《帕尔朵的花园》

大爱无疆

《帕尔朵的花园》

橘猫妈妈把窝子留给了女儿帕尔朵，她便在这片花园扎了根。我钓了鱼剁碎喂她们，比猫粮抢手，小白猫们低头闷吃，尾巴翘得老高，那盆鱼就是帕尔朵守着的“家底”。

花园里曾多出一只三花猫，跟帕尔朵的孩子差不多大，也来蹭食。起初帕尔朵睁只眼闭只眼，院角阳光里，三花和孩子们同挤食盆边，像是一家人。后来孩子大了，食物紧了，帕尔朵一巴掌拍翻三花，四脚朝天认怂，从此再没敢来。有时大猫来抢，帕尔朵自己打，我们也帮着撵，人猫联手守着这一盆盆鱼。竹栏间，她左耳微耷、眼神半眯，黑猫剪影依偎脚边——她不用多言，往那一蹲，就是这片地的规矩。

窗边常探出脑袋，白猫头顶灰斑、尾巴翘起，直勾勾望进来，像在试探这“有人兜底”的领地边界。而石槽边，橘白、黑白、白猫挤作一团酣睡，藤叶掩映，全无警惕。这是帕尔朵护完崽、立完规矩后，这片花园才有的安稳。

护崽有期限，守食无期限。孩子长大，帕尔朵照例撵出去学活；入侵者来一个打一个。曾有三只小白猫被偷，她整夜哀嚎；消失半年带六只回来，那是她的倔强。院子隔开断了猫道，如今只剩一只橘猫探头探脑。这片花园，是帕尔朵一家三代的江湖，也是她用一巴掌、一顿鱼、一夜哀嚎换来的家。

（附诗）

鱼香引客来，巴掌立边界。

守食无期限，护崽有期限。

窗边探橘影，石槽卧安眠。

三代江湖路，花园是故园。

配图建议（按文中顺序）：

1. 小白猫吃鱼（图2/3/9）

2. 三花与孩子们同框（图4/8/10）

3. 帕尔朵竹栏守门（图13/14）

4. 窗边白猫探头（图14）

5. 石槽边三猫酣睡（图15）

6. 全景围聚（图10）

7. 三花猫仰头（首图，可放三花段旁）

Paerduo’s Garden

The orange cat mother left her nest to her daughter Paerduo, who then put down roots in this garden. I caught fish and chopped them up to feed them—far more enticing than cat food. The little white cats lowered their heads to eat, tails held high; that basin of fish was the “family treasure” Paerduo guarded.

Once, a calico kitten appeared in the garden, about the same age as Paerduo’s own, and came to beg for food. At first, Paerduo turned a blind eye. In the corner sunlight, the calico and the cubs crowded around the bowl, seeming like one family. Later, as the cubs grew and food grew tight, Paerduo dealt the calico a single swat, sending it sprawling. It submitted and never dared return. Sometimes bigger strays came to steal; Paerduo fought them herself, and we helped drive them off—human and cat guarding those basins of fish together. Behind the bamboo fence, with one ear slightly drooped and eyes half-slit, her black silhouette nestled by her side—she needed no words; simply sitting there, she was the law of this patch of earth.

By the window, a white cat with a grey patch on its head and tail raised would peer in, staring straight through the glass, testing the boundary of this place where someone always provided. Meanwhile, by the stone trough, an orange-white, a black-white, and a pure white cat slept curled together, shaded by vines, utterly unguarded. This was the calm this garden knew only after Paerduo had protected her cubs and set her rules.

There is a season for guarding cubs, but none for guarding food. When the cubs grew, Paerduo drove them out to learn to survive; every intruder was met and repelled. Once three white kittens were stolen, and she wailed all night; after vanishing for half a year, she returned with six—such was her stubbornness. The yard walls later cut off the old cat paths, and now only a lone orange cat peeks in. This garden is the domain of Paerduo’s three generations, a home she won with one swat, one basin of fish, and one night of mourning.

(Accompanying poem)

Fish scent draws guests near,

A swat sets the line clear.

No end to guarding food,

A season for cubs is due.

Orange peeks by the pane,

Stone trough holds sleep’s reign.

Three generations’ road—

The garden is our abode.

Suggested Photo Order (matching the text):

1. White cats eating fish (Images 2/3/9)

2. Calico with the cubs (Images 4/8/10)

3. Paerduo guarding by the bamboo fence (Images 13/14)

4. White cat peering at the (Image 14)

5. Three cats sleeping by the stone trough (Image 15)

6. Full scene gathering (Image 10)

7. Calico looking up (first image, placed near the calico paragraph)