The little match-seller
IT was terribly cold and nearly dark on the last evening of the old year, and the snow was falling fast. In the cold and the darkness, a poor little girl, with bare head and naked feet, roamed through the streets. It is true she had on a pair of slippers when she left home, but they were not of much use. They were very large, so large, indeed, that they had belonged to her mother, and the poor little creature had lost them in running across the street to avoid two carriages that were rolling along at a terrible rate. One of the slippers she could not find, and a boy seized upon the other and ran away with it, saying that he could use it as a cradle, when he had children of his own. So the little girl went on with her little naked feet, which were quite red and blue with the cold. In an old apron she carried a number of matches, and had a bundle of them in her hands. No one had bought anything of her the whole day, nor had any one given here even a penny. Shivering with cold and hunger, she crept along; poor little child, she looked the picture of misery. The snowflakes fell on her long, fair hair, which hung in curls on her shoulders, but she regarded them not.
(to be continued...)
天气非常非常冷，夜幕已降临，雪下得很大。这是旧年最后的一夜――除夕之夜。在寒冷和黑暗中，一个可怜的小女孩，光头赤脚仍在大街上徘徊。当她离家出门的时候，脚上的确穿着一双拖鞋的，但是那是一双相当大的拖鞋――的确太大了，那是她妈*。这可怜的小家伙在匆忙横穿马路的时候，两辆马车飞快地闯过来，吓得她把拖鞋跑丢了。一只怎么也找不到了，另一只被一个小男孩抢跑了，并说等将来他有了孩子要为他做摇篮。这小女孩只好光着脚在街上行走，一双脚步冻得又红又青。她那破旧的围裙兜着许多火柴，手里还拿着一小捆。可整整一天谁也没有向她买过一根――谁也没有给她一个铜板。她又饿又冷，哆哆嗦嗦地向前走着，一幅非常凄惨的景象。雪花落在她那金黄色的头发上――长长的卷发披散在肩上，看起来十分美丽，可她考虑不到这些。
Friday, November 21, 2008
卖火柴的小女孩The little match-seller（二）
The little match-seller
Lights were shining from every window, and there was a savory smell of roast goose, for it was New-year's eve- yes, she remembered that. In a corner, between two houses, one of which projected beyond the other, she sank down and huddled herself together. She had drawn her little feet under her, but she could not keep off the cold; and she dared not go home, for she had sold no matches, and could not take home even a penny of money. Her father would certainly beat her; besides, it was almost as cold at home as here, for they had only the roof to cover them, through which the wind howled, although the largest holes had been stopped up with straw and rags.
Her little hands were almost frozen with the cold. Ah! perhaps a burning match might be some good, if she could draw it from the bundle and strike it against the wall, just to warm her fingers. She drew one out-"scratch!" how it sputtered as it burnt! It gave a warm, bright light, like a little candle, as she held her hand over it. It was really a wonderful light. It seemed to the little girl that she was sitting by a large iron stove, with polished brass feet and a brass ornament.
(to be continued...)
从每扇窗子透出的亮光和飘出的烤鹅肉香味，使她想起的只是今天是除夕之夜。街边一前一后坐落着两座房子，形成一个小墙角，她蜷缩在那里。她把一双小脚卷缩到身下，可还是不觉得暖和。她也不敢回家，因为她还没有卖掉一根火柴，没有挣到一个铜板，她的父亲一定会因此而打她；况且她家几乎和大街上一样冷。虽然屋顶上几个较大的裂口用草和破布堵住了，可风和雪还是不时地灌进屋里来。
她那双小手都快冻僵了。啊！如果她能从这捆火柴中取出一根，在墙上划着了就会好一些，也就可以暖手。于是她抽出了一根。哧！火柴燃起来了，冒出了火苗。当她双手覆在上面时，它变成了一朵光明、温暖的火焰，好像一根小蜡烛。多美的光啊。小姑娘觉得自己象坐在一个大火炉旁边，铁炉镶有铮亮的黄铜花边和底座。
Lights were shining from every window, and there was a savory smell of roast goose, for it was New-year's eve- yes, she remembered that. In a corner, between two houses, one of which projected beyond the other, she sank down and huddled herself together. She had drawn her little feet under her, but she could not keep off the cold; and she dared not go home, for she had sold no matches, and could not take home even a penny of money. Her father would certainly beat her; besides, it was almost as cold at home as here, for they had only the roof to cover them, through which the wind howled, although the largest holes had been stopped up with straw and rags.
Her little hands were almost frozen with the cold. Ah! perhaps a burning match might be some good, if she could draw it from the bundle and strike it against the wall, just to warm her fingers. She drew one out-"scratch!" how it sputtered as it burnt! It gave a warm, bright light, like a little candle, as she held her hand over it. It was really a wonderful light. It seemed to the little girl that she was sitting by a large iron stove, with polished brass feet and a brass ornament.
(to be continued...)
从每扇窗子透出的亮光和飘出的烤鹅肉香味，使她想起的只是今天是除夕之夜。街边一前一后坐落着两座房子，形成一个小墙角，她蜷缩在那里。她把一双小脚卷缩到身下，可还是不觉得暖和。她也不敢回家，因为她还没有卖掉一根火柴，没有挣到一个铜板，她的父亲一定会因此而打她；况且她家几乎和大街上一样冷。虽然屋顶上几个较大的裂口用草和破布堵住了，可风和雪还是不时地灌进屋里来。
她那双小手都快冻僵了。啊！如果她能从这捆火柴中取出一根，在墙上划着了就会好一些，也就可以暖手。于是她抽出了一根。哧！火柴燃起来了，冒出了火苗。当她双手覆在上面时，它变成了一朵光明、温暖的火焰，好像一根小蜡烛。多美的光啊。小姑娘觉得自己象坐在一个大火炉旁边，铁炉镶有铮亮的黄铜花边和底座。
卖火柴的小女孩The little match-seller（三）
The little match-seller
How the fire burned! and seemed so beautifully warm that the child stretched out her feet as if to warm them, when, lo! the flame of the match went out, the stove vanished, and she had only the remains of the half-burnt match in her hand.
She rubbed another match on the wall. It burst into a flame, and where its light fell upon the wall it became as transparent as a veil, and she could see into the room. The table was covered with a snowy white table-cloth, on which stood a splendid dinner service, and a steaming roast goose, stuffed with apples and dried plums. And what was still more wonderful, the goose jumped down from the dish and waddled across the floor, with a knife and fork in its *, to the little girl. Then the match went out, and there remained nothing but the thick, damp, cold wall before her.
(to be continued...)
火烧得多么旺啊！小姑娘刚刚伸出她的一双脚，打算在这么好的火前暖一下的时候，哎呀！火焰忽然熄灭了！火炉也不见了。她只剩下手里捏着那烧过的火柴。
她又在墙上擦着一根火柴。火柴燃起来发出了明亮的光。墙上被火光照着的地方，忽然变得透明，象一块薄纱，小女孩可以看到房间内东西。桌上铺着雪白的台布，上面放着精致的瓷碟，还有填满梅子和苹果、冒着热气、香喷喷的烤鹅。更美妙的是这只背上插着刀叉的鹅从盘里跳了出来，摇摇摆摆地在地板上走着，一直向这个可怜的小姑娘走来。就在这时，火柴熄灭了，留在她面前的，只是一堵又厚又冷的墙。
How the fire burned! and seemed so beautifully warm that the child stretched out her feet as if to warm them, when, lo! the flame of the match went out, the stove vanished, and she had only the remains of the half-burnt match in her hand.
She rubbed another match on the wall. It burst into a flame, and where its light fell upon the wall it became as transparent as a veil, and she could see into the room. The table was covered with a snowy white table-cloth, on which stood a splendid dinner service, and a steaming roast goose, stuffed with apples and dried plums. And what was still more wonderful, the goose jumped down from the dish and waddled across the floor, with a knife and fork in its *, to the little girl. Then the match went out, and there remained nothing but the thick, damp, cold wall before her.
(to be continued...)
火烧得多么旺啊！小姑娘刚刚伸出她的一双脚，打算在这么好的火前暖一下的时候，哎呀！火焰忽然熄灭了！火炉也不见了。她只剩下手里捏着那烧过的火柴。
她又在墙上擦着一根火柴。火柴燃起来发出了明亮的光。墙上被火光照着的地方，忽然变得透明，象一块薄纱，小女孩可以看到房间内东西。桌上铺着雪白的台布，上面放着精致的瓷碟，还有填满梅子和苹果、冒着热气、香喷喷的烤鹅。更美妙的是这只背上插着刀叉的鹅从盘里跳了出来，摇摇摆摆地在地板上走着，一直向这个可怜的小姑娘走来。就在这时，火柴熄灭了，留在她面前的，只是一堵又厚又冷的墙。
王子复仇记（Hamlet, Prince of Denmark）
This is the sad story of Hamlet, young Prince of Denmark, whose father died two months before the story begins. Hamlet' s father was King of Denmark and Hamlet was his only son. The king died a strange death while he was sleeping in the garden of his castle. It was believed that he had been bitten to death by a poisonous snake. He was such a wise and kind king that he was loved by all the people in the nation. His son, Hamlet, of course, loved him far more than anyone else in the world.
Hamlet was so sad and sorrowful that he never stopped wearing black clothes. There was something else which made Hamlet even sadder. His mother, Gertrude, married Hamlet' s uncle, Claudius, who was a brother of the late king. After Hamlet' s father died, Claudius became King of Denmark and married Gertrude. Young Hamlet did not like him because he was not as wise and kind as his father. He was a man of unkindly character. Hamlet did not in the least want his mother to marry such a man. He became angry with both of them and came to despise his mother as well as his uncle.
这是讲述年轻丹麦王子哈姆雷特的悲伤故事，他的父亲在故事开始前两个月去世。哈姆雷特的父亲是丹麦国王，而哈姆雷特则是他的独生子。国王在城堡的花园中睡觉时突然离奇地死去，大家都认为他是被一条毒蛇给咬死的。他是一位睿智仁慈的国王，因此全国人民都很爱戴他。当然，国王的儿子哈姆雷特要比世上的任何人更爱他。
哈姆雷特很伤心难过，因此他一直穿着黑色的丧服。另外还有一件令哈姆雷特更加伤心的事，那就是他的母亲葛楚德嫁给哈姆雷特的叔叔克劳迪斯，也就是已故国王的弟弟。在哈姆雷特的父亲去世之后，克劳迪斯成为丹麦的国王并且娶了葛楚德。年轻的哈姆雷特并不喜欢他的叔叔，因为他不像自己的父亲那么睿智仁慈，他是一个本性无情的人。哈姆雷特一点也不愿意他的母亲嫁给这种男人。他对他们俩感到非常气愤，因而看不起他的母亲和叔叔。
The bell of the castle was ringing. It was exactly midnight. Suddenly a ghost in the form of the late king appeared in the darkness. It looked pale and sad. Looking at the ghost, the two guards of the castle and Horatio, Hamlet' s best friend, were surprised and terrified. They wondered if something bad was going to happen in Denmark. They decided to tell their prince what they had seen .
