我是國榮。來自澳洲昆士蘭省,讀中學時成績非常好,分數已足夠在大學選讀任何一科。當時我希望成為一名醫生,因為可以幫助他人。我在新南威爾斯大學讀醫科,第一年是住在雪梨北區一個朋友家中,第二年入住大學國際宿舍,宿舍規定最少有半數是留學生,不是澳洲人。最先兩年結識了不少香港、新加玻、馬來西亞的朋友,與他們很合得來,不過最重要是入住宿舍後,便遇到了香港的流行歌曲。有一天我行經走廊時,聽到一些很悅耳的音樂,我便問同學這是甚麽歌曲及可否借給我欣賞,他便借了給我。我已忘記是Leslie還是Alan的歌,但肯定是其中一位。因為很喜歡這些歌曲,便到唐人街購買,後來一邊聽歌一邊看歌詞,因此慢慢地學識了很多中文字。
因為喜歡唱歌,所以在大學的同學活動,開始演唱中文歌,也曾參加香港學生會舉辦的歌唱比賽,參賽歌曲是「愛的根源」,結果獲得亞軍。我很清楚記得,國際宿舍為了文化交流,每年舉辦一次國際晚宴,希望不同種族的學生可以表演和分享文化。Leslie在一九八五年 唱Monica獲得獎項,那是一首我很喜歡的歌曲,所以在文化交流晚會我便選擇唱Monica。當時同學覺得很驚奇,我怎可能唱Monica。我是跟着錄影帶,學習他的舞步和唱歌技巧。我不停地在公眾地方練習,其他同學看到我很用心練習,也過來幫助我。在台上表演時有幾位同學為我伴舞,當晚演出非常成功。
一九八五年Leslie和幾位香港天皇巨星,來澳洲開演唱會。演唱會的主辦公司,需要義務司機,朋友問我能否當義務司機。我答應了,後來知道是當Leslie的司機。有一天他放假不用排練,我們便駕車往坎培拉,當日天氣多雲有微雨,甚麽也看不清楚,喝過咖啡後便離開,回程是Leslie駕駛,他的英語非常好,途中我們愉快地暢談,這次旅程對我來說是很重要的事情。
一九八六年Alan到來澳洲,我又當了他的司機。在他入住的酒店,介紹人在偶像面前,誤把我的名字說成河詠麟,當時在偶像面前我也不懂怎樣矯正。大約有兩年很多人以為我是河詠麟。他的四位女和音,知道我懂得唱他的歌,所以告訴了他,在排練那天他叫我上台一起唱。認識Leslie 和Alan兩位巨星,對我的影響很大,聽到他們的歌,和看到觀眾的反應,我開始對香港的歌唱發展很重視。
因為常常想着唐人街和唱歌,沒有用功讀書,因此醫科的第三年考試不合格,需要重讀,在一九八六年重讀了三個月便決定退學。
後來做了三份洗碗碟工作,還做了個多月砌磚的工作,我把工作一年多,所得工資儲起來,買了一張單程機票和帶了一千澳元,便到來香港發展。唯一的準備是問一個朋友能否到他的家中居住。他的父親很勉強地答應,但需要收租金。我甚麽準備也沒有,只是刻意買了一張單程機票,是因為不想遇到少許困難便放棄,返回澳洲。
初到香港時甚麼都不認識,沒有計劃,也沒有朋友。我最先是住在廣播道,但我的朋友不是在那裡居住,因為他還在讀書。初來時沒有事做,所以在外面逛了幾天,有一天意外地行到紅磡體育館,中門外有四名男士在吸煙,他們竟然叫我河詠麟。原來他們是Alan的樂隊成員,在一九八六年見過面,但相隔一年,竟然還可以記起我,這就是緣分。當時Alan正在為演唱會排練,他們帶我進去體育館,這樣便再見到Alan。一九八七年的演唱會是三十一場,我看了三十場。本來打算看足三十一場,但是有少許問題出現,因為我住的地方有規定,晚上十時半後便會關門,不會再讓人進出。但演唱會是不會這麽早便完場,每晚看完演唱會,我會行去尖沙嘴,然後再步行回廣播道,然後在公園外的石椅小睡,到五時公園開門便進去睡覺,但最終因捱不住,有一晚沒有去看演唱會。有一次Alan突然問我,今晚可否上台唱歌,我說當然可以,便成為他的嘉賓。我第一次表演Alan十分開心,但第二次他在台上介紹,有一個外國人,唱他的歌十分出色,當他呼喚河詠麟出場,因為我不在場,所以沒有出現。後來他問我為何沒有出現,我便向他解釋原因,他便安排我入住酒店,直到演唱會完結。所以便有第三次呼喚我上台,這是我第二次成為嘉賓跟他一起唱「朋友」,真是十分興奮。到八月他的生日會也有邀請我做嘉賓,其實每一件發生的事情都是有關係的。
後來我在北角僑冠大厦租了一間劏房居住,有一次從北角行到中環,看到一間職業介紹公司的招聘啟示,我便前往應徵。當時職員說我可以教英文,但我不是教師,他認為沒有問題,便介紹我到一間補習社工作。在補習社工作了幾個月,有一位同事看到一張電視台的海報,需要招聘 一個西方人,但要懂得說中文。我致電應徵,他是一位獨立經紀,我說沒有經驗和廣東話也不是很好,他說沒有問題。我便去見一位電視台女監製,她給我一段英文劇本,要我讀出來。因為很緊張,五分鐘都不能出聲,我跟自己說,不嘗試會後侮一生。那一段對白是警官責備下級,責備人一定是很大聲的,所以我便很大聲說出來。當時她正在做自己的事,沒有再理會我,但我的叫聲使她大吃一驚。因為沒有其他外國人給她選擇,她無奈地聘請了我,這套劇集需要兩個西方人,另外一位是當主角,從那時開始,便在電視台工作了二十年。
二零一四年九月我在N o w T V的一個音樂節目做嘉賓,在一間音樂室裡我和三位節目主持人,唱歌和談論音樂。到最近才知道,他們三位是100毛的老闆。到聖誕100毛找我拍攝雜誌封面,我不知為何找我拍攝封面,原來三位老闆是認識我的,只是我自己不知道。
二零一五年八月他們聯絡我,他們有一首歌,問我會否願意演唱,那首歌曲我很熟悉,歌詞十分口語化,應該可以學到的。但當時是星期五,表演是在星期日,只得兩天時間作準備,所以我很用心練習。舞台是有電視屏幕可以看到歌詞,但我盡量避免看電視屏幕,只是有需要時才看一看,便可以放心地唱。能夠上台非常開心,我可以扮了演一個角色,唱一首悅耳和有趣的歌,觀眾很熱鬧和興奮,真是十分難得。我知道這是一生一次,這不是自己可以做到,是他們給我機會。那首歌很受歡迎,而且登上了流行榜。聖誕節前他們聯絡我,表示將會舉辦總選,問我會否參加,我便欣然答應了。當天每位表演者,會有兩首歌曲,在十二月廿六日接到新歌,我從沒有聽過那首歌,是一首說唱歌曲,而且歌詞很陌生,對我來說十分困難,所以我不停地練習了四百多次。當晚表演由Now T V直播,有七十萬人觀看,想不到自己能夠獲得香港區最受歡迎男歌星獎,當宣佈我的名字時,極度開心,無人能想到,唱出真香港的歌曲,是由一個西方人唱出,可以感動到別人。這是天時地利人和,超乎現實,簡直是一個奇蹟。因為那首歌不是我揀選,是別人給我的,練習這首歌時眼睛常常都會充了滿淚水和很感動。
