就是在这里，麋鹿河

is where the Elk River falls

从一处岩石嶙峋的高处坠落，

from a rocky and considerable height,

在崖边因恐惧而脸色苍白

turning pale with trepidation at the lip

（从我站立的下方望去似乎如此）

(it seemed from where I stood below)

然后它解开了自己，

before it unbuckles from itself

碎裂着，从空中倾泻而下

and plummets, shredded, through the air

坠入一处幽冷水潭的阴影里，

into the shadows of a frigid pool,

潭水在边缘处异常平静，是那种

so calm around the edges, a place

水从散裂又重聚的震惊中

for water to recover from the shock

恢复过来的地方，

of falling apart and coming back together

它重新拾起自己的歌声，

before it picks up its song again,

绕过几块巨大的岩石，

goes sliding around some massive rocks

滑过几处长满杂草的沙洲，

and past some islands overgrown with weeds

铺展开来，绕过一道弯，

then flattens out, slips around a bend,

继续它蜿蜒的旅程，

and continues on its winding course,

根据这本露营者指南，

according to this camper’s guide,

它会在北边的分叉处汇入克利尔沃特河

then joins the Clearwater at its northern fork

然后被一路带向遥远的大海，

which leads it all to the distant sea

在那里，这条河流和所有其他河流

where this and every other stream

把那片浩渺误认作自己，

mistakes the monster for itself,

最后一次唱出自己的名字，

sings its name one final time

然后感到盐分突然的刺痛。

then feels the sudden sting of salt.