The next day they went to Hamlet and told him that they had seen the ghost of King Hamlet. Hamlet doubted it at first, but wanted to make sure himself. He asked them to take him to see the ghost that night. They agreed.
Late at night Hamlet, Horatio and one of the guards went to the top of the walls. It was very cold and dark there. Some time after they got there, the ghost in armor suddenly appeared out of the darkness. As his friends had told him, Hamlet saw that the ghost was exactly like his dead father.
He called out, "King, Father! Why did you come here out of the grave?"
The ghost did not answer him, but looked at him sadly and made a sign for him to follow. His friends did not want to let Hamlet follow the ghost because they thought it might be an evil spirit and do something badto him. But he did follow the ghost. While Hamlet and the ghost walked away into the darkness, his friends had to wait anxiously there worrying about his safe return .
At the end of the walls of the castle the ghost stopped and began to talk to Hamlet, "I am the ghost of your father. I wanted to rule Denmark peacefully until you grew up and became king after me. But two months ago, while I was sleeping in the beautiful garden of the castle, my brother Claudius came and put poison into my ear. I was instantly killed. Hamlet! Be brave and kill him for me. But never kill or hurt my wife, for she is your mother. Let her repent for what she has done. That is enough for her. What I have told you is true. I tell you again. I was not killed by a poisonous snake, but by my brother Claudius. Never forget what I have told you, my dear son. Good-bye, Hamlet!"
Then the ghost disappeared into the mist of the dark sky. Upon hearing this, Hamlet became excited and was even more furious with Claudius and his mother. He made up his mind to kill his uncle and let his mother repent for her sins.
城堡里的钟声响起，此刻正是午夜。突然间一个外形很像已故国王的鬼魂在暗处出现。它的脸色看起来很苍白、悲伤。城堡的两个卫兵和哈姆雷特的挚友荷瑞修看到这鬼魂时，感到非常吃惊害怕。他们怀疑是否有不祥的事会在丹麦发生。他们决定把亲眼看到的事告诉王子。
隔天，他们去见哈姆雷特并且告诉他，他们曾看见过哈姆雷特国王的鬼魂。哈姆雷特起先对这件事感到怀疑，但他想要亲自去证实这件事。他要他们当晚带他去看那个鬼魂，他们同意了。深夜，哈姆雷特，荷瑞修和一名守卫三人来到城墙顶，那里非常寒冷、阴暗，就在他们到达后不久，这个身穿盔甲的鬼魂突然从黑暗之中出现。哈姆雷特看到这个鬼魂跟他死去的父亲简直一模一样，就如他的朋友告诉他的。
他大声地叫:“国王，我的父亲！您为什么离开坟墓到这里来？”鬼魂没有回答他的话，但却很悲伤地看着他，并对他做了个手势，示意他跟着它去。哈姆雷特的朋友不想让他跟着鬼魂走，因为他们认为它可能是邪恶的鬼魂，而且会对他不利。但是哈姆雷特仍然跟着鬼魂而去。当哈姆雷特和鬼魂离去走入黑暗之中时，他的朋友们只得在那儿焦虑地等待并担忧他能否平安地回来。
在城墙的尽头，鬼魂停下脚步，开始对哈姆雷特说：“我是你父亲的鬼魂，我本想和平地统治丹麦直到你长大成人继承我的王位。但是两个月前，当我在城堡里美丽的花园中睡觉时，我的弟弟克劳迪斯走到我身边把毒药塞入我的一只耳朵里。我立即就被他毒死了。哈姆雷特！勇敢点替我杀了他，但是绝不要杀害或伤害我的妻子，因为他是你的母亲。让她去为她所做的事后悔，这对她来说已经够了。我所告诉你的都是事实。我再告诉你一遍，我不是被毒蛇咬死的，而是被我的弟弟克劳迪斯害死的。一定要记住我告诉你的事，我亲爱的儿子，再见了，哈姆雷特。”
然后鬼魂在满布雾气的夜空中消失不见。哈姆雷特一听到这个秘密，显得激动万分并对克劳迪斯和他的母亲更加愤恨不已。他决定要杀死他的叔叔并让他的母亲为她的罪行忏悔。
Hamlet's friends were anxious about him and came to look for him. They found Hamlet kneeling down and looking up at the dark sky praying to God. Hamlet noticed them coming to him. He stood up and sincerely asked them not to tell anyone what had happened that night. They all agreed and made a firm promise not to tell anyone about it, swearing on Hamlet' s sword.
That very night Hamlet decided to pretend that he had gone mad in order to have a better chance to kill Claudius. He decided not to tell his plan to any of his friends except Horatio . Since Hamlet saw the ghost, he had often thought of his dead father and of his promise to the ghost. He became sadder each day. He was not a young, merry prince as he used to be. Before his father' s death, he was interested in many things, such as books, art, music and plays. But now he gave them all up. To everyone, he seemed to act very strangely. He became rude to everyone in the castle and behaved like a mad man.
He hardly ever spoke to Ophelia , a beautiful lady whom he had deeply loved. Before, they would talk happily and take walks in the woods near the castle. He would talk to her so sweetly and gently that Ophelia was deeply in love with him. But now he was quite different. Therefore, Polonius, Ophelia' s father, did not want his daughter to love Hamlet anymore because of his strange behavior.
哈姆雷特的朋友们很担心他的安危就来寻找他，他们发现哈姆雷特跪在地上，望着黑暗的天空向上帝祈祷。哈姆雷特注意到他们来了，便站了起来，很诚挚地要求他们不要把当晚发生的事告诉任何人。他们全都答应了，并且对着哈姆雷特的剑发誓，许下坚定的承诺绝不把这件事告诉任何人。
就在那天晚上，哈姆雷特决定装疯以便有更好的机会去杀克劳迪斯。除了荷瑞修之外，他决定不把他的计划告诉他的任何朋友。
自从哈姆雷特见过父亲的鬼魂后，他常常想到亡父以及他对鬼魂所做的承诺。他一天比一天更加悲伤，已经不再像是从前那位年轻、快乐的王子了。在他父亲去世之前，他对很多事情都有兴趣，例如读书、艺术、音乐和戏剧。但是现在他把那些兴趣都放弃了。对每个人来说，他的行为举止似乎非常怪异。他对城堡中的每个人都很粗暴，言行举止像个疯子一样。
他几乎不曾跟他深爱的美丽的欧菲莉亚说过话。以前，他们会在离城堡不远的树林里散步，愉快地谈心。他会很甜蜜很温柔地跟她说话，因而欧菲莉亚深爱着他，但是如今他变了很多。因此，欧菲莉亚的父亲普罗尼尔斯因为哈姆雷特怪异的行为举止而不希望他的女儿再爱他。
One day Hamlet came to Ophelia, who was knitting in her room, and spoke wildly to her. He appeared half-naked, wearing a dirty shirt with no hat on his head. She gave back all the letters and valuable rings that she had received from Hamlet.
"I will not meet you anymore," she said to him. Hamlet left her, feeling even more miserable. She told her father everything that had occurred in her room. When Polonius heard this from his daughter, he believed he knew what had made Hamlet go mad. He thought that Hamlet had gone mad because of his love for Ophelia . Polonius went to Claudius and Gertrude to let them know what caused Hamlet's madness. He told them that the love affair between Hamlet and Ophelia was the true cause of his madness.
Claudius always doubted what he heard from his men. He commanded two men who used to be Hamlet' s friends when they were children to find out the true reason why he had been acting so strangely recently. He also asked Polonius to arrange an unexpected meeting of the two lovers so that they could carefully observe Hamlet' s behavior.
有一天，哈姆雷特来找正在房内编织的欧菲莉亚，并且粗鲁蛮横地跟她说话。他穿着一件脏衬衫，没有戴帽子，半裸地出现在她面前。她还给他从他那儿收到的所有信件和珍贵的戒指。
“我不想再看到你，”她对他说。哈姆雷特离开了他，内心感到更加痛苦。
欧菲莉亚把在房内发生的一切事情告诉他的父亲。当普罗尼尔斯从她女儿口中听到这件事时，他相信他知道是什么原因使得哈姆雷特发疯。他认为哈姆雷特是因为爱欧菲莉亚才发疯的。普罗尼尔斯去见克劳迪斯和葛楚德，让他们知道造成哈姆雷特发疯的原因。普罗尼尔斯禀告他们，哈姆雷特和欧菲莉亚之间的爱情才是哈姆雷特发疯的真正原因。
克劳迪斯总是怀疑从他的手下那边听来的消息。他命令小时候曾经是哈姆雷特的朋友的两名手下去找出为什么哈姆雷特最近行为这么怪异的真正原因。他也要求普罗尼尔斯去为这对情人安排一次意外的相会，以便他们能够仔细观察哈姆雷特的举止表现。
Hamlet's two old friends met him when he was saying some strange things to himself alone in the hall of the castle. They begged him to tell them the true cause of his madness. But he would not tell them anything, and instead made fools of them.
One day when Hamlet was unhappy and worried by the memory of the ghost and the promise he had made, a group of actors came to visit him. They were the same players that Hamlet used to enjoy seeing. He welcomed them. Then they acted a short play for him.
It was a sad story about a good king who was poisoned to death by his brother. And this man became king and married the queen. They played it so well, with tears in their eyes, that the scene seemed real. While Hamlet was watching them, he felt very angry with himself. He said to himself, "Those players can cry for the sad king whom they have never met. But in my case I have done nothing at all for my poor father who was killed by my uncle Claudius. What a coward I am!"
When the play was over, he thought of a good plan. He decided to have them play it once again in front of the king and queen the next day. He also asked them to add a few lines of his own to the play so that he could make the play more like what had happened to his father. Hamlet said to himself, "If Claudius is really guilty, his face will turn pale while he is watching the play. Then I will know that what the ghost told me is true. I will watch his face very carefully."
哈姆雷特的两位老友见到他时，他正独自一个人在城堡里胡言乱语。他们请求他告诉他们他发疯的真正原因，但是他非但没有告诉他们，反而还捉弄他们。
有一天，当哈姆雷特想到父亲的鬼魂和他对鬼魂所做的承诺而显得郁郁寡欢和忧虑时，一群演员来看他。他们是哈姆雷特以前喜爱观赏的同一群演员。哈姆雷特欢迎他们的到来，接着他们为他表演一出短剧。
那是叙述一位好国王被他的弟弟毒死的悲伤故事。他的弟弟后来当了国王并且娶了皇后。他们含泪演出表演得真好，以致于这一幕戏好像是真的一样。当哈姆雷特看着他们表演的时候，他对自己感到非常的生气。他对自己说：“那些演员可以为这个他们从没见过面的悲哀的国王而哭泣，而以我的立场，我却没有为被我叔叔克劳迪斯杀死的可怜的父亲尽过任何力。我真是一个懦夫！”
这出戏结束时，他想到了一个好计划。他决定要他们隔天在国王和皇后面前再表演一次，他也要求他们在剧中加一些他自己想的台词，以使这出戏更像发生在他父亲身上的事。哈姆雷特对自己说：“假如克劳迪斯真的有罪，当他在观赏这出戏时，他的脸将会变得苍白。那个时候我就会相信鬼魂告诉我的事是真的，我会非常仔细地注意他脸上的表情。”
He told his plan to Horatio, his best friend in the castle, and also asked him to watch the king' s face with the greatest care.