西方人在香港發展演藝事業是十分困難的,機會不多,只能扮演一些無關重要的角色,但我從來沒有想過放棄。五年前我計劃灌錄一張唱片,因為胃酸倒流,把聲帶灼傷,使我聲音變得沙啞,這件事使我非常懊惱,因為辛苦練習多年,卻發生了這個問題,後來我矯正了唱歌方法,問題得以改善,可以繼續唱歌,現在準備為唱片再進行錄音工作。
最近有很多關於少數族裔的事情出現在我身上 ,現在我為一個港台節目做旁白,是關於少數族裔在香港。他們在本地娛樂圈發展是十分困難,因為在一個有九成是同一種族的地方,看電視或電影,也是會看自己的種族,未必會看少數族裔。如果他們幾個人合作,做一個節目,然後在網上發放,是有機會成功。香港有很多少數族裔居住,有些人的中文比我好,他們也愛香港。
我心目中的香港人,是要做香港人做的事,吃香港人吃的食物,關心香港,不看膚色,希望他們也能說廣東話,最重要是覺得香港是自己的家,這便是真正的香港人。
I am Gregory. I hail from Queensland, Australia. During my high school years, my grades were excellent. They were good enough for me to enroll in any subject that I wanted to in university. At that time, I wanted to become a doctor because I could help others. I studied Medicine at the University of New South Wales. In my first year, I lived in my friend’s home located in North Sydney. During my second year, I lived in International House at the university. It was a rule for the school campus to have at least 50 percent overseas students. They cannot be Australians. I met a lot of Hong Kong, Singaporean and Malaysian friends in my first two years. I was able to get along with them very well. But what is most important was that after living in International House, I came across Hong Kong pop music. One day I was walking along the corridors and overheard beautifully melodic music. I asked my classmate what music he was listening to and if he could lend me the music to listen to. He leant it to me.
I have forgotten whether it was the music of Leslie or Alan. But I am sure it was one of them because I really liked that kind of music. I went to Chinatown to buy it. Eventually, I listened to the music as I read the lyrics. In turn, I slowly picked up a lot of Chinese characters.
I attended many different functions to perform Cantonese songs in university because I really liked to sing. I also attended a singing competition organized by the Hong Kong student association. The competition song was ‘Root of Love’. In the end I won second runner-up. I clearly remember International House wanted to organize cultural exchanges so they held international banquets each year. Their hope was for students from different ethnic backgrounds to perform and share their culture.
