Every spring, two swallows return to the nest under Grandma's eaves. Ren knows them by the white patch above one bird's eye. All April they carry mud and dry grass in their beaks, patching the cup-shaped home. This year, Grandma has saved enough money to fix the roof. The builder says the work must start before the next rain.
每年春天，两只燕子都会回到外婆家屋檐下的巢里。阿仁认得它们，因为其中一只眼睛上方有一块白斑。整个四月，它们用嘴衔来泥和干草，修补那个杯形的家。今年，外婆攒够了修屋顶的钱。泥瓦匠说，必须赶在下一场雨前动工。
Ren points at the nest. The builder looks up and says the nest is small, but the roof is old, and he cannot wait forever. Grandma says nothing. That evening Ren finds her on the porch, watching the swallows. 'They came back to the same corner,' she says. 'That must mean something.'
阿仁指了指燕巢。泥瓦匠抬头看了看，说巢虽小，可屋顶旧了，他不能一直等下去。外婆没说什么。那天傍晚，阿仁发现她坐在门廊上，望着燕子。“它们又回到了同一个角落，”她说，“这一定说明点什么。”
The next morning, Ren climbs the ladder with a wide board and a length of rope. He ties the board beneath the nest to catch falling mud. Grandma hands him an old umbrella, and he opens it above the board like a strange roof. When the builder arrives at noon, he stops at the foot of the ladder.
第二天早上，阿仁带着一块宽木板和一根绳子爬上梯子。他把木板固定在燕巢下方，接住掉落的泥。外婆递给他一把旧伞，他在木板上方撑开，像搭了一个奇怪的屋顶。中午泥瓦匠来时，在梯子下面停住了。
Grandma asks if he can begin on the other side of the roof first. The builder looks at the swallows, then at Ren's careful knots. He writes a new date in his notebook. 'Two weeks,' he says. 'After that, rain or no rain.' Ren nods so hard that the ladder shakes, and Grandma tells him to hold still.
外婆问他能不能先从屋顶另一侧开始。泥瓦匠看看燕子，又看看阿仁打的结。他在本子上写下一个新日期。“两周，”他说，“之后不管下不下雨，都得开工。”阿仁用力点头，梯子都晃了，外婆叫他站好别动。
The chicks hatch in May, and the porch becomes noisy. One morning the first chick stands on the edge of the nest, flapping. Then it is gone, wobbling into the plum tree. By June the nest is empty, and the builder returns. He repairs the roof in three days, replacing tiles that Grandma has saved for years.
五月，小燕子孵出来了，门廊变得热闹。一天早晨，第一只小燕子站在巢边拍翅膀。接着它飞了出去，摇摇晃晃地落进李子树。到了六月，巢空了，泥瓦匠也回来了。他用三天修好屋顶，换掉了外婆存了好几年的瓦片。
Before he leaves, he nails a small wooden shelf under the eaves, just the right size for a new nest. Grandma makes him tea and says nothing about the extra work. Next March, Ren sees two swallows circling the corner. They land on the shelf, test it with their feet, and begin to build.
临走前，他在屋檐下钉了一块小木板，大小刚好够搭一个新巢。外婆给他倒了茶，对这份额外的活儿什么也没说。第二年三月，阿仁看见两只燕子绕着那个角落飞。它们落在木板上，用脚试了试，然后开始筑巢。