Hamlet went to the king and queen to tell them that he would like to invite them to a play the next evening. They agreed to see the play. They hoped that Hamlet was at last getting better and would come to accept them as his father and mother. He said good night to Claudius and Gertrude, pretending that he was happy that night.
On his way back to his own room, he met Ophelia, who looked so sad and unhappy in the hall. The king and Polonius were hiding behind the curtains of the hall, trying to listen to their conversation.
Hamlet said to Ophelia, "I don' t love you anymore. We are all dirty animals on this earth. Ophelia, you are one of these dirty ones, too. Go to a nunnery. Go away right now, you dirty woman!"
Ophelia was too surprised at his words to say anything to him. It was such a strange and mad thing to say. Polonius thought his guess was right. But the king still doubted Hamlet' s madness.
The king, the queen and Polonius entered a large room where the play was to be shown to the whole court. The king sat with the queen. Hamlet sat by the side of Ophelia. Horatio sat facing the king in order to watch him carefully.
他把他的计划告诉在城堡内的挚友荷瑞修，也要他很仔细地注意国王脸上的表情。
哈姆雷特去见国王和皇后，告诉他们他想邀请他们隔天晚上去欣赏戏剧。他们同意去看这出戏。他们希望哈姆雷特的病情终于能好转起来，并能渐渐接受他们做他的父母亲。哈姆雷特向克劳迪斯和葛楚德说晚安，那天晚上并装出很愉快的样子。
在回到他房间的路上，他在大厅遇到欧菲莉亚，她看起来既伤心又难过。国王和普罗尼尔斯躲在大厅的窗帘后面，设法要听到他们在说些什么。
哈姆雷特对欧菲莉亚说：“我不再爱你了。我们都是世上卑劣的动物。欧菲莉亚，你也是其中之一，去女修道院，现在就去，你这卑劣的女人。”
欧菲莉亚对于他所说的话大感吃惊，以致于搭不上他的话。说出这样的字眼真是荒诞疯狂。普罗尼尔斯认为他的猜测是正确的。但是国王仍旧对哈姆雷特发疯一事感到怀疑。
国王、皇后和普罗尼尔斯走进一间大房间，这出戏即将在这里表演给整个宫廷的人欣赏。国王和皇后坐在一起，哈姆雷特从在欧菲莉亚的旁边，荷瑞修面对国王坐下来为了能仔细地注意他。
The play began. In the play the king and queen were talking on the bench in the beautiful garden. The queen said to the king, "I will love you forever. I will never marry another man if you should die before me. Only women that kill their husbands marry again. " The king in the play was very glad to hear this. As the king fell asleep, the queen left him alone. Just after she left, the king's brother came near the sleeping king and poured a deadly poison into his ear. He was soon killed by this cunning brother who had long wanted to become king and marry the queen.
Seeing this scene, Claudius turned pale and became very angry. He shouted, "Stop the play at once. " He stood up and went out of the room with the queen.
Horatio and Hamlet saw the king show every sign of fear and anger. Hamlet was now quite sure that the ghost had told him the truth. He himself became excited and firmly decided to revenge his father as soon as he could. When the queen came back into her room, she was very worried about her son, who had made the king furious. She wanted to know why Hamlet asked the group of players to show such a disgraceful play before the king. She sent for Hamlet.
这出戏开始演出了。戏里的国王和皇后正坐在美丽的花园里的长椅上聊天。皇后对国王说：“我永远爱你！万一你比我先死的话，我决不会再嫁给其他的男人。只有杀死他们丈夫的女人才会再嫁。”戏中的国王听到这席话很高兴。国王睡着时，皇后留下他独自一人。就在皇后离去之后，国王的弟弟靠近熟睡中的国王，把致命的毒药倒入耳朵里面。国王很快就被这个长久以来一直渴望成为国王并且娶到皇后的狡猾的弟弟毒死。 克劳迪斯一看到这幕戏，脸色变得苍白，而且感到非常愤怒。他大声叫喊：“立刻停演。”他站起来跟皇后走出这个房间。
荷瑞修和哈姆雷特看到国王显露出种种害怕、愤怒的迹象。哈姆雷特此时十分确信鬼魂告诉他的真相。他本人显得很激动，并下定决定要尽快替他父亲报仇。皇后回到他的房间里时，很为激怒国王的儿子担忧。她想知道为什么哈姆雷特要这群演员在国王面前表演这么可耻的戏剧。她派人去请哈姆雷特过来。
Hamlet hurriedly walked to her room where she was uneasily waiting for him. On the way to his mother' s room, Hamlet saw Claudius kneeling down to pray in his room. He thought he could kill him right then. But he did not do it. He said to himself, "If I kill him when he is praying to God, he will not go to hell. I had better kill him when he is angry or doing something bad. Then he is sure to go to hell. " So he stopped thinking of killing Claudius for the moment. Hamlet did not know that the doubting king had commanded Polonius to hide behind the curtains in the queen' s room so that he could see what might happen there. As soon as Hamlet came into her room, his mother began to scold him for what he had done to the king. She said angrily, "You have made your father very angry. You must beg his pardon."
Hamlet would not listen to her, but answered back. He said, "It is you who are to blame. You married that unkind and unkingly uncle of mine so soon after my father' s death.
You should be ashamed of your deed. I will never accept him as my father. He does not deserve to be King of Denmark. I will tell you again. It is not I but you and that dirty Claudius that should repent."
哈姆雷特匆忙地走向她的房间，那时她正在房间内不安地等候他。在去他母亲房间的路上，哈姆雷特看到克劳迪斯跪在他的房间内祷告。他心想他现在可以杀了克劳迪斯，但是他并没有这样做。他对自己说：“我若在他向上帝祷告的时候杀了他，他将不会下地狱。我最好在他生气或是做错事的时候杀他，这样他就一定会下地狱。” 于是他此刻先抛开想杀克劳迪斯的念头。
哈姆雷特不知道这位疑心的国王早已命令普罗尼尔斯躲在皇后房内的窗帘后面，以便他能看到那里可能发生的事。哈姆雷特一走进她的房间，他的母亲就为他对国王所做的事开始责骂他。她很生气地说：“你激怒了你的父亲，你必须去请求他原谅你。”
哈姆雷特不听她的话，反而顶嘴说：“该受责备的是你。你在我父亲去世后这么快就嫁给我那个心怀不仁、不配当国王的叔叔。你才应该为你的行为感到羞耻。我绝不接受他做我的父亲。他没有资格当丹麦的国王。我再告诉你一遍，该忏悔的不是我，而是你和那个卑劣的克劳迪斯。”
The queen became excited at hearing this and tried to run out of the room. Hamlet grabbed her by the wrist so roughly that she was frightened and cried out, "Are you going to kill me? Help! Help!"
On hearing the queen' s cry for help, Polonius, who was hiding behind the curtains, also cried, "Hamlet! Don't hurt the queen. Someone! Help the queen!"
Hamlet shouted, "What is that? A rat?" Thinking that it was Claudius, he drew his sword and rushed to the curtains. The man behind the curtains fell dead. Hamlet was shocked to see the dead body of Polonius, Ophelia' s father, there.
"Oh, Hamlet. What a cruel thing you have done!" cried the queen in terror.
Hamlet answered, "No, it is not I but you that have done a cruel thing."
Then suddenly, the ghost of his father appeared before them. His mother could neither see nor hear it. It said, "Hamlet, do not harm the queen, because she is your mother; kill Claudius as quickly as possible. Now, Hamlet, get out of this room!"
"Yes, I will, Father," said Hamlet to the ghost. The queen thought that Hamlet was really mad. Hamlet obeyed his father's advice and left the queen and the dead body of Polonius .
皇后听了这些话变得很激动，想设法逃离房间。哈姆雷特狠狠地抓住她的手腕，以致于她感到害怕而大叫说：“你是不是想杀我？救命啊！救命啊！”
躲在窗帘后面的普罗尼尔斯一听到皇后喊救命，也大叫说：“哈姆雷特，不要伤害皇后！来人啊！救救皇后！”
哈姆雷特大叫说：“那是什么？老鼠吗？”哈姆雷特以为那个人是克劳迪斯，他拨出剑冲向窗帘。窗帘后的人跌落在地上死了。哈姆雷特看到地上欧菲莉亚的父亲普罗尼尔斯的尸体，大感震惊。
“哦！哈姆雷特。你做了一件好残忍的事啊！”皇后惊恐地大叫。
哈姆雷特回道：“我没有，做了一件残忍的事的不是我而是你。”
那时，他父亲的鬼魂突然出现在他们的面前。他的母亲既看不见也听不到鬼魂说话的声音。鬼魂说：“哈姆雷特，不要伤害皇后，因为她是你的母亲；尽快杀死克劳迪斯。哈姆雷特，现在就离开这个房间！”
“好的，我会的，父亲。”哈姆雷特对鬼魂说。皇后认为哈姆雷特是真的疯了。哈姆雷特遵照他父亲的劝告，离开皇后和普罗尼尔斯的尸体。
Hamlet was so sad and sorrowful that he never stopped wearing black clothes. There was something else which made Hamlet even sadder. His mother, Gertrude, married Hamlet' s uncle, Claudius, who was a brother of the late king. After Hamlet' s father died, Claudius became King of Denmark and married Gertrude. Young Hamlet did not like him because he was not as wise and kind as his father. He was a man of unkindly character. Hamlet did not in the least want his mother to marry such a man. He became angry with both of them and came to despise his mother as well as his uncle.
这是讲述年轻丹麦王子哈姆雷特的悲伤故事，他的父亲在故事开始前两个月去世。哈姆雷特的父亲是丹麦国王，而哈姆雷特则是他的独生子。国王在城堡的花园中睡觉时突然离奇地死去，大家都认为他是被一条毒蛇给咬死的。他是一位睿智仁慈的国王，因此全国人民都很爱戴他。当然，国王的儿子哈姆雷特要比世上的任何人更爱他。
哈姆雷特很伤心难过，因此他一直穿着黑色的丧服。另外还有一件令哈姆雷特更加伤心的事，那就是他的母亲葛楚德嫁给哈姆雷特的叔叔克劳迪斯，也就是已故国王的弟弟。在哈姆雷特的父亲去世之后，克劳迪斯成为丹麦的国王并且娶了葛楚德。年轻的哈姆雷特并不喜欢他的叔叔，因为他不像自己的父亲那么睿智仁慈，他是一个本性无情的人。哈姆雷特一点也不愿意他的母亲嫁给这种男人。他对他们俩感到非常气愤，因而看不起他的母亲和叔叔。
The bell of the castle was ringing. It was exactly midnight. Suddenly a ghost in the form of the late king appeared in the darkness. It looked pale and sad. Looking at the ghost, the two guards of the castle and Horatio, Hamlet' s best friend, were surprised and terrified. They wondered if something bad was going to happen in Denmark. They decided to tell their prince what they had seen .