In 1985, Leslie won an award for singing ‘Monica’. It was a song that I really loved. During the international cultural exchange banquet, I chose to sing ‘Monica’. At that time my classmates were very surprised. How can I sing ‘Monica’? I followed the videos to learn the dance steps and singing techniques. I kept on practicing in public. Other students witnessed how hard I was practicing and came over to help me out. A few classmates became my accompanying dancers as I danced on stage. The performance that night was extremely successful.
Leslie and a group of Hong Kong superstars visited Australia to hold concerts in 1985. The concert organizer needed a voluntary driver. My friends asked me whether I wanted to be the voluntary driver. I accepted the offer. In the end I found out that I would become Leslie’s driver. There was one day when he was on break and did not need to rehearse. We drove to Canberra. It was cloudy and there was light rain on that day. We could not see clearly. After having a coffee, we left. Leslie was next to drive. His English was very good. During the journey back we chatted happily. The trip was very important to me.
In 1986, Alan came to Australia. I was also his driver. Our mutual friend misread my name as “Ho Wing Lun” in front of my idol during his stay at the hotel. I was not able to correct him at the time because Alan (“Wing Lun”) was my idol. Many people thought I was called “Ho Wing Lun” for around two years. His four back-up singers knew I was able to sing Alan’s songs. That was why they told him about it. During rehearsal day, he told me to sing with him on stage. Knowing superstars like Leslie and Alan had a great impact on me. To be able to listen to their songs and to witness the reactions from the audience led me to become interested in a singing career in Hong Kong.
I did not put in a lot of effort in my studies because I always thought of Chinatown and singing. Consequently, I failed my medical examinations in my third year. I had to re-take my subjects. In 1986, I re-took my studies for three months but then I decided to quit school.
In the end I juggled three dish washing jobs and also many months of brick laying work. I saved up a whole year of my salary and bought a one-way ticket to Hong Kong. I also carried $1000 Australian dollars on me. I then went to Hong Kong to develop my career. I only asked my friend whether I could stay at his place as preparation to living in my new homeland. His father reluctantly agreed but had to receive rent. I did not have anything equipped or prepared. I only purposely bought a one-way ticket because I did not want to easily give up when I encountered minor difficulties and return to Australia.
When I first arrived in Hong Kong, I did not know anything. I did not have any plans. I also did not have any friends. Initially, I lived in Broadcast Drive but my friend did not live there because he was still studying. I did not have anything to do at first. That was why I hung around Hong Kong for several days. One day, by coincidence, I came across Hung Hom Coliseum. At the entrance, there were four men smoking. They noticed me and surprisingly called out “Ho Wing Lun”. They were, in fact, members of Alan’s band. We have first met in 1986. Surprisingly, they remembered me after a whole year. That is called fate. At that time, Alan was preparing for his concert. The four men brought me inside the Coliseum. I saw Alan. There were 31 shows in his 1987 concert. I watched 30 of them. I intended to watch all 31 shows but there was a slight problem. There were rules at my guest house. After ten thirty each night, the door to the home will be locked. Nobody was allowed to enter or leave the house. But concerts do not end so early. So, after watching each concert in the evening, I would walk to Tsim Sha Tsui and then walk back to Broadcast Drive. I would sleep on the concreate seats outside the park. When the park opens at five in the morning, I will go in and sleep. Eventually, I was unable to handle it. One night I cannot watch a show. Once Alan asked me “Can you sing on stage tonight?” I told him “Of course I can.” I became his special guest. Alan was extremely happy when I first performed. By the second show, he announced that: “There is a westerner who can sing my songs very well.” He called out my name “Ho Wing Lun!” But because I was not at the scene, I did not show up. Eventually, he asked me why I did not show up. I explained my reason to him. He then arranged a hotel for me to stay at until the end of the concert. That was why he was able to call me out the third time! That was my second time as special guest singing “Friends” with him. It was exhilarating. In August, he introduced me as a special guest at his birthday party. Actually, everything happens for a reason and everything is interconnected.
Soon after, I rented a tiny flat at a building in North Point to live in. I walked from North Point to Central once. I came across a recruitment agency looking to hire. I went in to give it a shot. At that time, the staff said I could teach English but I was not a teacher. The staff said it was not a problem and introduced me to work at a learning center. After working there for a few months, a colleague saw a TV station’s poster. They were looking to recruit a westerner but that person needs to be able to speak Cantonese. I called to give it a try. The person who answered was an independent agent. I told that agent I had no experience and my Cantonese was not very good. The agent told me it was not a problem. I went to see the TV station’s female producer. She gave me an English script and wanted me to read it out. I was so nervous that I did not utter a word in five minutes. I told myself, if I do not try, I will regret it for life. The dialogue depicted a police telling off a subordinate. When you tell someone off, you must be very loud so, I read my lines out very loudly. At that time, the female producer was doing her own work and did not care about me but because I was so loud, I frightened her! As there were no other westerners for her to choose from, she had no choice but to hire me. The TV show required two westerners. The other westerner played the main character. From then onwards, I worked at the TV station for twenty years.
In September 2014, I appeared as a guest on a NowTV music program. I was in a band room with the three show hosts. We sang and discussed music. Only recently, I found out that they were the Founders of 100 Most. When it was Christmas, 100 Most invited me to appear on the cover of their magazine. I did not know why they wanted me to do it – only to find out that the Founders of the magazine already knew who I was! It was just me who did not know that.
