帐篷提供不尽相同的游艺项目，扔刀、掷斧、射箭挨在一起，而“忍者飞星”则孤处一方。记得年幼无知的时候，我恨不能要当“忍者”斗士，随着阅历渐长，儿时的梦想早已烟消云散，实际上，迄今为止我从未亲眼见过真正的“忍者飞星”，然而当我手握锃明瓦亮锋利无比足以致人于死地的神器时，忍不住幻想是否来得及实现往日抱负，现在摆在面前的唯一机会就是上缴一块大洋试身三回。我小心翼翼地拿起利械，胳膊向后移动，奋力投出“忍者”飞星，第一次因扔得太高而偏离目标，后面两次同样如此，看来从今往后，我毫无可能成为“忍者” 终极人物。

        不久，大伙终于盼来了《终极马上长矛比武》，所有参加文艺复兴节的朋友都夸这种骑马鏖战既有激烈的打斗场面，又有刺激的爆炸声响，听到这里我情绪振奋，真想亲眼领教一下到底有何了不起，事实果真如此，《终极马上长矛比武》绝对精彩！剧情大意是，代表邪恶的骑士考维爵士妄想暗杀国王以达到统治英格兰的目的，他不惜挑战本土首屈一指的骁将威廉爵士，希望在国王面前决一死战，于是便上演了一出《终极马上长矛比武》。两位骑士一手持盾一手握长矛，骑在马背上较量武艺。彼此你争我夺打得难解难分，最终威廉爵士紧逼考维爵士缴械投降，胜者大发慈悲，并没杀死败者。说时迟那时快，考维爵士下令开炮，爆炸声起，突然戏台上所有演员从衣服里拔出剑、刀攻击国王，骑士们纷纷举起巨型长剑迎战来犯敌寇。双方交战开始，考维爵士亲自督战，拿出刚才比武从未使用的看家本领。炮火继续猛烈发射，把水桶炸得稀巴烂，中弹的士兵从国王躲藏的宫殿顶上飞了出去，战剑狂舞，呐喊声充斥整个沙场，周围陷入一派混乱。接着，一枚炮弹击中敌方指挥部，从而结束了战斗。国王和多数骑士都保住了性命，出乎意料地，威廉爵士安然无恙，结局皆大欢喜。

        对我们来说，先辈们所经历的时代俨然是另一个世界，后来者很难想象与当代生活反差极大的过去，骑士与国王、商人与贵族，历史为他们蒙上一层怪诞的面纱。如今适逢廿一世纪，我坐在返回蒙哥马利小学的哈吉大巴上，心中暗自希望有朝一日能够重访故地。相信不久的将来，我们终将成为过去，正如文艺复兴节所展示的历史风貌一样。