4. Hô͘-sîn ê miā-ūn kap láu-pán ê sim-sek
Hit-sî, láu-pán chù-ì tio̍h, ū chi̍t-chiah hô͘-sîn poa̍h-lo̍h i he khoah-chhùi ê ba̍k-chúi-koàn, tng-teh piàⁿ-miā tān chin bô khùi-la̍t ê, siūⁿ boeh peh chhut-lâi. Kiù-miā! kiù-miā! kúi-ki ngiauh-tāng ê kha hoat-chhut chit-khoán ê sìn-hō. M̄-koh ba̍k-chúi-koàn ê sì-piⁿ tâm koh ku̍t, hô͘-sîn iū-koh poa̍h lo̍h-khì, khai-sí tī hia bo̍kx siû. Lāu-pán the̍h-khí chi̍t-ki pit, kā hô͘-sîn ùi ba̍k-chúi ni̍h iah chhut-lâi, khǹg tī chi̍t-tè khip-ba̍k-chóa téng-bīn. Ū chi̍t sió-tōaⁿ sî-kan, hô͘-sîn tiāmx tó tī ùi sin-khu sìm-lo̍h ê hit sió-phìⁿ o͘ jiah.
Sòa-lo̍h, chêng-kha tín-tāng, lia̍h-tio̍h chóa, choán-chiàⁿ i he sèx, tâm kô͘x ê sin-khu, khai-sí chéng-lí ba̍k-chúi kô͘-tio̍h si̍t ê tōa khang-khòe. Téng-bīn, ē-bīn, téng-bīn, ē-bīn, chi̍t-pái chi̍t-ki kha kò͘ chi̍t-ki si̍t, chhin-chhiūⁿ kō͘ to-chio̍h bôa chháu-keh-á án-ne. Sòa-lo̍h, thêng chi̍t-ē, hô͘-sîn ká-ná sī kō͘ kha-chéng-thâu-á bóe khiā khí-lâi, chhì kā chi̍t-pêng ê si̍t tián-khui, jiân-āu koh tián-khui lēng-gōa hit-pêng.
Chòe-āu, i sêng-kong ah, chē lo̍h-lâi, khai-sí sé-bīn, ká-ná chhiūⁿ sè-chiah niau-á án-ne. Taⁿ, lí ē-sái sióng-siōng, he sióx ê chêng-kha sio-so, sio-hôe, khin-khoài koh hoaⁿ-hí. Khó-phà ê hûi-hiám í-keng kòe-khì ah; i tô-kòe ah; i chún-pī hó boeh têng-sin bīn-tùi sèⁿ-miā ah.
M̄-koh tō tī hit sî-chūn, láu-pán ū chi̍t-ê siūⁿ-hoat. I kā pit tōng ji̍p-khì ba̍k-chúi-koàn, kō͘ i ê chho͘ chhiú-ba̍k teh tī khip-chúi-chóa téng, tī hô͘-sîn chhì boeh tián-si̍t ê sî, chi̍t tōa-tih tîm-tāng ê ba̍k-chúi tih lo̍h-lâi. Chit-siaⁿ i ē án-chóaⁿ ah? Tek-khak ū tāi-chì! Chit-chiah sió sèⁿ-miā khòaⁿ sī tōa tio̍h-kiaⁿ, gāng..khì, soah m̄-káⁿ tín-tāng ah, in-ūi m̄-chai koh-lâi ē án-chóaⁿ. M̄-koh āu-lâi, ká-ná chin thòng-khó͘, i bānx thoa-sin hiòng-chêng. Chêng-kha iô-tāng, lia̍h-tiâu chóa, jiân-āu, chit-pái koh-khah bān, khang-khòe koh-chài ùi-thâu khai-sí ah.
I sī chi̍t-ê tōa-táⁿ ê sió-kúi neh, láu-pán án-ne siūⁿ, tùi hô͘-sîn ê ióng-khì kám-kak chin-chiàⁿ khim-ho̍k. Che tō sī chhú-lí tāi-chì ê hong-hoat; che tō sī chèng-khak ê cheng-sîn. Choa̍t-tùi m̄ jīn-su; ûi-it ê būn-tê chāi-tī... M̄-koh, hô͘-sîn í-keng koh oân-sêng i sin-khó͘ ê khang-khòe, láu-pán mā tú-hó ū sî-kan kā pit-chiam ùn móa ba̍k-chúi, ún takx tī he tú chéng-lí chheng-khì ê sin-khu tih-lo̍h chi̍t-tih o͘-sek ba̍k-chúi. Chit-pái tāi-chì ē án-chóaⁿ ah? Chi̍t-tōaⁿ hō͘ lâng thòng-khó͘ ê kòa-tiàu sûi tòe-lâi.