In August 2015, 100 Most contacted me and asked me whether I wanted to sing this particular song. I was very familiar with the song lyrics. The lyrics were very colloquial. I should be able to learn it. It was Friday. The performance was on Sunday. I only had two days to prepare for it. That was why I practiced very hard. The stage showcased the lyrics. But I tried my best not to look at them. I would only glance at them when I needed to. I felt more confident and assured as I sang.
I was extremely elated to be able to perform on stage. I can play a role singing a wonderful and amusing song. The audience was super warm and excited. It was a moment to be treasured. I know this can only happen once in my life. It cannot be done by myself. It is because I was given a chance by 100 Most. The song was very popular and hit the charts. Before Christmas, 100 Most contacted me and expressed that there would be a final election of the songs. They asked me whether I would like to participate. I was more than happy to give it a try. On the day of the show, each contestant would have two songs.
On the 26th of December, I received the new song. I have never heard of the song before. It was a rap song. I was very unfamiliar with the lyrics. I found them very difficult. That was why I kept practicing it for more than four hundred times. The show was broadcasted live by NowTV. Around seven hundred thousand people watched the broadcast. I cannot imagine winning the Best Hong Kong Male Singer. When my name was announced, I was extremely delighted. Nobody can imagine that a westerner was able to sing a song about ‘real Hong Kong’. It can touch people. It was something that happened at the right place and at the right time. It was also surreal and a complete miracle. It is because the song was not selected by me. It was given to me by others. My eyes were often wet from practicing this song. I was very touched.
It is very difficult for westerners to develop their artistry in the entertainment industry. Chances are slim. They can only play roles that are irrelevant and unimportant. But I never thought of giving up. Five years ago I planned to record my own album. But because of stomach acid reflux, my vocal chords got damaged. My voice became hoarse and coarse. It brought me a lot of frustrations because I have worked hard for many years. Then this happened. I then amended my singing techniques and the issue improved significantly. I was able to sing again. I am now working on re-recording my new album.
A lot of ethnic minority issues materialized around me as of late. I am currently the voice over for a RTHK program about ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. It is very hard for them to develop their career in the local entertainment industry. It is because when 90 percent of the people share the same skin color comes together in a particular place, those watching TV or film will tend to watch people of their own skin color. They may not watch ethnic minorities. If a group of ethnic minorities work together to create a program for the web, it may work out. There are a lot of ethnic minorities residing in Hong Kong. Some of their Chinese is better than mine. They also love Hong Kong very much.
‘Hong Kongers’, to me, are people who need to do things ‘Hong Kongers’ do. Eat Hong Kong food. Care about Hong Kong. And do not look at skin color. I hope they can also speak Cantonese. Most importantly, they should regard Hong Kong as their home. Then, they are ‘real Hong Kongers’.
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「約翰走路:走遍世界的男人」
You’ve probably seen one of these, a LEGO brick, but have you ever wondered how would it all started, and why is it called LEGO? Actually, the name is much older than this plastic brick. Are you curious? Let me tell you how it all began.
你可能看過這其中之一,一塊樂高積木,但你有沒有想過這一切是如何開始的,以及它為什麼叫樂高嘛?事實上,這名字比這塊塑膠積木老得多了。好奇嗎?讓我告訴你這一切如何開始的。
Many years ago, there was a skilled and hardworking carpenter named, Ole Kirk Christiansen. Ole was a respected carpenter with his own company. But times were hard, so he didn’t have much money and had to dismiss his last worker.
許多年以前,有位技術高超、工作勤奮的木匠,他的名字是Ole Kirk Christiansen。Ole是名受人尊敬的木匠,並擁有自己的公司。但日子很困苦,所以他沒有太多錢,還必須解雇最後一名員工。
“Come on in.”
“ I’ve closed down the workshop and packed my thing.”
“Heh, thank you!”
“I suppose I’d better write you a paycheck.”
“Take care!”
「進來吧。」
「我已經關了木作工坊,也打包了我的東西。」
「啊,謝謝你!」
「我想我最好寫張薪水支票給你。」
「保重!」
“Well, that was the last one. I just didn’t imagine that it would come to this.”
“I know. It’s hard to understand, but at least now it can’t get much worse.”
「嗯,這是最後一名員工。只是我沒有想像會演變成這樣。」
「我知道。很難預料到,但至少不會再更糟了。」
But it did get worse. Shortly after, Ole lost his wife. But Ole was a special person. He wasn’t the type that gave up. And with the responsibility of his four sons, he had to think of something. Ole had gotten an idea. And for him, it never took long to put an idea into action. Ole’s little invention made his boys so happy that he thought maybe he should start making toys. Ole decided to give it a try. Luckily, he had saved up a lot of wood from the carpentry production. He can now use it to make toys.
