in le malokaj obstaja kar bi še ne bilo povedano o bombažnem cvetu
in le malokaj kar bi še ne bilo povedano o bakrenem fazanu
in le malokaj kar bi še ne bilo povedano o zrcalu
kako se bombažni cvet razpre kako kličoče bakreni fazan vpije
neutolažljivo kliče samico ki je ne more najti
in kako se je klic tega bitja razlegal po vsej vasi z njenim okolišem
in kako je vsakogar obšla zlovolja ob pogledu na razprti bombažni cvet
v spremljavi kličočega vpitja bakrenega fazana
kako cveta nihče ni mogel občudovati kot je bil navajen
kako ni mogel nihče zaradi nenehnega sebičnega vpitja bakrenega fazana spati
in kako so vaščani poskusili prenekateri trik
kako so ga starejši poskušali spametovati s prigovarjanjem
kako so ga moški in ženske preden so si pokrili ušesa sprva poskušali potešiti s
svojimi usti
kako so otroci metali kamenje (tako jim je bilo rečeno)
in kako je ko je ptič tako blizu smrti prišel in za to še toliko bolj prosil
z gore prišel puščavnik
ki je ptiča sam potolažil s tem da je predenj postavil zrcalo
Prevod: Andrej Hočevar
and there is little that has not been said before about a cotton blossom
and little that has not been said before about a copper pheasant
and little that has not been said before about a mirror
how the cotton blossom blooms how the copper pheasant cries
unconsolably it cries for a mate it cannot find
and how all of the town and its environs could hear the creature crying
and how all grew morose at the sight of a cotton blossom blooming
as accompanied by the sound of a copper pheasant crying
how none could admire the blossom as they were wont to do
how none could sleep for the pheasant’s incessant selfish crying
and how the town tried many tricks
how the elders tried talking sense to the bird
how the men and women tried first to comfort with their mouths before covering
up their ears
how the kids threw rocks (they had been instructed)
and how when so near to death the bird had come and cried all the more for this
down from the mountain came a hermit
who alone consoled the bird by putting before it a mirror
