《笨汉杰克》,1855 年
Jack the dullard, 1855
一个古老故事的新编
在这个国家的内地深处,有一座古老的男爵府邸,府里住着一位年迈的领主,他有两个儿子,这两个年轻人都自认为聪明绝顶。
AN oLd StoRY toLd ANEw
Far in the interior of the country lay an old baronial hall, and in it lived an old proprietor, who had two sons, which two young men thought themselves too clever by half.
他们想出去向国王的女儿求婚;因为这位公主已经公开宣布,她要选那个能把话说得最动听的年轻人做丈夫。
they wanted to go out and woo the King’s daughter; for the maiden in question had publicly announced that she would choose for her husband that youth who could arrange his words best.
于是这两位天才为求婚准备了整整一个星期 —— 这是能给他们的最长时间了;但也足够了,因为他们之前掌握了很多预备知识,而且大家都知道那有多有用。
So these two geniuses prepared themselves a full week for the wooing — this was the longest time that could be granted them; but it was enough, for they had had much preparatory information, and everybody knows how useful that is.
其中一个能把整本拉丁语词典都背下来,而且还能把小镇三年的日报内容倒背如流,事实上,他可以随心所欲地正背或倒背。
one of them knew the whole Latin dictionary by heart, and three whole years of the daily paper of the little town into the bargain, and so well, indeed, that he could repeat it all either backwards or forwards, just as he chose.
另一个则对社团法研读颇深,对每个社团应该知道的事情都了如指掌;因此他觉得自己能谈论国家大事,还能在议会里插上一手。
the other was deeply read in the corporation laws, and knew by heart what every corporation ought to know; and accordingly he thought he could talk of affairs of state, and put his spoke in the wheel in the council.
而且他还多知道一件事:他能在吊裤带上绣上玫瑰和其他花卉,还有阿拉伯式花纹,因为他是个有品味、手指灵巧的家伙。
And he knew one thing more: he could embroider suspenders with roses and other flowers, and with arabesques, for he was a tasty, light-fingered fellow.
“我会赢得公主的!” 他们俩都这样喊道。
“I shall win the princess!” So cried both of them.
于是他们年迈的父亲给了他们每人一匹漂亮的马。
therefore their old papa gave to each of them a handsome horse.
那个能背下词典和报纸的年轻人得到了一匹黑马,而那个熟知社团法的人则得到了一匹乳白色的骏马。
the youth who knew the dictionary and newspaper by heart had a black horse, and he who knew all about the corporation laws received a milk-white steed.
然后他们用鱼油擦了擦嘴角,这样说起话来就能变得非常顺滑流利。
then they rubbed the corners of their mouths with fish-oil, so that they might bee very smooth and glib.
所有的仆人都站在院子里,看着他们骑上马;碰巧老三这时走了过来。
All the servants stood below in the courtyard, and looked on while they mounted their horses; and just by chance the third son came up.
因为领主其实有三个儿子,不过没人把老三和他的两个哥哥算在一起,因为他不像他们那样有学问,实际上大家都叫他 “笨汉杰克”。
For the proprietor had really three sons, though nobody counted the third with his brothers, because he was not so learned as they, and indeed he was generally known as “Jack the dullard.”
“喂!” 笨汉杰克说,“你们要去哪儿?
我看你们都穿上礼拜天的衣服了!”
“hallo!” said Jack the dullard, “where are you going?
I declare you have put on your Sunday clothes!”
“我们要去王宫,去向国王的女儿求婚。
你不知道全国都已经发布的那个通告吗?”
他们把这事儿全告诉了他。
“we’re going to the King’s court, as suitors to the King’s daughter.
don’t you know the announcement that has been made all through the country?”
And they told him all about it.
“哎呀!我也要去掺和一下!” 笨汉杰克叫道;他的两个哥哥听了都哈哈大笑起来,然后骑马走了。
“my word! I’ll be in it too!” cried Jack the dullard; and his two brothers burst out laughing at him, and rode away.
“爸爸,亲爱的,” 杰克说,“我也得有匹马呀。
我真的太想结婚了!如果她接受我,那就接受呗;要是她不要我,我也要得到她;反正她得是我的!”
“Father, dear,” said Jack, “I must have a horse too.
I do feel so desperately inclined to marry! If she accepts me, she accepts me; and if she won’t have me, I’ll have her; but she shall be mine!”
“别胡说八道了,” 老绅士回答道,“我不会给你马的。
你都不知道怎么说话 —— 你不会组织语言。
你的哥哥们和你可大不一样。”
“don’t talk nonsense,” replied the old gentleman.
“You shall have no horse from me.
You don’t know how to speak — you can’t arrange your words.
Your brothers are very different fellows from you.”
“好吧,” 笨汉杰克说,“要是我得不到马,我就骑我的公山羊,它驮我也能驮得挺好!”
“well,” quoth Jack the dullard, “If I can’t have a horse, I’ll take the billy-goat, who belongs to me, and he can carry me very well!”
说干就干。
And so said, so done.
他骑上公山羊,把脚跟往它身侧一夹,就像一阵飓风似的沿着大街疾驰而去。
he mounted the billy-goat, pressed his heels into its sides, and galloped down the high street like a hurricane.
“嘿,嚯!这一路骑得真带劲!我来啦!” 笨汉杰克大喊着,还唱起歌来,歌声传得老远老远。
“hei, houp! that was a ride! here I e!” shouted Jack the dullard, and he sang till his voice echoed far and wide.
但他的两个哥哥在他前面慢悠悠地骑着。
they spoke not a word, for they were thinking about the fine extempore speeches they would have to bring out, and these had to be cleverly prepared beforehand.
“喂!” 笨汉杰克喊道,“我在这儿呢!看看我在大路上捡到了什么。”
“hallo!” shouted Jack the dullard.
“here am I! Look what I have found on the high road.”
他把捡到的东西给他们看,原来是一只死乌鸦。
And he showed them what it was, and it was a dead crow.
“笨蛋!” 哥哥们叫道,“你拿那个要做什么?”
“dullard!” exclaimed the brothers, “what are you going to do with that?”
“拿这只乌鸦?
嘿,我要把它送给公主呀。”
“with the crow?
why, I am going to give it to the princess.”
“行啊,你送吧。” 他们说;然后笑了起来,继续骑马前行。
“Yes, do so,” said they; and they laughed, and rode on.
“喂,我又来啦!瞧瞧我现在又捡到什么了:可不是每天在大路上都能捡到这个的!”
“hallo, here I am again! just see what I have found now: you don’t find that on the high road every day!”
哥哥们转过身来看看他这次又捡到什么了。
And the brothers turned round to see what he could have found now.
“笨蛋!” 他们喊道,“那不过是一只旧木鞋,而且鞋面还不见了呢;你也要把这个送给公主吗?”
“dullard!” they cried, “that is only an old wooden shoe, and the upper part is missing into the bargain; are you going to give that also to the princess?”
“我当然要送啦。” 笨汉杰克回答道;哥哥们又笑了起来,继续骑马前行,这样他们就远远地把他甩在了后面;但是 ——
“most certainly I shall,” replied Jack the dullard; and again the brothers laughed and rode on, and thus they got far in advance of him; but —
“喂 —— 嚯啦啦!” 笨汉杰克又出现了。
“hallo — hop rara!” and there is Jack the dullard again.
“越来越有意思啦。” 他喊道,“太棒啦!这可太出名啦。”
“It is getting better and better,” he cried.
“hurrah! it is quite famous.”
“哟,你这次又捡到什么了?”
哥哥们问道。
“why, what have you found this time?”