《陀螺与球》，1844 年

the top and ball, 1844

一个陀螺和一个小球一起放在一个盒子里，和其他玩具放在一起，陀螺对球说：“我们住在同一个盒子里，我们结婚好吗？”

A whipping top and a little ball lay together in a box, among other toys, and the top said to the ball, “Shall we be married, as we live in the simple box?”

但是这个球，穿着摩洛哥皮革做的外衣，自视甚高，就像其他年轻小姐一样，甚至都不屑于回答。

but the ball, which wore a dress of morocco leather, and thought as much of herself as any other young lady, would not even condescend to reply.

第二天，这些玩具所属的小男孩来了，他把陀螺涂成了红黄相间的颜色，还在中间钉了一颗铜头钉，这样当陀螺旋转起来的时候，看起来非常漂亮。

the next day came the little boy to whom the playthings belonged, and he painted the top red and yellow, and drove a brass-headed nail into the middle, so that while the top was spinning round it looked splendid.

“看看我。” 陀螺对球说。

“Look at me,” said the top to the ball.

“你现在怎么说？

我们彼此订婚好吗？

我们会很般配的；你能弹起来，我能跳舞。

没有人会比我们更幸福的。”

“what do you say now?

Shall we be engaged to each other?

we should suit so well; you spring, and I dance.

No one could be happier than we should be.”

“真的吗！你这么认为？

也许你不知道我的父亲和母亲是摩洛哥拖鞋，而且我的身体里有一块西班牙软木塞。”

“Indeed! do you think so?

perhaps you do not know that my father and mother were morocco slippers, and that I have a Spanish cork in my body.”

“是的；但我是用桃花心木做的。” 陀螺说。

“Yes; but I am made of mahogany,” said the top.

“是少校亲自车制我的。

他自己有一台车床，对他来说这是一项很大的消遣。”

“the major himself turned me.

he has a turning lathe of his own, and it is a great amusement to him.”

“我能相信吗？”

球问道。

“can I believe it?”

asked the ball.

“如果我没说实话，就让我再也转不起来吧。” 陀螺说。

“may I never be whipped again,” said the top, “if I am not telling you the truth.”

“你确实很会为自己说话。” 球说；“但我不能接受你的求婚。

我差不多已经和一只燕子订婚了。”

“You certainly know how to speak for yourself very well,” said the ball; “but I cannot accept your proposal.

I am almost engaged to a swallow.

每次我飞到空中，他就会把头探出鸟巢，问：‘你愿意吗？’而我已经在心里默默地回答‘愿意’了，这就跟已经订了一半婚差不多啦；不过我保证永远不会忘记你。”

Every time I fly up in the air, he puts his head out of the nest, and says, ‘will you?’ and I have said, ‘Yes,’ to myself silently, and that is as good as being half engaged; but I will promise never to forget you.”

“这对我可没什么好处。” 陀螺说；之后它们就再也没和对方说过话。

“much good that will be to me,” said the top; and they spoke to each other no more.

第二天，小男孩把球拿了出去。

Next day the ball was taken out by the boy.

陀螺看到它像鸟儿一样高高地飞在空中，直到完全看不见了。

the top saw it flying high in the air, like a bird, till it would go quite out of sight.

每次它落回地面再弹起时，都会比之前跳得更高，要么是因为它渴望向上飞，要么是因为它身体里有块西班牙软木塞的缘故。

Each time it came back, as it touched the earth, it gave a higher leap than before, either because it longed to fly upwards, or from having a Spanish cork in its body.

但第九次它飞到空中后，就再也没回来。

but the ninth time it rose in the air, it remained away, and did not return.