但事情確實更糟了。不久後,Ole失去了他的妻子。但Ole是個特別的人。他不是那種會放棄的人。為了要對四個兒子負起責任,他必須要想些辦法。Ole想到了個點子。而且對他來說,要將點子付諸行動從來不需花太多時間。Ole的小發明讓他的兒子們非常開心,所以他想也許他應該開始做玩具。Ole決定要試一試。幸運的是,他曾儲存了許多製作木器用的木料。他現在可以用這些來做玩具。
Time passed by, and even though Ole was a skilled carpenter and had a good eye for quality and detail, sales were very slow. Luckily, one of his sons, Godtfrey, started helping out his dad after school. Together, they just barely managed to keep up the production. Eventually, word began to spread that wooden toys of the finest quality were being made in a little workshop in Billund.
時光流逝,而且即使Ole是名技術高超的木匠,並對品質及細節有好眼光,銷售還是非常緩慢。幸運地,他其中一個兒子Godtfrey開始在放學之後幫助他的父親。他倆一起還是只能勉強維持產量。最後,開始口耳相傳在Billund有間小木作工坊生產品質最好的木製玩具。
One day, a man drove into town — a man who would change Ole’s future. He was a wholesaler from Frederitia.
有一天,一名男子開車到城裡來–一個將會改變Ole未來的男人。他是從Frederitia來的批發商。
“I’ve heard that you’re making some very nice wooden toys.”
「我聽說你生產非常精美的木製玩具。」
“Well, one does his best.”
「這個嘛,竭盡我所能囉。」
The wholesaler was very impressed with all the wooden toys and placed a big order before he left.
這批發商對所有木製玩具印象非常深刻,並在離開前開出一筆大訂單。
“Now there’s finally someone who can see the opportunities and what we are doing.”
“Look at this. The wholesaler wants to put a lot of our toys into his store for the holidays.”
“It’s going to be a good Christmas this year, but we’ll be busy.”
「現在終於有個人看到這些機會、看到我們在做的事。」
「看這個。那個批發商想在假期期間在他的店裡放上很多我們的玩具。」
「今年的聖誕節會很好過,但我們會很忙。」
Now, there was a lot to do in the little workshop. And Ole could rehire his former workers. Ole only used the highest quality wood, which was hand-picked and very carefully prepared. They worked day and night to get the order finished, so the wholesaler could get the toys out in stores before Christmas.
現在這間小木作工坊有許多事要忙。而且Ole可以重新聘僱他以前的員工。Ole只用最高品質的木頭,這些木頭都是親手挑選的,並經過非常細心的準備。他們日以繼夜地工作以完成訂單,以能讓那位批發商能在聖誕節以前將這些玩具放到店裡。
“Is there something wrong, Dad?”
“I’m afraid that we’re… in big trouble.”
「發生什麼事了嗎?爸爸?」
「恐怕我們…有大麻煩了」
In the middle of their work, Ole received a letter saying that the wholesaler had filed for bankruptcy, and couldn’t buy the toys that he had ordered.
在他們工作進行到一半時,Ole收到一封信,上面寫著那名批發商已申請破產,不能買下他之前訂的玩具。
“But what are you gonna do? What about Christmas? Now we can’t even afford food?”
“I’ll do it.”
“What are you gonna do, Dad?”
“I’ll do it myself. I’ll drive around selling the toys.”
「但你要怎麼做?聖誕節怎麼辦?現在我們甚至買不起食物?」
「我會做。」
「你要怎麼做?爸爸?」
「我自己做。我會開車兜售這些玩具。」
There was no time to lose. Ole packed the car with all the toys and drove off. Ole was a very good toy-maker but was not a very good salesman. He didn’t like praising himself or talking about how carefully the toys have been made, but he had to keep trying if he is going to sell anything.
沒有時間浪費了。Ole將所有玩具裝進車裡,並開車離開。Ole是名很優秀的玩具製造者,但卻不是位優秀的銷售員。他不喜歡吹捧自己,或說這些玩具是如何細心地製作出來的,但如果想賣出任何東西,他就必須要繼續嘗試。
“This is going to be a blast. Is there anything you are interested in?”
“It looks exciting, but I don’t have a lot of money right now. Maybe we could trade in and call it even.”
“Well, I would prefer money, but…”
「這會造成轟動的。有任何你感興趣的東西嗎?」
「這看起來很振奮人心,但我現在沒有很多錢。也許我們能以物易物然後扯平。」
「這個嘛,我比較想收錢,但…」
In the end, he succeeded in selling all the toys. He didn’t receive as much money as he had hoped. But the family managed, and they had plenty of food for Christmas. Time passed by, but the toys didn’t sell as quickly as they had expected. Ole thought perhaps the company needed a good name.
最後,他成功地賣出所有玩具。他收到的錢並沒有他期望中的多。但家計得以維持,他們也有許多食物過聖誕節。時光流逝,但玩具賣得並不如預期般的快。Ole想,也許公司需要一個好名字。
“What should it be? It has to be a short word. I wanted to convey ‘playing well’.”
「應該叫什麼?它必須要是個簡短的字。我想要傳達『好好地玩』。」
In Danish, “playing well” is called “LEG GODT”.
丹麥文中「好好地玩」叫做「LEG GODT」。
“What should it be? What should it be? Yeah… If only I could get some sort of a sign…”
“LEGO.”