The next day they went to Hamlet and told him that they had seen the ghost of King Hamlet. Hamlet doubted it at first, but wanted to make sure himself. He asked them to take him to see the ghost that night. They agreed.
Late at night Hamlet, Horatio and one of the guards went to the top of the walls. It was very cold and dark there. Some time after they got there, the ghost in armor suddenly appeared out of the darkness. As his friends had told him, Hamlet saw that the ghost was exactly like his dead father.
He called out, "King, Father! Why did you come here out of the grave?"
The ghost did not answer him, but looked at him sadly and made a sign for him to follow. His friends did not want to let Hamlet follow the ghost because they thought it might be an evil spirit and do something badto him. But he did follow the ghost. While Hamlet and the ghost walked away into the darkness, his friends had to wait anxiously there worrying about his safe return .
At the end of the walls of the castle the ghost stopped and began to talk to Hamlet, "I am the ghost of your father. I wanted to rule Denmark peacefully until you grew up and became king after me. But two months ago, while I was sleeping in the beautiful garden of the castle, my brother Claudius came and put poison into my ear. I was instantly killed. Hamlet! Be brave and kill him for me. But never kill or hurt my wife, for she is your mother. Let her repent for what she has done. That is enough for her. What I have told you is true. I tell you again. I was not killed by a poisonous snake, but by my brother Claudius. Never forget what I have told you, my dear son. Good-bye, Hamlet!"
Then the ghost disappeared into the mist of the dark sky. Upon hearing this, Hamlet became excited and was even more furious with Claudius and his mother. He made up his mind to kill his uncle and let his mother repent for her sins.
城堡里的钟声响起，此刻正是午夜。突然间一个外形很像已故国王的鬼魂在暗处出现。它的脸色看起来很苍白、悲伤。城堡的两个卫兵和哈姆雷特的挚友荷瑞修看到这鬼魂时，感到非常吃惊害怕。他们怀疑是否有不祥的事会在丹麦发生。他们决定把亲眼看到的事告诉王子。
隔天，他们去见哈姆雷特并且告诉他，他们曾看见过哈姆雷特国王的鬼魂。哈姆雷特起先对这件事感到怀疑，但他想要亲自去证实这件事。他要他们当晚带他去看那个鬼魂，他们同意了。深夜，哈姆雷特，荷瑞修和一名守卫三人来到城墙顶，那里非常寒冷、阴暗，就在他们到达后不久，这个身穿盔甲的鬼魂突然从黑暗之中出现。哈姆雷特看到这个鬼魂跟他死去的父亲简直一模一样，就如他的朋友告诉他的。
他大声地叫:“国王，我的父亲！您为什么离开坟墓到这里来？”鬼魂没有回答他的话，但却很悲伤地看着他，并对他做了个手势，示意他跟着它去。哈姆雷特的朋友不想让他跟着鬼魂走，因为他们认为它可能是邪恶的鬼魂，而且会对他不利。但是哈姆雷特仍然跟着鬼魂而去。当哈姆雷特和鬼魂离去走入黑暗之中时，他的朋友们只得在那儿焦虑地等待并担忧他能否平安地回来。
在城墙的尽头，鬼魂停下脚步，开始对哈姆雷特说：“我是你父亲的鬼魂，我本想和平地统治丹麦直到你长大成人继承我的王位。但是两个月前，当我在城堡里美丽的花园中睡觉时，我的弟弟克劳迪斯走到我身边把毒药塞入我的一只耳朵里。我立即就被他毒死了。哈姆雷特！勇敢点替我杀了他，但是绝不要杀害或伤害我的妻子，因为他是你的母亲。让她去为她所做的事后悔，这对她来说已经够了。我所告诉你的都是事实。我再告诉你一遍，我不是被毒蛇咬死的，而是被我的弟弟克劳迪斯害死的。一定要记住我告诉你的事，我亲爱的儿子，再见了，哈姆雷特。”
然后鬼魂在满布雾气的夜空中消失不见。哈姆雷特一听到这个秘密，显得激动万分并对克劳迪斯和他的母亲更加愤恨不已。他决定要杀死他的叔叔并让他的母亲为她的罪行忏悔。
Hamlet's friends were anxious about him and came to look for him. They found Hamlet kneeling down and looking up at the dark sky praying to God. Hamlet noticed them coming to him. He stood up and sincerely asked them not to tell anyone what had happened that night. They all agreed and made a firm promise not to tell anyone about it, swearing on Hamlet' s sword.
That very night Hamlet decided to pretend that he had gone mad in order to have a better chance to kill Claudius. He decided not to tell his plan to any of his friends except Horatio . Since Hamlet saw the ghost, he had often thought of his dead father and of his promise to the ghost. He became sadder each day. He was not a young, merry prince as he used to be. Before his father' s death, he was interested in many things, such as books, art, music and plays. But now he gave them all up. To everyone, he seemed to act very strangely. He became rude to everyone in the castle and behaved like a mad man.
He hardly ever spoke to Ophelia , a beautiful lady whom he had deeply loved. Before, they would talk happily and take walks in the woods near the castle. He would talk to her so sweetly and gently that Ophelia was deeply in love with him. But now he was quite different. Therefore, Polonius, Ophelia' s father, did not want his daughter to love Hamlet anymore because of his strange behavior.
哈姆雷特的朋友们很担心他的安危就来寻找他，他们发现哈姆雷特跪在地上，望着黑暗的天空向上帝祈祷。哈姆雷特注意到他们来了，便站了起来，很诚挚地要求他们不要把当晚发生的事告诉任何人。他们全都答应了，并且对着哈姆雷特的剑发誓，许下坚定的承诺绝不把这件事告诉任何人。
就在那天晚上，哈姆雷特决定装疯以便有更好的机会去杀克劳迪斯。除了荷瑞修之外，他决定不把他的计划告诉他的任何朋友。
自从哈姆雷特见过父亲的鬼魂后，他常常想到亡父以及他对鬼魂所做的承诺。他一天比一天更加悲伤，已经不再像是从前那位年轻、快乐的王子了。在他父亲去世之前，他对很多事情都有兴趣，例如读书、艺术、音乐和戏剧。但是现在他把那些兴趣都放弃了。对每个人来说，他的行为举止似乎非常怪异。他对城堡中的每个人都很粗暴，言行举止像个疯子一样。
他几乎不曾跟他深爱的美丽的欧菲莉亚说过话。以前，他们会在离城堡不远的树林里散步，愉快地谈心。他会很甜蜜很温柔地跟她说话，因而欧菲莉亚深爱着他，但是如今他变了很多。因此，欧菲莉亚的父亲普罗尼尔斯因为哈姆雷特怪异的行为举止而不希望他的女儿再爱他。
One day Hamlet came to Ophelia, who was knitting in her room, and spoke wildly to her. He appeared half-naked, wearing a dirty shirt with no hat on his head. She gave back all the letters and valuable rings that she had received from Hamlet.
"I will not meet you anymore," she said to him. Hamlet left her, feeling even more miserable. She told her father everything that had occurred in her room. When Polonius heard this from his daughter, he believed he knew what had made Hamlet go mad. He thought that Hamlet had gone mad because of his love for Ophelia . Polonius went to Claudius and Gertrude to let them know what caused Hamlet's madness. He told them that the love affair between Hamlet and Ophelia was the true cause of his madness.
Claudius always doubted what he heard from his men. He commanded two men who used to be Hamlet' s friends when they were children to find out the true reason why he had been acting so strangely recently. He also asked Polonius to arrange an unexpected meeting of the two lovers so that they could carefully observe Hamlet' s behavior.
有一天，哈姆雷特来找正在房内编织的欧菲莉亚，并且粗鲁蛮横地跟她说话。他穿着一件脏衬衫，没有戴帽子，半裸地出现在她面前。她还给他从他那儿收到的所有信件和珍贵的戒指。
“我不想再看到你，”她对他说。哈姆雷特离开了他，内心感到更加痛苦。
欧菲莉亚把在房内发生的一切事情告诉他的父亲。当普罗尼尔斯从她女儿口中听到这件事时，他相信他知道是什么原因使得哈姆雷特发疯。他认为哈姆雷特是因为爱欧菲莉亚才发疯的。普罗尼尔斯去见克劳迪斯和葛楚德，让他们知道造成哈姆雷特发疯的原因。普罗尼尔斯禀告他们，哈姆雷特和欧菲莉亚之间的爱情才是哈姆雷特发疯的真正原因。
克劳迪斯总是怀疑从他的手下那边听来的消息。他命令小时候曾经是哈姆雷特的朋友的两名手下去找出为什么哈姆雷特最近行为这么怪异的真正原因。他也要求普罗尼尔斯去为这对情人安排一次意外的相会，以便他们能够仔细观察哈姆雷特的举止表现。
Hamlet's two old friends met him when he was saying some strange things to himself alone in the hall of the castle. They begged him to tell them the true cause of his madness. But he would not tell them anything, and instead made fools of them.
One day when Hamlet was unhappy and worried by the memory of the ghost and the promise he had made, a group of actors came to visit him. They were the same players that Hamlet used to enjoy seeing. He welcomed them. Then they acted a short play for him.
It was a sad story about a good king who was poisoned to death by his brother. And this man became king and married the queen. They played it so well, with tears in their eyes, that the scene seemed real. While Hamlet was watching them, he felt very angry with himself. He said to himself, "Those players can cry for the sad king whom they have never met. But in my case I have done nothing at all for my poor father who was killed by my uncle Claudius. What a coward I am!"
When the play was over, he thought of a good plan. He decided to have them play it once again in front of the king and queen the next day. He also asked them to add a few lines of his own to the play so that he could make the play more like what had happened to his father. Hamlet said to himself, "If Claudius is really guilty, his face will turn pale while he is watching the play. Then I will know that what the ghost told me is true. I will watch his face very carefully."