M̄-koh, lí khòaⁿ ah, chêng-kha iū-koh teh iô-tāng ah; láu-pán kám-kak chi̍t-chūn ê khùiⁿ-oa̍h. I àⁿ-sin tī hô͘-sîn téng-koân, jiûx tùi i kóng, "Lí chi̍t-ê chhong-bêng ê sió-k..." I sīm-chì ū chi̍t-ê bí-miāu ê siūⁿ-hoat, boeh hiòng hô͘-sîn hah-khì, hō͘ i khah kín ta. Sui-bóng án-ne, i taⁿ ê phah-piàⁿ hián-tit sió-khóa támx koh hi-jio̍k, láu-pán koat-tēng chit-pái sī siōng-bóe-pái ah, i kā pit koh chhimx chìm ji̍p-khì ba̍k-chúi-koàn.
Khak-si̍t sī siōng-bóe-pái. Chòe-āu chi̍t-tih ba̍k-chúi tih-lo̍h chìm-tâm ê khip-chúi-chóa, hit-chiah tâm-kô͘ ê hô͘-sîn tó tī lāi-bīn, bô tín-tāng. Āu-kha kô͘ tī sin-khu; chêng-kha khòaⁿ bē-tio̍h.
"Ka-iû ah," láu-pán kóng. "Khah liú-lia̍h leh!" I kō͘ pit khì kā póe -- bô-hāu. Siáⁿ to bô hoat-seng, mā bô khó-lêng hoat-seng. Hô͘-sîn sí..khì ah.
*
Láu-pán kō͘ chhâi-chóa-to ê bóe-liu kā he sí-thé ngiáu khí-lâi, tàn-lo̍h jī-chóa-láng. Tān-sī sûi ū chi̍t-chūn pi-chhám kún-ká ê kam-kak kā i lia̍h tiâux, hō͘ i kám-kak tōa kiaⁿ-hiâⁿ. I hut-leh àⁿ hiòng chêng, chhi̍h liang-á kiò Macey lâi.
"The̍h kóa sin ê khip-ba̍k-chóa hō͘ góa," i giâm-lē kóng, "kha-chhiú khah mé-lia̍h leh."
Tī hit-ê lāu oân-kang neh-kha kiâⁿ chhut-khì ê sî, láu-pán hām-lo̍h tîm-su, hôe-siūⁿ tú-chiah i tàu-té sī teh siūⁿ siáⁿ-hòe. Sī siáⁿ-hòe ah? He sī... I gîm-chhut chhiú-kin-á, seh-ji̍p ām-niá lāi chhit. Chit sì-lâng m̄-bat chiah khùn-he̍k, i oân-choân siūⁿ bē khí-lâi.
(Soah)
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4. 胡蠅 ê 命運 kap 老闆 ê 心適
彼時, 老闆注意著, 有一隻胡蠅跋落伊 he 闊喙 ê 墨水罐, tng-teh 拚命但真無氣力ê, 想欲 peh 出來. 救命! 救命! 幾支 ngiauh 動 ê 跤發出這款 ê 信號. M̄-koh 墨水罐 ê 四邊澹 koh 滑, 胡蠅又閣跋落去, 開始 tī hia bo̍kx 泅. 老闆提起一支筆, kā 胡蠅 ùi 墨水 ni̍h 搤出來, 囥 tī 一塊吸墨紙頂面. 有一小段時間, 胡蠅 tiāmx 倒 tī ùi 身軀滲落 ê hit 小片烏跡.
Sòa-lo̍h, 前跤振動, 掠著紙, 轉正伊 he sèx, 澹 kô͘x ê 身軀, 開始整理墨水糊著翼 ê 大工課. 頂面, 下面, 頂面, 下面, 一擺一支跤顧一支翼, 親像 kō͘ 刀石磨草鍥仔 án-ne. Sòa-lo̍h, 停一下, 胡蠅 ká-ná 是 kō͘ 跤指頭仔尾徛起來, 試 kā 一爿 ê 翼展開, 然後 koh 展開另外彼爿.
最後, 伊成功 ah, 坐落來, 開始洗面, ká-ná 像細隻貓仔 án-ne. 今, 你會使想像, he sióx ê 前跤相挲, 相回, 輕快 koh 歡喜. 可怕 ê 危險已經過去 ah; 伊逃過 ah; 伊準備好欲重新面對性命 ah.
M̄-koh tō tī 彼時陣, 老闆有一个想法. 伊 kā 筆 tōng 入去墨水罐, kō͘ 伊 ê 粗手目硩 tī 吸水紙頂, tī 胡蠅試欲展翼 ê 時, 一大滴沉重 ê 墨水滴落來. 這聲伊會按怎 ah? 的確有代誌! Chit 隻小性命看是大著驚, 愣..去, soah 毋敢振動 ah, 因為毋知閣來會按怎. M̄-koh 後來, ká-ná 真痛苦, 伊bānx 拖身向前. 前跤搖動, 掠牢紙, 然後, 這擺閣較慢, 工課閣再 ùi 頭開始 ah.
伊是一个大膽 ê 小鬼 neh, 老闆 án-ne 想, 對胡蠅 ê 勇氣感覺真正欽服. Che tō 是處理代誌 ê 方法; che tō 是正確 ê 精神. 絕對毋認輸; 唯一 ê 問題在 tī... M̄-koh, 胡蠅已經 koh 完成伊辛苦 ê 工課, 老闆 mā 拄好有時間 kā 筆尖搵滿墨水, 穩 takx tī he 拄整理清氣 ê 身軀滴落一滴烏色墨水. 這擺代誌會按怎 ah? 一段予人痛苦 ê 掛吊隨綴來.
