我必须告诉你，

I must tell you

这株幼小的树

this young tree

它滚圆坚实的树干

whose round and firm trunk

在潮湿的

between the wet

人行道和阴沟之间

pavement and the gutter

（那里有水

(where water

点点滴滴）升起

is trickling) rises

浑然一体

bodily

升入空中

into the air with

弯弯扭扭地

one undulant

一刺，到一半高度——

thrust half its height—

然后

and then

分开、变细

dividing and waning

向各个方向

sending out

送出

young branches on

幼嫩的枝干——

all sides—

挂满了茧

hung with cocoons

渐渐稀疏

it thins

直到什么也不剩

till nothing is left of it

只有两根

but two

长满古怪树瘤的

eccentric knotted

树枝

twigs

向前弯曲

bending forward

长在树顶，如角然

hornlike at the top