哈姆雷特的两位老友见到他时，他正独自一个人在城堡里胡言乱语。他们请求他告诉他们他发疯的真正原因，但是他非但没有告诉他们，反而还捉弄他们。
有一天，当哈姆雷特想到父亲的鬼魂和他对鬼魂所做的承诺而显得郁郁寡欢和忧虑时，一群演员来看他。他们是哈姆雷特以前喜爱观赏的同一群演员。哈姆雷特欢迎他们的到来，接着他们为他表演一出短剧。
那是叙述一位好国王被他的弟弟毒死的悲伤故事。他的弟弟后来当了国王并且娶了皇后。他们含泪演出表演得真好，以致于这一幕戏好像是真的一样。当哈姆雷特看着他们表演的时候，他对自己感到非常的生气。他对自己说：“那些演员可以为这个他们从没见过面的悲哀的国王而哭泣，而以我的立场，我却没有为被我叔叔克劳迪斯杀死的可怜的父亲尽过任何力。我真是一个懦夫！”
这出戏结束时，他想到了一个好计划。他决定要他们隔天在国王和皇后面前再表演一次，他也要求他们在剧中加一些他自己想的台词，以使这出戏更像发生在他父亲身上的事。哈姆雷特对自己说：“假如克劳迪斯真的有罪，当他在观赏这出戏时，他的脸将会变得苍白。那个时候我就会相信鬼魂告诉我的事是真的，我会非常仔细地注意他脸上的表情。”
He told his plan to Horatio, his best friend in the castle, and also asked him to watch the king' s face with the greatest care.
Hamlet went to the king and queen to tell them that he would like to invite them to a play the next evening. They agreed to see the play. They hoped that Hamlet was at last getting better and would come to accept them as his father and mother. He said good night to Claudius and Gertrude, pretending that he was happy that night.
On his way back to his own room, he met Ophelia, who looked so sad and unhappy in the hall. The king and Polonius were hiding behind the curtains of the hall, trying to listen to their conversation.
Hamlet said to Ophelia, "I don' t love you anymore. We are all dirty animals on this earth. Ophelia, you are one of these dirty ones, too. Go to a nunnery. Go away right now, you dirty woman!"
Ophelia was too surprised at his words to say anything to him. It was such a strange and mad thing to say. Polonius thought his guess was right. But the king still doubted Hamlet' s madness.
The king, the queen and Polonius entered a large room where the play was to be shown to the whole court. The king sat with the queen. Hamlet sat by the side of Ophelia. Horatio sat facing the king in order to watch him carefully.
他把他的计划告诉在城堡内的挚友荷瑞修，也要他很仔细地注意国王脸上的表情。
哈姆雷特去见国王和皇后，告诉他们他想邀请他们隔天晚上去欣赏戏剧。他们同意去看这出戏。他们希望哈姆雷特的病情终于能好转起来，并能渐渐接受他们做他的父母亲。哈姆雷特向克劳迪斯和葛楚德说晚安，那天晚上并装出很愉快的样子。
在回到他房间的路上，他在大厅遇到欧菲莉亚，她看起来既伤心又难过。国王和普罗尼尔斯躲在大厅的窗帘后面，设法要听到他们在说些什么。
哈姆雷特对欧菲莉亚说：“我不再爱你了。我们都是世上卑劣的动物。欧菲莉亚，你也是其中之一，去女修道院，现在就去，你这卑劣的女人。”
欧菲莉亚对于他所说的话大感吃惊，以致于搭不上他的话。说出这样的字眼真是荒诞疯狂。普罗尼尔斯认为他的猜测是正确的。但是国王仍旧对哈姆雷特发疯一事感到怀疑。
国王、皇后和普罗尼尔斯走进一间大房间，这出戏即将在这里表演给整个宫廷的人欣赏。国王和皇后坐在一起，哈姆雷特从在欧菲莉亚的旁边，荷瑞修面对国王坐下来为了能仔细地注意他。
The play began. In the play the king and queen were talking on the bench in the beautiful garden. The queen said to the king, "I will love you forever. I will never marry another man if you should die before me. Only women that kill their husbands marry again. " The king in the play was very glad to hear this. As the king fell asleep, the queen left him alone. Just after she left, the king's brother came near the sleeping king and poured a deadly poison into his ear. He was soon killed by this cunning brother who had long wanted to become king and marry the queen.
Seeing this scene, Claudius turned pale and became very angry. He shouted, "Stop the play at once. " He stood up and went out of the room with the queen.
Horatio and Hamlet saw the king show every sign of fear and anger. Hamlet was now quite sure that the ghost had told him the truth. He himself became excited and firmly decided to revenge his father as soon as he could. When the queen came back into her room, she was very worried about her son, who had made the king furious. She wanted to know why Hamlet asked the group of players to show such a disgraceful play before the king. She sent for Hamlet.
这出戏开始演出了。戏里的国王和皇后正坐在美丽的花园里的长椅上聊天。皇后对国王说：“我永远爱你！万一你比我先死的话，我决不会再嫁给其他的男人。只有杀死他们丈夫的女人才会再嫁。”戏中的国王听到这席话很高兴。国王睡着时，皇后留下他独自一人。就在皇后离去之后，国王的弟弟靠近熟睡中的国王，把致命的毒药倒入耳朵里面。国王很快就被这个长久以来一直渴望成为国王并且娶到皇后的狡猾的弟弟毒死。 克劳迪斯一看到这幕戏，脸色变得苍白，而且感到非常愤怒。他大声叫喊：“立刻停演。”他站起来跟皇后走出这个房间。
荷瑞修和哈姆雷特看到国王显露出种种害怕、愤怒的迹象。哈姆雷特此时十分确信鬼魂告诉他的真相。他本人显得很激动，并下定决定要尽快替他父亲报仇。皇后回到他的房间里时，很为激怒国王的儿子担忧。她想知道为什么哈姆雷特要这群演员在国王面前表演这么可耻的戏剧。她派人去请哈姆雷特过来。
Hamlet hurriedly walked to her room where she was uneasily waiting for him. On the way to his mother' s room, Hamlet saw Claudius kneeling down to pray in his room. He thought he could kill him right then. But he did not do it. He said to himself, "If I kill him when he is praying to God, he will not go to hell. I had better kill him when he is angry or doing something bad. Then he is sure to go to hell. " So he stopped thinking of killing Claudius for the moment. Hamlet did not know that the doubting king had commanded Polonius to hide behind the curtains in the queen' s room so that he could see what might happen there. As soon as Hamlet came into her room, his mother began to scold him for what he had done to the king. She said angrily, "You have made your father very angry. You must beg his pardon."
Hamlet would not listen to her, but answered back. He said, "It is you who are to blame. You married that unkind and unkingly uncle of mine so soon after my father' s death.
You should be ashamed of your deed. I will never accept him as my father. He does not deserve to be King of Denmark. I will tell you again. It is not I but you and that dirty Claudius that should repent."
哈姆雷特匆忙地走向她的房间，那时她正在房间内不安地等候他。在去他母亲房间的路上，哈姆雷特看到克劳迪斯跪在他的房间内祷告。他心想他现在可以杀了克劳迪斯，但是他并没有这样做。他对自己说：“我若在他向上帝祷告的时候杀了他，他将不会下地狱。我最好在他生气或是做错事的时候杀他，这样他就一定会下地狱。” 于是他此刻先抛开想杀克劳迪斯的念头。
哈姆雷特不知道这位疑心的国王早已命令普罗尼尔斯躲在皇后房内的窗帘后面，以便他能看到那里可能发生的事。哈姆雷特一走进她的房间，他的母亲就为他对国王所做的事开始责骂他。她很生气地说：“你激怒了你的父亲，你必须去请求他原谅你。”
哈姆雷特不听她的话，反而顶嘴说：“该受责备的是你。你在我父亲去世后这么快就嫁给我那个心怀不仁、不配当国王的叔叔。你才应该为你的行为感到羞耻。我绝不接受他做我的父亲。他没有资格当丹麦的国王。我再告诉你一遍，该忏悔的不是我，而是你和那个卑劣的克劳迪斯。”
The queen became excited at hearing this and tried to run out of the room. Hamlet grabbed her by the wrist so roughly that she was frightened and cried out, "Are you going to kill me? Help! Help!"
On hearing the queen' s cry for help, Polonius, who was hiding behind the curtains, also cried, "Hamlet! Don't hurt the queen. Someone! Help the queen!"
Hamlet shouted, "What is that? A rat?" Thinking that it was Claudius, he drew his sword and rushed to the curtains. The man behind the curtains fell dead. Hamlet was shocked to see the dead body of Polonius, Ophelia' s father, there.
"Oh, Hamlet. What a cruel thing you have done!" cried the queen in terror.
Hamlet answered, "No, it is not I but you that have done a cruel thing."
Then suddenly, the ghost of his father appeared before them. His mother could neither see nor hear it. It said, "Hamlet, do not harm the queen, because she is your mother; kill Claudius as quickly as possible. Now, Hamlet, get out of this room!"
"Yes, I will, Father," said Hamlet to the ghost. The queen thought that Hamlet was really mad. Hamlet obeyed his father's advice and left the queen and the dead body of Polonius .
皇后听了这些话变得很激动，想设法逃离房间。哈姆雷特狠狠地抓住她的手腕，以致于她感到害怕而大叫说：“你是不是想杀我？救命啊！救命啊！”
躲在窗帘后面的普罗尼尔斯一听到皇后喊救命，也大叫说：“哈姆雷特，不要伤害皇后！来人啊！救救皇后！”
哈姆雷特大叫说：“那是什么？老鼠吗？”哈姆雷特以为那个人是克劳迪斯，他拨出剑冲向窗帘。窗帘后的人跌落在地上死了。哈姆雷特看到地上欧菲莉亚的父亲普罗尼尔斯的尸体，大感震惊。
“哦！哈姆雷特。你做了一件好残忍的事啊！”皇后惊恐地大叫。
哈姆雷特回道：“我没有，做了一件残忍的事的不是我而是你。”
那时，他父亲的鬼魂突然出现在他们的面前。他的母亲既看不见也听不到鬼魂说话的声音。鬼魂说：“哈姆雷特，不要伤害皇后，因为她是你的母亲；尽快杀死克劳迪斯。哈姆雷特，现在就离开这个房间！”
“好的，我会的，父亲。”哈姆雷特对鬼魂说。皇后认为哈姆雷特是真的疯了。哈姆雷特遵照他父亲的劝告，离开皇后和普罗尼尔斯的尸体。
玫瑰是一个传说
People have been passionate about roses since the beginning of time. In fact, it is said that the floors of Cleopatra's palace were carpeted with delicate rose petals, and that the wise and knowing Confucius had a 600-book library specifically on how to care for roses.
人类有史以来就钟情于玫瑰。据说，克娄巴特拉的宫殿的地面就铺满了娇嫩的玫瑰花瓣，博学的孔子有600册藏书专门讲述如何培育玫瑰。
The rose is a legend on its own. The story goes that during the Roman Empire, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many zealous suitors who pursued her relentlessly. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge from her suitors in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately, Diana became jealous. And when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near their beloved Rhodanthe, she became angry turning Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.
玫瑰本身就是一个传说。在罗马帝国时代，有一个名叫罗丹斯的美丽绝伦的少女。她的丽姿引来了无数狂热的求婚者锲而不舍地追求她。罗丹斯实在招架不住了，不得不到朋友狄安娜的神庙里躲避她的求婚者。不幸的是，狄安娜产生了嫉妒之心。当求婚者冲进了神庙的大门，要接近他们所爱恋着的罗丹斯时，狄安娜一怒之下将罗丹斯变成了一枝玫瑰花，将她的求婚者变成了花刺。
In Greek legend, the rose was created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. It was just a lifeless seed of a nymph that Chloris found one day in a clearing in the woods. She asked the help of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who gave her beauty Dionysus, the god of wine, added nectar to give her a sweet scent, and the three Graces gave her charm, brightness and joy. Then Zephyr, the West Wind, blew away the clouds so that Apollo, the sun god, could shine and made this flower bloom. And so the Rose was born and was immediately crowned the Queen of Flowers.
