This is what happened.
Before my life started properly, I was doing the usual mewling andsucking, which in my case occurred on a pair of huge, soft black breasts. Inthe African tradition I continued to suckle for my first two and a half yearsafter which my Zulu wet nurse became my nanny. She was a person madefor laughter, warmth and softness and she would clasp me to her breasts andstroke my golden curls with a hand so large it seemed to contain my wholehead. My hurts were soothed3 with a song about a brave young warriorhunting a lion and a womens song about doing the washingdown on the big rock beside theriver where, at sunset, thebaboons4 would come out of thehills to drink.
My life proper started at theage of five when my mother hadher nervous breakdown. I wastorn from my lovely black nannywith her big white smile andsent to boarding school.
故事是这样发生的。
在人生正式开始之前,我常常低声哭着吃奶,我就爱那样依偎在一对柔软的大黑奶上。在非洲的传统中,我要先吃两年半奶,然后祖鲁族奶妈才能成为我的保姆。她给人以温暖的感觉,逗人发笑,总是把我搂在她的大奶上,一只手抚摸着我的金色鬈发。她的手好大,仿佛能把我的整个脑袋包进去。我的伤痛往往用一首歌就会减轻:有的是歌唱猎狮的年轻勇士;有的是歌唱女人们在河边那块大岩石上的洗洗涮涮——日落时分,那些狒狒会从山里跑出来,到大河边饮水。
我的人生是从5岁那年正式开始的,当时母亲神经衰弱。我被强行从可爱的、一笑就露出大白牙的黑人保姆身边拽走,送到了寄宿学校。
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