Little Lord (English-Chinese Parallel Text)

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Translator: Gou Guoqing
Country: United States
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1997-12-01
Features: The protagonist Cedric is born in New York, USA. His grandfather, the Earl of Doolittle, is a renowned British nobleman. The old earl has three sons: the eldest and second are idle and reckless, much to his embarrassment and disappointment; the third son, Captain Errol, is both handsome, kind, and highly capable. However, according to British law at the time, as the third son, he could not inherit the earldom. During a trip to the United States, Captain Errol falls in love with an American commoner and marries her. The old earl is extremely displeased with this marriage and, in anger, cuts off all contact with his son. After their marriage, Captain and Lady Errol have a son named Cedric. The little boy grows up in an atmosphere of goodness and love, deeply influenced by his parents' genuine love for each other and their devoted care for him. As a result, he develops good habits from a young age—caring for others, being polite, and studying diligently—gaining the affection of everyone around him. After his father's unfortunate passing, he becomes even more mature and relies on his mother. Soon after, his two uncles die without leaving heirs, making him the sole heir to the earldom at the age of seven. The old earl sends lawyers to bring the mother and son from their small apartment in a New York alley to Britain, but only takes the grandson, refusing to let his daughter-in-law enter the castle and instead settling her in a small house nearby. The old earl, having lost three sons and being elderly and ill, is lonely, frustrated, and in a terrible mood, known far and wide as a "tyrant." He had assumed Cedric was ignorant and, fearing that meeting him would confirm his suspicions. However, to his surprise, Cedric turned out to be not only intelligent and handsome but also honest, innocent, kind, and generous. Grandfather and grandson quickly become close friends. Through months of daily interaction, the innocent and kind-hearted child miraculously transforms the stubborn, selfish, arrogant, and cold old man, bringing happiness, joy, and harmony back to the once-dreary estate.
The story is full of twists and turns, with each character having a distinct personality. The psychological changes of the characters are realistic and natural, and the language is simple, smooth, and easy to understand. The work highlights a theme: although life is intertwined with truth, goodness, and beauty on one hand, and falsehood, evil, and ugliness on the other, truth, goodness, and beauty ultimately prevail. The entire book is filled with a touch of comedy, offering readers an emotional journey from mixed feelings to joyous satisfaction. In a light and pleasant atmosphere, readers are inspired by the beauty of truth, goodness, and kindness, and their souls are purified.