在希腊传说中，玫瑰是希腊花神克罗斯创造的。当初玫瑰只是林中一个仙女的尚无生命的一粒种子。一天，花神克罗斯偶然在森林的一块空地上发现了它。克罗斯请求爱神阿佛洛狄特赋予了它美丽的容貌；让酒神狄俄尼索斯浇洒了神酒，使它拥有了芬芳的气味。又有美惠三女神将魅力、聪颖和欢乐赐予了它。随后，西风之神吹散了云朵，太阳神阿波罗得以照耀它并使它开花。玫瑰就这样诞生了，并立即被封为花中之皇后。
The first true primary red rose seen in Europe was "Slater's Crimson China" introduced in 1792 from China, where it had been growing wild in the mountains. Immediately, rose breeders began using it to hybridize red roses for cultivation. Ever since, the quest for the perfect red rose has been the Holy Grail of rosarians: a fragrant, disease-resistant, long-lasting, long-stemmed, reblooming, perfectly formed rose with a clear non-fading vivid red color. Absolute perfection still hasn't been attained, and of course never will!
欧洲见到的第一枝真正的原色红玫瑰叫做“斯莱特中国深红”，于1792年从中国引进。当时，它一直生长在中国山区的野地里。玫瑰培育者马上开始用它进行杂交种植。从此，寻求完美的红玫瑰一直是玫瑰栽培者所追求的理想。这种玫瑰应具有芳香的气味、抵御疾病的能力、持久的花期、修长的花茎、反复开花的本领、优美的体态以及不褪色的纯鲜红颜色。然而，绝对的完美却始终未达到，当然也永远无法达到！
There is a special rose language invented as a secret means of communication between lovers who were not allowed to express their love for one another openly. In the mid 18th century the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople described this in her letters, which were published after her death. These letters inspired many books on the language of flowers, each describing the secret message hidden in each flower. A red rose bud stands for budding desire, an open white rose asks "Will you love me?", an open red rose means "I'm full of love and desire", while an open yellow rose asks "Don't you love me any more?"
人们发明了一种特殊的玫瑰语言，作为不被允许公开示爱的情侣间秘密交流的方式。18世纪中期，英国驻君士坦丁堡大使的夫人在信中对此做了描述。这些信件在她死后出版，激发了许许多多关于花草语言书籍的问世，每一本书都对每种花所隐藏的信息进行了描述。一朵红玫瑰花蕾代表萌发中的情欲；一枝盛开的白玫瑰则是在探问：“你会爱我吗？”一枝绽开的红玫瑰的含义是：“我对你满怀着爱意和渴望”，而一枝开放的黄玫瑰则是在询问：“你是不是不再爱我了？”
人类有史以来就钟情于玫瑰。据说，克娄巴特拉的宫殿的地面就铺满了娇嫩的玫瑰花瓣，博学的孔子有600册藏书专门讲述如何培育玫瑰。
The rose is a legend on its own. The story goes that during the Roman Empire, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many zealous suitors who pursued her relentlessly. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge from her suitors in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately, Diana became jealous. And when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near their beloved Rhodanthe, she became angry turning Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.
玫瑰本身就是一个传说。在罗马帝国时代，有一个名叫罗丹斯的美丽绝伦的少女。她的丽姿引来了无数狂热的求婚者锲而不舍地追求她。罗丹斯实在招架不住了，不得不到朋友狄安娜的神庙里躲避她的求婚者。不幸的是，狄安娜产生了嫉妒之心。当求婚者冲进了神庙的大门，要接近他们所爱恋着的罗丹斯时，狄安娜一怒之下将罗丹斯变成了一枝玫瑰花，将她的求婚者变成了花刺。
In Greek legend, the rose was created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. It was just a lifeless seed of a nymph that Chloris found one day in a clearing in the woods. She asked the help of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who gave her beauty Dionysus, the god of wine, added nectar to give her a sweet scent, and the three Graces gave her charm, brightness and joy. Then Zephyr, the West Wind, blew away the clouds so that Apollo, the sun god, could shine and made this flower bloom. And so the Rose was born and was immediately crowned the Queen of Flowers.
在希腊传说中，玫瑰是希腊花神克罗斯创造的。当初玫瑰只是林中一个仙女的尚无生命的一粒种子。一天，花神克罗斯偶然在森林的一块空地上发现了它。克罗斯请求爱神阿佛洛狄特赋予了它美丽的容貌；让酒神狄俄尼索斯浇洒了神酒，使它拥有了芬芳的气味。又有美惠三女神将魅力、聪颖和欢乐赐予了它。随后，西风之神吹散了云朵，太阳神阿波罗得以照耀它并使它开花。玫瑰就这样诞生了，并立即被封为花中之皇后。
The first true primary red rose seen in Europe was "Slater's Crimson China" introduced in 1792 from China, where it had been growing wild in the mountains. Immediately, rose breeders began using it to hybridize red roses for cultivation. Ever since, the quest for the perfect red rose has been the Holy Grail of rosarians: a fragrant, disease-resistant, long-lasting, long-stemmed, reblooming, perfectly formed rose with a clear non-fading vivid red color. Absolute perfection still hasn't been attained, and of course never will!
欧洲见到的第一枝真正的原色红玫瑰叫做“斯莱特中国深红”，于1792年从中国引进。当时，它一直生长在中国山区的野地里。玫瑰培育者马上开始用它进行杂交种植。从此，寻求完美的红玫瑰一直是玫瑰栽培者所追求的理想。这种玫瑰应具有芳香的气味、抵御疾病的能力、持久的花期、修长的花茎、反复开花的本领、优美的体态以及不褪色的纯鲜红颜色。然而，绝对的完美却始终未达到，当然也永远无法达到！
There is a special rose language invented as a secret means of communication between lovers who were not allowed to express their love for one another openly. In the mid 18th century the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople described this in her letters, which were published after her death. These letters inspired many books on the language of flowers, each describing the secret message hidden in each flower. A red rose bud stands for budding desire, an open white rose asks "Will you love me?", an open red rose means "I'm full of love and desire", while an open yellow rose asks "Don't you love me any more?"
人们发明了一种特殊的玫瑰语言，作为不被允许公开示爱的情侣间秘密交流的方式。18世纪中期，英国驻君士坦丁堡大使的夫人在信中对此做了描述。这些信件在她死后出版，激发了许许多多关于花草语言书籍的问世，每一本书都对每种花所隐藏的信息进行了描述。一朵红玫瑰花蕾代表萌发中的情欲；一枝盛开的白玫瑰则是在探问：“你会爱我吗？”一枝绽开的红玫瑰的含义是：“我对你满怀着爱意和渴望”，而一枝开放的黄玫瑰则是在询问：“你是不是不再爱我了？”
Britain's favourite word is love
Britain's favourite word is loveBritain's favourite word is love
“爱”――英国人最喜爱的词语
Britain's three favourite words are love, serendipity and family, according to a charity effort to build a "wall of words".
英国一项建造“词语墙”的慈善活动发现，爱、意外的发现和家庭三个词在英国最受青睐。
Telecommunications giant BT and children's charity I CAN have already built a mile long "wall" from thousands of online submissions to their Internet site www.wallofwords.org.uk and are hoping to complete a second mile.
通讯业巨头英国电信和儿童慈善机构I CAN根据用户在活动网站www.wallofwords.org.uk上提交的几千个词语，建造了一道长达1英里的“词语墙”，目前他们希望能完成第二个英里的建造。
Visitors to the Web site submit their favourite word and the reasons why. The wall is made from virtual bricks represented by each word submitted. BT has already donated 50,000 pounds to I CAN on completion of the first mile and is offering prizes to contributors for the second mile.
用户可登陆活动网站提交他们最喜爱的词语，并说明原因。这道“词语墙”由虚拟砖块砌成，每块砖都是一个被提交的词语。英国电信已为第一个英里“词语墙”的建造向I CAN 慈善组织捐助了5万英镑，目前正向第二英里词语的提供者发放奖品。
It's not surprising that a nation which has seen a lot of slate grey skies over the winter chose sunshine as its fourth most favourite word or that a people famed for their stiff upper lips chose smile as number 6 and happy as number 10.
对于一个整个冬天都被笼罩在灰蒙蒙的天空下的国家来说，“阳光”成为第四个最受喜爱的词并不令人惊讶；对于不苟言笑的英国人来说，“微笑”一词名列第六、“快乐”一词名列第十也很正常。
"It's heart-warming to see that, despite all our daily pressures and worries, so many positive emotional words are turning up in this list. It seems we're not just a romantic people - we're playful too," linguist David Crystal, an honorary professor at the University of Bangor in Wales, said in an I CAN press statement released on Tuesday.
威尔士班戈大学的名誉教授、语言学家大卫?克里斯托在本周二ＩCAN 慈善机构发表的一份新闻声明中说：“尽管我们在日常生活中面临很多压力和烦恼，但很多具有积极感情色彩的词语出现在了最受喜爱的词语之列，这让人很高兴。这也说明我们不仅是个浪漫的民族，而且懂得幽默。”
Although love was the top choice overall and the number one choice for women, antidisestablishmentarianism was the top choice for men and the ninth most favourite word on the list.
“爱”一词名列最受喜爱词语排行榜之首，同时也是女性的最爱，但“反对教会分离者”一词则为男性的首选，并在总排行榜上名列第九。
Regionally, Welsh contributors favoured the word "cwtch" (cuddle) and Scots favoured "numpty" (an abbreviation of "numbskull").
从各地区来看，威尔士人最喜欢“拥抱”一词，而苏格兰人则最喜爱“笨蛋”一词。
“爱”――英国人最喜爱的词语
Britain's three favourite words are love, serendipity and family, according to a charity effort to build a "wall of words".
英国一项建造“词语墙”的慈善活动发现，爱、意外的发现和家庭三个词在英国最受青睐。
Telecommunications giant BT and children's charity I CAN have already built a mile long "wall" from thousands of online submissions to their Internet site www.wallofwords.org.uk and are hoping to complete a second mile.
通讯业巨头英国电信和儿童慈善机构I CAN根据用户在活动网站www.wallofwords.org.uk上提交的几千个词语，建造了一道长达1英里的“词语墙”，目前他们希望能完成第二个英里的建造。
Visitors to the Web site submit their favourite word and the reasons why. The wall is made from virtual bricks represented by each word submitted. BT has already donated 50,000 pounds to I CAN on completion of the first mile and is offering prizes to contributors for the second mile.