「要叫什麼?要叫什麼呢?對啊…如果我能有個像招牌的東西的話…」
「LEGO(樂高)」
As you can see, Ole himself ended up finding a very suitable name. But what he didn’t know was that in Latin, the word “LEGO” means “I put together”. The name “LEGO” was well received. And the company slowly started to move forward.
你可以看到,Ole最後幫自己找了個非常適合的名字。但他不知道的是,在拉丁文中,「LEGO」這個字的意思是「我組在一起」。「樂高」這個名字的接受度很高。而且公司開始慢慢地向前進。
“We have made 3,000 Krones this year. And we have more orders than usual.”
“Did you say 3,000 Krones? Huh, then you need to see what I’ve been looking at.”
“We have made 3,000 Krones this year. And we have more orders than usual.”
“Did you say 3,000 Krones? Huh, then you need to see what I’ve been looking at.”
「我們今年賺了3,000克朗(丹麥、挪威貨幣單位)。而且我們接到比平常更多的訂單。」
「你是說3,000克朗嗎?哈,那你應該要看看我已經看了好一陣子的東西。」
Even though Godtfred wasn’t comfortable spending money on a milling machine, he could see that it was useful, and that the quality of the toys improved.
即便Godtfred對於花錢買刻磨機感到很不舒服,他還是知道那很有用,而且也改善了玩具的品質。
“Could you finish the last batch and get it ready for shipping?”
“I will.”
“Dad…. dad, I saved a lot of money for the company today.”
“Really!? How?”
“I figured we could save money in the lacquer. Just like only coated the ducks twice instead of three times.”
“You What?”
「你可以完成最後一批並準備好裝運嗎?」
「我會的。」
「爸…爸,我今天為公司省下了很多錢。」
「真的嗎?怎麼做的?」
「我想到我們可以省下亮光漆的錢。像是在鴨子上只塗上兩層,而不是三層。」
「你做了什麼?」
Unfortunately, Godtfred’s idea didn’t go over well with Ole. Ole made Godtfred unpack all the ducks himself, give them the last layer of lacquer and bring them back to the train station. Ole believed in high quality and not cheating his customers. When Godtfred returned, Ole explained that that wasn’t the way to create a good brand. This little lesson opened Godtfred’s eyes to the fact that every detail matters and only the best is good enough.
不幸的是,Godtfred的主意並沒有過Ole那關。Ole要Godtfred自己從箱子取出那些鴨子,塗上最後一層亮光漆,並將它們運回火車站。Ole相信高品質,以及不能欺騙他的顧客們。當Godtfred回去時,Ole解釋那不是個創造好品牌的方式。這小小的一課打開了Godtfred的眼界,讓他知道每個細節都很重要,而且只有做到最好才算夠好。
In the late 1930s, LEGO was making a profit, even when The Second World War broke out. They tried to make the best out of a difficult time. It seemed nothing could go wrong. But a stormy night in 1942 changed their luck.
在1930年代後期,樂高開始賺錢,甚至第二次世界大戰爆發時也有盈利。他們試著充分利用這艱鉅的時期。似乎沒有任何事可以出錯。但1942年一個暴風雨的夜晚改變了他們的命運。
“There’s a fire. The workshop is on fire.”
「發生火災了。木作工坊起火了。」
But when the firemen arrived, they were unable to save the workshop. It burned to the ground, and all the drawings and models were destroyed. Ole was beginning to lose hope. All that he had worked for was gone, and he almost lost his company. But being responsible for his children and workers inspired him to rebuild LEGO. A new factory was constructed. Soon the production of wooden toy started again. The little company fought its way back into the market. Gradually, the LEGO factory began to run smoothly, and Ole started looking for new challenges.
但當消防隊員抵達時,他們已經無法救回木作工坊了。它被燒毀夷為平地,所有的草圖和模型也都被破壞殆盡。Ole開始失去希望。他所有的心血都沒了,他還差點失去他的公司。但對他的孩子和員工負起責任這件事,鼓勵了他重建樂高。他建了一座新的工廠。很快地再次開始木製玩具的生產。這間小公司奮力找到重回市場的路。漸漸地樂高工廠開始順利地營運,而Ole開始尋找新的挑戰。
One day, he went to Copenhagen to look at a new machine that had just arrived in Denmark. It was a plastic molding machine, and Ole was very excited about it.
有一天,他到哥本哈根去看一台剛送到丹麥的新機器。那是台塑膠成型機,Ole對此感到非常興奮。
“Should we buy it? It sure is a good bargain, and it would give us a lot of opportunities.”
“Well, it does sound interesting, but it is a lot of money.”
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”
「我們應該買嗎?它確實很划算,而且會帶給我們很多機會。」
「這個嘛,聽起來很有趣,但這是很大一筆錢。」
「我就當你答應了。」
When the plastic molding machine finally arrived, Ole started making little plastic Teddy Bears and rattles. But he still had the plastic brick that he had received at the fair. There was something about them that he couldn’t stop thinking about. And even though no one else could see the potential in them, Ole decided to redesign and put them into production. But it was when LEGO first launched the great Ferguson Tractor that the plastic toys became a success. Unfortunately, the sales were dropping during the summer, and the company had too many toys in stock.
