“It is the middle of an eclipse （a total solar eclipse），”
观天象的人对蜀犬说
The observer said to the local hound：
犬乃万物之中最具灵性之物种
“dogs are the most intelligent species in the world，
与人缘极近？犬有九条命
who have a very close relationship with people.A dog has
九九归一就是人？所以犬为人卫
nine lives，and nine in one is Man.So
人邻？为人最忠诚的伴侣
A dog is Man’s guard，his neighbor and the most loyal companion.
大人肩上一个点是什么字
What Chinese character is found when a man and a dog are put together？”
犬曰？伏？观天象的人说
the local hound answered：“it is the word ‘submit’.”“You
对？就是伏？伏
are right，”the stargazer said：“it is submit，the word ‘submit’.
明白吗？人好比太阳
do you understand？Man is just like the sun，while
犬好比月亮？月亮不能老是围着太阳转
the dog，the moon.The moon can’t always
月亮还有保护和提醒太阳的责任
orbit around the sun but has to safeguard and to warn
日食并不是世俗所说的天狗要吃掉太阳
the sun.So the solar eclipse doesn’t mean
而是月亮要给太阳挡风遮雨
the Hound wants to swallow the sun，as it is said but
尽士卫之责千年前的蜀犬升到了天上
the moon wants to keep out of the rain and wind
就叫天狗（也叫月亮）
called The Heaven Hound （also the moon）.
天狗每一年半要给太阳抛一次光
every year and a half the moon will polish the sun
每300年要给太阳做一次大洗礼
and every three hundred years it will baptize the sun，
天空太大没有容器能让太阳躺进去
the sky is too vast to find a tub for the sun to lie
怎么办？我们巴蜀的天狗
in.What’s to be done？The Heaven Hound，the cousin
就用自己的嘴？把太阳含着？
of the local hound，keeps the sun into its own mouth，
把自己的嘴给需要洗礼的太阳做浴盆
makes its own mouth into a bathtub for the sun
用我们已经变成天狗的蜀犬的口
at baptism，and polishes the sun with the mouth
给太阳抛光彩？让她更夺目
that once was part of the local hound to make the sun
黑暗中蜀犬听得浑身发热
more brilliant.”Hearing this，the hound in the darkness felt being lit all over.
贝利珠马上（生光的一瞬）出现了
“Bailey’s Beads are coming （a flash of third contact）”
观天象的人接着说
the one observing astronomical phenomena continued.
顷刻只见天狗张开的口的上角
In a split second，from the upper corner of the
突然出现一道似球似簧的亮光
Heaven Hound’s open mouth，a ball-like light
闪？再闪？金光四射？
popped up，flashed，and flashed again，then golden rays blazed
眩目生辉
making everyone feel dizzy.
那就是贝利珠？？观天象的人说
“This is called Bailey’s Beads，”the stargazer said：
这就是天狗食日的真正目的
“which is the real purpose for the Hound to devour
天狗食日？不是天狗要吃掉太阳
the sun，actually it doesn’t mean to swallow the sun
而是天狗要给太阳洗澡
but just to give the sun a nice bath，
给太阳打磨？抛光？让太阳更明
to grind and polish the sun so that the sun will
更亮？看到了吧？？
look brighter and clearer.You see？”
那些观天象的人在干吗
“Then what are the others who are observing the sun
蜀犬答？在狂呼乱叫
doing？”The local hound asked，“as they are screaming aloud.”
呵呵，观天象的人问
The stargazer answered laughing：
和蜀犬吠日有何区别
“what is the differences between them and the legendary ignorant dog in verses？”
蜀犬答？无异
the local hound answered：“yes，they are the same.”
观天象的人说？这就对了
The stargazer said：“that’s right！
我们可以向毛主席保证
so we can assure Chairman Mao
蜀犬吠日并不是巴蜀的狗狗少见多怪
that the local hound barking at the sun doesn’t
而是巴蜀的狗狗为天狗为太阳洗澡贺彩
mean they are ignorant but they want to congratulate the sun for taking a bath.
我们也可以向毛主席保证
We can also assure Chairman Mao that
北京的蓝月亮第一包间的主人
the host of the Blue Moon in Beijing
和他的诗友酒友泡友朋友
and his friends of all kinds，such as of poems，of wine
都是我们的诗友酒友泡友和朋友
and of daily life are all friends of ours.
我们聚在一起都干爱国爱诗的好事
We get together here to do good deeds
绝不干损国损诗的坏事
benefiting rather than harming the nation and the poetry.
我们向毛主席保证
We can also assure Chairman Mao that
市场经济了？我们知道钱是好东西
though we know that money is something good in market economy，
但我们绝不上那帮股市黑墨嘴的当
we will never let ourselves be fooled by the
再穷再富我们都不炒股
wicked mouths in the stock market and will never invest in the stock market，poor or rich.
我们可以向毛主席保证
We can also assure Chairman Mao that
我们发现并正实了蜀犬是华夏
we have discovered and confirmed that the local
成名最早？血统最纯的
hound is a nationally-important dog with a pure lineage
国粹级名犬？观天象的人站在山顶
and the earliest fame.”The one who was observing
越说越激动？
astronomical phenomena on the hilltop became more and more excited.
云层已幻化出亮丽的橙红色
The clouds have taken on a beautiful salmon pink look，
沐浴后更衣的太阳
while the sun，after having taken a bath and put on clean clothes，
从天狗的口中冉冉升起
was rising slowly from the mouth of the Heaven Hound
大地被一种异样神秘的色彩笼照
and a peculiar and mysterious color was hanging
蜀犬？犬泪涟涟
the Mother Earth.The local hound was all in tears.
2008-8-6八卦洲
on August 6，2008at the Eight Diagrams Islet
（Translated by Liu Xiaofeng &；Hu Zongfeng）
088首：一只白鸽误把我看成了一粒种子
Statue 88：A White Dove Takes Me For a Seed
南鲁·我对你说
Nan Lu，I Want Say
北方的雪
Snow in the north
妖娆？片儿大？絮柔软
is so fascinating with feathery flakes
让人误认为是
that makes one takes them for the cotton
产自新疆农八师
produced from Xin Jiang.
的棉？洁白？
So pure white
透过寒冷
it would warm your heart
温暖人心
through the penetrating cold.
我躺在向阳的坡面上
Lying on the sunny exposure of a hillside
晒太阳？晒北方早出晚归的
I am basking in the sun that goes out early
太阳？一只白鸽
and returns late in the northland，when a white dove，
比飘落的雪絮稍大一点的白鸽
a little larger than the floating snowflake，
从太阳温暖的怀抱
pounces on me from the warm hug of the sun
扑向我？先是一个点