用户可登陆活动网站提交他们最喜爱的词语，并说明原因。这道“词语墙”由虚拟砖块砌成，每块砖都是一个被提交的词语。英国电信已为第一个英里“词语墙”的建造向I CAN 慈善组织捐助了5万英镑，目前正向第二英里词语的提供者发放奖品。
It's not surprising that a nation which has seen a lot of slate grey skies over the winter chose sunshine as its fourth most favourite word or that a people famed for their stiff upper lips chose smile as number 6 and happy as number 10.
对于一个整个冬天都被笼罩在灰蒙蒙的天空下的国家来说，“阳光”成为第四个最受喜爱的词并不令人惊讶；对于不苟言笑的英国人来说，“微笑”一词名列第六、“快乐”一词名列第十也很正常。
"It's heart-warming to see that, despite all our daily pressures and worries, so many positive emotional words are turning up in this list. It seems we're not just a romantic people - we're playful too," linguist David Crystal, an honorary professor at the University of Bangor in Wales, said in an I CAN press statement released on Tuesday.
威尔士班戈大学的名誉教授、语言学家大卫?克里斯托在本周二ＩCAN 慈善机构发表的一份新闻声明中说：“尽管我们在日常生活中面临很多压力和烦恼，但很多具有积极感情色彩的词语出现在了最受喜爱的词语之列，这让人很高兴。这也说明我们不仅是个浪漫的民族，而且懂得幽默。”
Although love was the top choice overall and the number one choice for women, antidisestablishmentarianism was the top choice for men and the ninth most favourite word on the list.
“爱”一词名列最受喜爱词语排行榜之首，同时也是女性的最爱，但“反对教会分离者”一词则为男性的首选，并在总排行榜上名列第九。
Regionally, Welsh contributors favoured the word "cwtch" (cuddle) and Scots favoured "numpty" (an abbreviation of "numbskull").
从各地区来看，威尔士人最喜欢“拥抱”一词，而苏格兰人则最喜爱“笨蛋”一词。
沙漠里有朵小花
这个美丽的故事流传在美洲印第安土著中已近200年了，一朵荒漠中的小花，不是为了自己的艳丽，而执着于点缀这个世界的一角……
There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking... It was growing by itself... enjoying every day... and saying to the sun "When shall I be grown up?" And the sun would say "Be patient - Each time I touch you, you grow a little..." She was so pleased. Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of sand... And this is all she wanted to do - bring a little bit of beauty to this world.
遍地干旱、满目悲凉的沙漠中有朵小花，她独自生长在那里，享受着每一天……她问太阳公公“我什么时候才能长大？”太阳公公总是说“要有耐心-- 我每次抚摸你，你都会长大一点……”小花好开心啊，因为她也有机会为沙漠的一隅增添美丽了……这是她毕生的心愿-- 为这个世界增添一丝美丽。
One day the hunter came by - and stepped on her. - She was going to die - and she felt so sad. Not because she was dying - but because she would not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.
一天，一位猎人经过--正好踩在她身上?? 她快要死了-- 她感到如此悲伤。并不是因为她即将死去，而是因为再没有机会为沙漠增添一丝美丽了。
The great spirit saw her, and was listening. - Indeed, he said... She should be living... And he reached down and touched her - and gave her life.
伟大的精神看到了她，并且听到了她的心里话。……事实上，他在说……她应该活着……他俯下身，抚摸着她-- 给了她生命。
And she grew up to be a beautiful flower... and this corner of the desert became so beautiful because of her.
她长成一朵美丽的花……由于她的存在，这沙漠的一隅变得如此美丽。
There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking... It was growing by itself... enjoying every day... and saying to the sun "When shall I be grown up?" And the sun would say "Be patient - Each time I touch you, you grow a little..." She was so pleased. Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of sand... And this is all she wanted to do - bring a little bit of beauty to this world.
遍地干旱、满目悲凉的沙漠中有朵小花，她独自生长在那里，享受着每一天……她问太阳公公“我什么时候才能长大？”太阳公公总是说“要有耐心-- 我每次抚摸你，你都会长大一点……”小花好开心啊，因为她也有机会为沙漠的一隅增添美丽了……这是她毕生的心愿-- 为这个世界增添一丝美丽。
One day the hunter came by - and stepped on her. - She was going to die - and she felt so sad. Not because she was dying - but because she would not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.
一天，一位猎人经过--正好踩在她身上?? 她快要死了-- 她感到如此悲伤。并不是因为她即将死去，而是因为再没有机会为沙漠增添一丝美丽了。
The great spirit saw her, and was listening. - Indeed, he said... She should be living... And he reached down and touched her - and gave her life.
伟大的精神看到了她，并且听到了她的心里话。……事实上，他在说……她应该活着……他俯下身，抚摸着她-- 给了她生命。
And she grew up to be a beautiful flower... and this corner of the desert became so beautiful because of her.
她长成一朵美丽的花……由于她的存在，这沙漠的一隅变得如此美丽。
The Effects of Technology on Learning
The Effects of Technology on Learning
The technological advances of the last few years have been amazing. Never before have students had such a wide variety of resources to help them in their studies. Those who can take advantage of these resources have the opportunity to learn about more subjects and to acquire more in-depth knowledge. In my opinion, students can indeed learn more and learn more quickly with the help of modern technology.
The piece of technology most important as a learning tool must be the computer. Paired with the Internet, it allows students to research topics more quickly and thoroughly and to write up their findings more rapidly as well. Furthermore, advances in many fields are being made so fast these days that it is impossible four textbooks to keep up. Technology allows students to keep abreast of the latest developments. Also, it cannot be denied that many students enjoy using such resources in their studies. Because of this, they are more likely to pursue subjects in greater depth.
For all these reasons, I believe that technology is of great benefit to today's students. Of course, it is still possible to learn without the aid of such devices, but I believe that those students who are fortunate enough to have access to technological resources should take every advantage of them.
参考译文：
科技对学习的影响
近几年来，科技方面的进步相当惊人。学生从来没有过这么多各种各样的资源来帮助他们学习。能够利用这些资源的人有机会学习更多的课题，并获得更深入的知识。依我之见，有了现代科技的协助，学习确实能够学得更多，而且学得更快。
科技上最重要的学习工具非电脑莫属。电脑搭配互联网的使用，使得学生能够更快速、更彻底地研究他们的课题，也能更迅速地详细写出他们的发现。此外，目前许多领域都进步神速，教科书根本不可能跟得上，而科技让学生能够跟得上最新的发展。并且，不可否认的是，许多学生在学习时也非常喜欢使用这样的资源。这样，他们较有可能更深入地研究各种课题。
基于这些理由，我相信科技对现今的学生有极大的帮助。当然，没有这些设备的协助也是有可能学习的。但我认为，那些有幸能够使用科技资源的学生都应该善于利用这些资源。
The technological advances of the last few years have been amazing. Never before have students had such a wide variety of resources to help them in their studies. Those who can take advantage of these resources have the opportunity to learn about more subjects and to acquire more in-depth knowledge. In my opinion, students can indeed learn more and learn more quickly with the help of modern technology.
The piece of technology most important as a learning tool must be the computer. Paired with the Internet, it allows students to research topics more quickly and thoroughly and to write up their findings more rapidly as well. Furthermore, advances in many fields are being made so fast these days that it is impossible four textbooks to keep up. Technology allows students to keep abreast of the latest developments. Also, it cannot be denied that many students enjoy using such resources in their studies. Because of this, they are more likely to pursue subjects in greater depth.
For all these reasons, I believe that technology is of great benefit to today's students. Of course, it is still possible to learn without the aid of such devices, but I believe that those students who are fortunate enough to have access to technological resources should take every advantage of them.
参考译文：
科技对学习的影响
近几年来，科技方面的进步相当惊人。学生从来没有过这么多各种各样的资源来帮助他们学习。能够利用这些资源的人有机会学习更多的课题，并获得更深入的知识。依我之见，有了现代科技的协助，学习确实能够学得更多，而且学得更快。
科技上最重要的学习工具非电脑莫属。电脑搭配互联网的使用，使得学生能够更快速、更彻底地研究他们的课题，也能更迅速地详细写出他们的发现。此外，目前许多领域都进步神速，教科书根本不可能跟得上，而科技让学生能够跟得上最新的发展。并且，不可否认的是，许多学生在学习时也非常喜欢使用这样的资源。这样，他们较有可能更深入地研究各种课题。
基于这些理由，我相信科技对现今的学生有极大的帮助。当然，没有这些设备的协助也是有可能学习的。但我认为，那些有幸能够使用科技资源的学生都应该善于利用这些资源。
Never, Never Give Up
Never, Never Give Up
We often hear people say, “Never give up.” These can be encouraging words and words of determination. A person who believes in them will keep trying to reach his goal no matter how many times he fails. In my opinion, the quality of determination to succeed is an important one to have. Therefore, I believe that we should never give up.
One reason is that if we give up too easily, we will rarely achieve anything. It is not unusual for us to fail in our first attempt at something new, so we should not feel discouraged and should try again. Besides, if we always give up when we fail, we will not be able to develop new skills and grow as people. Another reason we should never give up is that we can learn from our mistakes only if we make a new effort. If we do not try again, the lesson we have learned is wasted. Finally, we should never give up because as we work to reach our goals, we develop confidence, and this confidence can help us succeed in other areas of our lives. If we never challenge ourselves, we will begin to doubt our abilities.
In short, it is important that we do not give up when working for our goals. Whether we succeed in the end or not, we will learn something, and what we learn will help us to become better, more confident people. Furthermore, if we give up, we have non chance of attaining our goals, but if we keep trying, there is always a chance that we will succeed one day.
参考译文：
永不放弃
我们常听到人们说：“永远不要放弃。”这句话可能是要鼓励别人，也可能是表示自己的决心。相信自己的人，不管经历多少次失败，都会不断试着要达到目标。我认为，有成功的决心是每个人都应该有的重要特质。因此，我认为我们应该永不放弃。
其中一个理由是，如果我们太轻易放弃，就几乎无法完成任何事。我们第一次尝试新事物会失败，这是很平常的事，所以我们不应感到气馁，而应该要再试一次。而且，如果我们总是一失败就放弃，就无法培养新技能并且不断地成长。我们应该永不放弃的另一个原因是，只有再努力一次才能从错误中学习。如果我们不再试一次，那么我们所学到的教训就白白浪费了。最后，我们应该永不放弃，因为当我们努力达到目标的时候，我们就会培养出自信，而这种自信将有助于我们在生活的其他领域中获得成功。如果我们不挑战自我，我们就会开始怀疑自己的能力。
简言之，当我们努力追求目标时，永不放弃是很重要的。不管最后有没有成功，我们都会学到一些东西，而我们所学到的东西，将会使自己成为一个更好、更有自信的人。而且，如果放弃的话，我们就没有机
We often hear people say, “Never give up.” These can be encouraging words and words of determination. A person who believes in them will keep trying to reach his goal no matter how many times he fails. In my opinion, the quality of determination to succeed is an important one to have. Therefore, I believe that we should never give up.