當塑膠成型機終於送達時,Ole開始製作小塑膠泰迪熊和波浪鼓。但他仍留著他在商展上拿到的塑膠積木。他就是無法停止思考有關這些塑膠積木的可能性。即使沒有人能在它們之中看到潛力,Ole還是決定要重新設計並生產它們。但直到樂高首次推出大Ferguson拖拉機的時候,塑膠玩具才取得成功。不幸的是,銷售量在夏天時開始下跌,而公司有太多的玩具庫存。
“This can’t be right. Of course, our products can be sold the whole year, not only for Christmas.”
「事情不該是這樣。當然,我們的產品全年都可以銷售,不只有在聖誕節時才能賣。」
Godtfred decided that he would go out and sell the toys himself. Godtfred brought his wife Edith as company and moral support.
Godtfred決定他要自己出去賣這些玩具。Godtfred帶著他的妻子Edith作伴以及精神支持。
“If you can’t get cash then… hmm… We need butter and eggs.”
「如果你不能換到現金那麼…嗯…我們需要奶油和雞蛋。」
Well, it wasn’t that bad. Godtfred was a success in his trip around the country which helped LEGO to get out of its financial crisis. They reached home just in time for Ole’s birthday party. Ole turned 60 and the whole family was gathered to celebrate with him.
這個嘛,事情沒那麼糟。Godtfred環遊全國的兜售行程很成功,這幫助樂高度過財政危機。他們到家時正好趕上Ole的生日派對。Ole 60歲了,全家都聚在一起為他慶祝。
“Well, I guess it was a long trip around the country.”
“Hey, I got an idea. Ugh, listen! Listen! What about a picture with the three generations?”
「嗯,我猜這趟環遊全國的旅程很漫長。」
「嘿,我有個想法。喂,聽好!聽好!拍張三代同堂的照片如何?」
Everyone thought that was a good idea, and we were placed on the sofa with all the presents and flowers around us. On a business trip to England, Godtfred met the head of a big shopping center on his way home. They discussed the toy industry, and the conversation would be very important to the future of LEGO.
每個人都覺得那是個好主意,我們坐在沙發上,四周都是禮物和花。在英國出差的時候,Godtfred在回家路上認識了一個大型購物中心的領導人。他們討論了玩具產業,那段對話對於樂高的未來會是非常重要。
“Damn this industry! I just think that toys are no good nowadays.”
“What do you mean? I think they are working very well.”
“Oh, they work fine, sure! But there’s no system in anything.”
“System?”
“System? Hmm, there isn’t any system…”
“What in the world are you doing, Godtfred?”
“There isn’t any system. The toys need an idea and a system built around it.”
“I wanna put system in the play. Children have only been offered ready-made solutions.”
“They need something different that will strengthen their imagination and creativity.”
“So, you are trying to put LEGO into a system? Interesting.”
「該死的產業!我就是覺得現在的玩具都不好。」
「你是什麼意思?我覺得他們運作得很好呀。」
「喔,他們運作的還可以。當然啦!但沒有任何東西是有系統的。」
「系統?」
「系統?嗯,沒有任何系統…」
「Godtfred,你究竟在做什麼?」
「沒有任何系統。這些玩具需要有一個概念,並要建立一個環繞的系統。」
「我想要在遊戲中放進系統。孩子們一直以來都只接受現成的解決方式。」
「他們需要一些不同的東西來增強他們的想像力及創造力。」
「所以,你要將樂高系統化?這有趣了。」
That same year, LEGO started producing the first LEGO system of play. Children could now build houses from the LEGO bricks. The Town Plan gave play a realistic town setting, and with this, children learned about traffic safety. My sisters and I could play with the new LEGO system for hours. Some people said we were the luckiest children in the world, because we grew up in a toy factory. It was a huge breakthrough, and Godtfred decided to try selling it outside of Denmark. The system of play was so popular that they managed to sell it to many countries.
同一年,樂高開始生產第一個樂高系統遊戲。孩子們現在可以用樂高積木蓋房子。「城鎮計畫」讓遊戲有真實的城鎮背景設定,孩子可以從中學到有關交通安全的事。我和姊妹們可以玩新的樂高系統玩好幾個小時。有些人說我們是世界上最幸運的孩子,因為我們在一個玩具工廠裡長大。那是個很大的突破,而Godtfred決定要試著在丹麥以外的地方銷售。這種系統遊戲非常受歡迎,使得他們能在許多國家販售。
“Look what I just built!”
“That is really nice, Cal.”
「看我剛剛蓋了什麼!」
「這真的很棒,Cal。」
Even though LEGO was meant for only building houses, there was still a lot of opportunity. There was just one problem.
雖然樂高只供蓋房子用,仍然有許多可能性。只有一個問題。
“Hmm, I can’t lift it up. It keeps falling apart.”
「噢,我不能把它拿起來。它一直垮掉。」
That made Godtfred wonder. He wanted to find a way to make the LEGO bricks stick together, but that was easier said than done. Godtfred noticed that the LEGO bricks got a better clutch powers with tubes inside. Now, it was no longer just bricks but a whole construction system with endless possibilities. This was groundbreaking for the LEGO product. With a child’s imagination, LEGO could be anything in the world over and over again. The imagination is the limit.