M̄-koh, 你看 ah, 前跤又閣 teh 搖動 ah; 老闆感覺一陣 ê 快活. 伊 àⁿ 身 tī 胡蠅頂懸, jiûx 對伊講, "你這个聰明 ê 小 k..." 伊甚至有一个美妙 ê 想法, 欲向胡蠅哈氣, 予伊較緊焦. 雖罔 án-ne, 伊今 ê 拍拚顯得小可 támx koh 虛弱, 老闆決定這擺是上尾擺 ah, 伊 kā 筆 koh chhimx 浸入去墨水罐.
確實是上尾擺. 最後一滴墨水滴落浸澹 ê 吸水紙, 彼隻澹糊 ê 胡蠅倒 tī 內面, 無振動. 後跤糊 tī 身軀; 前跤看袂著.
"加油 ah," 老闆講. "較扭掠 leh!" 伊 kō͘ 筆去 kā 掰 -- 無效. 啥 to 無發生, mā 無可能發生. 胡蠅死..去 ah.
*
老闆 kō͘ 裁紙刀 ê 尾溜 kā he 死體 ngiáu 起來, 擲落字紙籠. 但是隨有一陣悲慘滾絞 ê 感覺 kā 伊掠 tiâux, hō͘ 伊感覺大驚惶. 伊忽 leh àⁿ 向前, chhi̍h 喨仔叫 Macey 來.
"提寡新 ê 吸墨紙 hō͘ 我," 伊嚴厲講, "跤手較猛掠 leh."
Tī 彼个老員工躡跤行出去 ê 時, 老闆陷落沉思, 回想拄才伊到底是 teh 想啥貨. 是啥貨 ah? 彼是... 伊gîm 出手巾仔, seh 入頷領內拭. 這世人 m̄-bat chiah 困惑, 伊完全想袂起來.
(煞)
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4.
At that moment the boss noticed that a fly had fallen into his broad inkpot, and was trying feebly but desperately to clamber out again. Help ! help ! said those struggling legs. But the sides of the inkpot were wet and slippery ; it fell back again and began to swim. The boss took up a pen, picked the fly out of the ink, and shook it on to a piece of blotting-paper. For a fraction of a second it lay still on the dark patch that oozed round it. /
Then the front legs waved, took hold, and, pulling its small, sodden body up it began the immense task of cleaning the ink from its wings. Over and under, over and under, went a leg along a wing, as the stone goes over and under the scythe. Then there was a pause, while the fly, seeming to stand on the tips of its toes, tried to expand first one wing and then the other. /
It succeeded at last, and, sitting down, it began, like a minute cat, to clean its face. Now one could imagine that the little front legs rubbed against each other lightly, joyfully. The horrible danger was over ; it had escaped ; it was ready for life again.
But just then the boss had an idea. He plunged his pen back into the ink, leaned his thick wrist on the blotting paper, and as the fly tried its wings down came a great heavy blot. What would it make of that ? What indeed ! The little beggar seemed absolutely cowed, stunned, and afraid to move because of what would happen next. But then, as if painfully, it dragged itself forward. The front legs waved, caught hold, and, more slowly this time, the task began from the beginning.
He's a plucky little devil, thought the boss, and he felt a real admiration for the fly's courage. That was the way to tackle things ; that was the right spirit. Never say die ; it was only a question of ... But the fly had again finished its laborious task, and the boss had just time to refill his pen, to shake fair and square on the new-cleaned body yet another dark drop. What about it this time ? A painful moment of suspense followed. /
But behold, the front legs were again waving ; the boss felt a rush of relief. He leaned over the fly and said to it tenderly, " You artful little b . . ." And he actually had the brilliant notion of breathing on it to help the drying process. All the same, there was something timid and weak about its efforts now, and the boss decided that this time should be the last, as he dipped the pen deep into the inkpot.
It was. The last blot fell on the soaked blotting-paper, and the draggled fly lay in it and did not stir. The back legs were stuck to the body; the front legs were not to be seen.
" Come on," said the boss. " Look sharp ! " And he stirred it with his pen—in vain. Nothing happened or was likely to happen. The fly was dead.
*
The boss lifted the corpse on the end of the paper-knife and flung it into the waste-paper basket. But such a grinding feeling of wretchedness seized him that he felt positively frightened. He started forward and pressed the bell for Macey.
" Bring me some fresh blotting-paper," he said, sternly, " and look sharp about it." /
And while the old dog padded away he fell to wondering what it was he had been thinking about before. What was it ? It was... He took out his handkerchief and passed it inside his collar. For the life of him he could not remember.
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The Fly was featured as The Short Story of the Day on Thu, Jan 08, 2026
The Fly is featured in our collection of Short Stories for High School I
https://americanliterature.com/short-stories-for-high-school/
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