這讓Godtfred感到好奇。他想找出方法讓樂高積木能卡在一起,但說的比做的容易。Godtfred注意到樂高積木在內裡有管狀結構時能有更強的抓力。現在,這不只是積木而已,更是一個有無限可能性的整個建築系統。這為樂高產品的新紀元奠基。有了孩子的想像力,樂高可以一次又一次地做出世界上任何東西。想像力就是極限。
“Look, Dad! Now, I can build everything.”
「看,爸!現在,我可以蓋出所有東西。」
Unfortunately, Ole never got to see how successful the little brick actually became. Godtfred was left on his own, and he had to go through another fire at LEGO that destroyed most of the wood production. Just like his father, Godtfred knew that he had to try to get the best out of any situation and never give up. Godtfred took the hard times with his head held high. As sales grew, the company also got bigger. He had to think ahead, and he decided not to resume the production of wooden toys and to only focus on the LEGO system. It turned out to be a great decision. Many new models were built, and LEGO got stronger in the toy industry.
不幸的是,Ole再也看不到這些小積木竟然變得多麼的成功。Godtfred只剩自己了,而且他必須要走過另外一場燒毀樂高大部分木製產品的大火。但就像他的父親,Godtfred知道他必須要嘗試充分利用任何情況,並永不放棄。Godtfred抬頭挺胸的度過這困難的日子。隨著銷售成長,公司也日益壯大。他必須要預作打算,而他決定不再製造木製玩具,只專注在樂高系統。結果這是個重要的決定。許多新的模型被建造出來,樂高在玩具產業越加壯大。
“Sir, which one of these do you think is the best?”
“Hmm… Errr… that one!”
「先生,你認為哪一個最好?」
「嗯…嗯…那個!」
Even though it got busier at LEGO, Godtfred still had bigger plans. Now, he wanted to build an airport. So, it would be easier to sell his toys to the whole world. Like father, like son. It didn’t take long to put his idea into action. Only three years later, Billund airport was opened. The many guests and business connections who visited the company always wanted to see the modeling department. Gradually, it got so crowded that it was hard for the employees to keep up their work.
即使樂高變得更忙了,Godtfred仍有更偉大的計畫。現在,他想要建一座機場。這樣就能更容易向全世界銷售他的玩具。有其父必有其子。要將他的想法付諸行動並不用花太長時間。短短三年後,Billund機場開張了。許多曾到訪公司的賓客及商務往來的客戶總是想要看模型樣品部門。漸漸地,公司變得太擁擠,使得員工很難繼續他們的工作。
“I think we’d better wait a while.”
「我認為我們最好等一下。」
Godtfred could see that something had to be done. He needed a bigger place to display the LEGO models.
Godtfred發現還有些待辦事項。他需要更大的場地來展示樂高模型。
“Err, I don’t wanna interrupt. So, I’ll just put this package of our new LEGO train, err… on the table.”
“Just put it there. Train?”
「阿,我不是想打斷你。所以,我只要把這盒新的樂高火車放到,啊…桌上?」
「就放在那裡。火車?」
The idea grew quickly from an exhibition room to an amusement park.
這個點子很快地就從一間展覽室發展成一座主題樂園。
“And then, we could have a tower so you could look over the whole park from above — the whole town.”
“It would be a land made out of LEGO — LEGO Land.”
“Well, it looks interesting. But how many visitors are you actually counting on?”
“Well, I guess… uhmmm… two hundred, three hundred thousand?”
“Three hundred thousand?”
「然後,我們可以蓋座塔,這樣你從上面就能俯瞰整座遊樂園–整個城鎮。」
「這會是個用樂高做出的樂土–樂高世界。」
「嗯,這看起來很有趣。但你究竟期望有多少遊客?」
「這個嘛,我猜…嗯…二十,三十萬?」
「三十萬?」
Even though it sounded like a lot, my dad was actually pretty far off the mark. There were six hundred thousand guests the very first year. My family and I were there to greet the guests. We’ve kept up this tradition ever since. Now, you know how it all began. LEGO wouldn’t be what it is today if it hadn’t been for my grandfather’s sense of quality and search for perfection. My father firmly believed in the endless possibilities of the LEGO system. I seek to take the LEGO idea even further. Encouraging children to explore, experience and express their own world — a world without limits. And we are still convinced that only the best is good enough, because children deserve the best.
雖然這聽起來好像很多,我的父親確實離這個目標很遠。在開始的第一年就有六十萬名遊客。我和家人都到場招呼遊客。自此之後我們一直維持這個傳統。現在,你知道這一切是如何開始的。如果沒有我的祖父對品質的意識以及對完美的追求,樂高不會有今天的成就。我父親深深地相信樂高系統中無限的可能性。我尋求更進一步地推動樂高理念。鼓勵孩子探索、體驗及表達他們自己的世界–一個沒有限制的世界。而我們仍然相信只有最好才算夠好,因為孩子們應該得到最好的。