One reason is that if we give up too easily, we will rarely achieve anything. It is not unusual for us to fail in our first attempt at something new, so we should not feel discouraged and should try again. Besides, if we always give up when we fail, we will not be able to develop new skills and grow as people. Another reason we should never give up is that we can learn from our mistakes only if we make a new effort. If we do not try again, the lesson we have learned is wasted. Finally, we should never give up because as we work to reach our goals, we develop confidence, and this confidence can help us succeed in other areas of our lives. If we never challenge ourselves, we will begin to doubt our abilities.
In short, it is important that we do not give up when working for our goals. Whether we succeed in the end or not, we will learn something, and what we learn will help us to become better, more confident people. Furthermore, if we give up, we have non chance of attaining our goals, but if we keep trying, there is always a chance that we will succeed one day.
参考译文：
永不放弃
我们常听到人们说：“永远不要放弃。”这句话可能是要鼓励别人，也可能是表示自己的决心。相信自己的人，不管经历多少次失败，都会不断试着要达到目标。我认为，有成功的决心是每个人都应该有的重要特质。因此，我认为我们应该永不放弃。
其中一个理由是，如果我们太轻易放弃，就几乎无法完成任何事。我们第一次尝试新事物会失败，这是很平常的事，所以我们不应感到气馁，而应该要再试一次。而且，如果我们总是一失败就放弃，就无法培养新技能并且不断地成长。我们应该永不放弃的另一个原因是，只有再努力一次才能从错误中学习。如果我们不再试一次，那么我们所学到的教训就白白浪费了。最后，我们应该永不放弃，因为当我们努力达到目标的时候，我们就会培养出自信，而这种自信将有助于我们在生活的其他领域中获得成功。如果我们不挑战自我，我们就会开始怀疑自己的能力。
简言之，当我们努力追求目标时，永不放弃是很重要的。不管最后有没有成功，我们都会学到一些东西，而我们所学到的东西，将会使自己成为一个更好、更有自信的人。而且，如果放弃的话，我们就没有机
The Advantages of Saving Money
The Advantages of Saving Money
Everyone must work to live, but many people are fortunate enough to make more money than they immediately need. What should they do with this extra income? While it is tempting for people to spend it all on things they desire, I believe it is better to save at least a portion of the extra income for the future.
By saving money, people give themselves more security. They cannot predict the future; perhaps one day they will be jobless. At a time like this their savings can spare them a great deal of suffering and help to see them through the hard time. In addition, saving money allows people to build up a larger sum. They can then buy something more worthwhile than the small things they can but if they spend the money right away. For example, they may be able to buy a house with their savings. Finally, he practice of saving helps people develop the habit of setting goals and planning for their future. In this way they are bound to lead more meaningful and successful lives.
Most people would like to enjoy their money immediately. Nobody likes to wait for the things that he wants. However, if we learn to save our money, we can gain more advantages in the future. We will lead more secure and, thus, happier lives. We will also be able to buy the things we truly want but cannot afford right now.
参考译文：
存钱的好处
每个人都必须工作以求生存，但是有许多人很幸运，能够赚得比他们立即需要的还要多的钱。他们应该如何处理这些额外的收入呢？尽管把钱全花在自己想买的东西上是很诱人的，但我认为最好至少把一部分的额外收入存起来，以备将来之需。
通过存钱，人们能获得更多的安全感。未来是无法预测的，或许有一天我们会失业。碰到像这样的情况，存款可以让我们免去许多痛苦，帮助我们渡过难关。此外，存钱可以使人积累较多的钱，可以用于买更有价值的东西，比马上把钱花掉所能买到的东西更有用。例如，我们可以用存款买房子。最后，存钱能帮助我们培养设定目标及为未来作计划的习惯。如此一来，我们一定会过着更有意义并且更成功的生活。
大部分的人会想要马上享用手边的钱。没有人想等到以后再买想要的东西。然而，如果我们学会存钱，未来可以获得更多的好处。我们将过着更有安全感而且更快乐的生活。我们也能购买我们真正想要但现在无法负担的东西。
Everyone must work to live, but many people are fortunate enough to make more money than they immediately need. What should they do with this extra income? While it is tempting for people to spend it all on things they desire, I believe it is better to save at least a portion of the extra income for the future.
By saving money, people give themselves more security. They cannot predict the future; perhaps one day they will be jobless. At a time like this their savings can spare them a great deal of suffering and help to see them through the hard time. In addition, saving money allows people to build up a larger sum. They can then buy something more worthwhile than the small things they can but if they spend the money right away. For example, they may be able to buy a house with their savings. Finally, he practice of saving helps people develop the habit of setting goals and planning for their future. In this way they are bound to lead more meaningful and successful lives.
Most people would like to enjoy their money immediately. Nobody likes to wait for the things that he wants. However, if we learn to save our money, we can gain more advantages in the future. We will lead more secure and, thus, happier lives. We will also be able to buy the things we truly want but cannot afford right now.
参考译文：
存钱的好处
每个人都必须工作以求生存，但是有许多人很幸运，能够赚得比他们立即需要的还要多的钱。他们应该如何处理这些额外的收入呢？尽管把钱全花在自己想买的东西上是很诱人的，但我认为最好至少把一部分的额外收入存起来，以备将来之需。
通过存钱，人们能获得更多的安全感。未来是无法预测的，或许有一天我们会失业。碰到像这样的情况，存款可以让我们免去许多痛苦，帮助我们渡过难关。此外，存钱可以使人积累较多的钱，可以用于买更有价值的东西，比马上把钱花掉所能买到的东西更有用。例如，我们可以用存款买房子。最后，存钱能帮助我们培养设定目标及为未来作计划的习惯。如此一来，我们一定会过着更有意义并且更成功的生活。
大部分的人会想要马上享用手边的钱。没有人想等到以后再买想要的东西。然而，如果我们学会存钱，未来可以获得更多的好处。我们将过着更有安全感而且更快乐的生活。我们也能购买我们真正想要但现在无法负担的东西。
The Real Princess 豌豆公主
There was once a prince who wished to marry a princess; but then she must be a real princess. He travelled all over the world in hopes of finding such a lady; but there was always something wrong. Princesses he found in plenty; but whether they were real princesses it was impossible for him to decide, for now one thing, now another, seemed to him not quite right about the ladies. At last he returned to his palace quite cast down, because he wished so much to have a real Princess for his wife.
从前有一位王子，他想找一位公主结婚，但她必须是一位真正的公主。他走遍了全世界，想要寻到这样的一位公主。可是无论他到什么地方，他总是碰到一些障碍。公主倒有的是，不过他没有办法断定她们究竟是不是真正的公主，她们好象总是有些地方不大对头。结果，他只好回到自己的皇宫来，心中很不快活，因为他是那么渴望着得到一位真正的公主。
One evening a fearful tempest arose, it thundered and lightened, and the rain poured down from the sky in torrents: besides, it was as dark as pitch. All at once there was heard a violent knocking at the door, and the old King, the Prince's father, went out himself to open it.
It was a princess who was standing outside the door. What with the rain and the wind, she was in a sad condition; the water trickled down from her hair, and her clothes clung to her body. She said she was a real princess.
有一天晚上，忽然起了一阵可怕的暴风雨。天空中风驰电掣，大雨倾盆而降，四周一片漆黑。就在这时，响起了一阵剧烈的敲门声，老国王自己去开门。 站在城外的是一位公主。可是，天哪！经过了风吹雨打之后，她的样子是多么难看啊！水沿着她的头发和向下面流，她的衣服粘在身上。她说她是真正的公主。
"Ah! we shall soon see that!" thought the old Queen-mother; however, she said not a word of what she was going to do; but went quietly into the bedroom, took all the bed-clothes off the bed, and put a little pea on the bedstead. She then laid twenty mattresses one upon another over the pea, and put twenty feather beds over the mattresses. Upon this bed the Princess was to pass the night.
“是的，这点我们马上就可以考查出来。”老皇后心里想，可是她什么也没说。她静静地走进卧房，把所有的被褥都搬开，在床榻上放了一粒豌豆。然后她取出二十床垫子，把它们压在豌豆上。随后，她又在这些垫子上放了二十床鸭绒被。 这位公主夜里就睡在这些东西上面。
The next morning she was asked how she had slept. "Oh, very badly indeed!" she replied. "I have scarcely closed my eyes the whole night through. I do not know what was in my bed, but I had something hard under me, and am all over black and blue. It has hurt me so much!"
Now it was plain that the lady must be a real Princess, since she had been able to feel the little pea through the twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds. None but a real Princess could have had such a delicate sense of feeling. So the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a real princess; and the pea was put in the museum, where it may still be seen, if no one has stolen it.
第二天早晨大家问她昨晚睡得怎样。“啊，不舒服极了！”公主说，“我差不多整夜没合上眼！天晓得我床上有件什么东西？我睡到一块很硬的东西上面，弄得我全身发青发紫，这真怕人！”
现在大家就看出来了。她是一位真正的公主，因为压在这二十床垫子和二十床鸭绒被下面的一粒豌豆，她居然还能感觉得出来。除了真正的公主以外，任何人都不会有这么嫩的皮肤的。 因此那位王子就选她为妻子了，因为现在他知道他得到了一位真正的公主。这粒豌豆因此也就被送进了博物馆，如果没有人把它拿走的话，人们现在还可以在那儿看到它呢。
从前有一位王子，他想找一位公主结婚，但她必须是一位真正的公主。他走遍了全世界，想要寻到这样的一位公主。可是无论他到什么地方，他总是碰到一些障碍。公主倒有的是，不过他没有办法断定她们究竟是不是真正的公主，她们好象总是有些地方不大对头。结果，他只好回到自己的皇宫来，心中很不快活，因为他是那么渴望着得到一位真正的公主。
One evening a fearful tempest arose, it thundered and lightened, and the rain poured down from the sky in torrents: besides, it was as dark as pitch. All at once there was heard a violent knocking at the door, and the old King, the Prince's father, went out himself to open it.
It was a princess who was standing outside the door. What with the rain and the wind, she was in a sad condition; the water trickled down from her hair, and her clothes clung to her body. She said she was a real princess.
有一天晚上，忽然起了一阵可怕的暴风雨。天空中风驰电掣，大雨倾盆而降，四周一片漆黑。就在这时，响起了一阵剧烈的敲门声，老国王自己去开门。 站在城外的是一位公主。可是，天哪！经过了风吹雨打之后，她的样子是多么难看啊！水沿着她的头发和向下面流，她的衣服粘在身上。她说她是真正的公主。
"Ah! we shall soon see that!" thought the old Queen-mother; however, she said not a word of what she was going to do; but went quietly into the bedroom, took all the bed-clothes off the bed, and put a little pea on the bedstead. She then laid twenty mattresses one upon another over the pea, and put twenty feather beds over the mattresses. Upon this bed the Princess was to pass the night.
“是的，这点我们马上就可以考查出来。”老皇后心里想，可是她什么也没说。她静静地走进卧房，把所有的被褥都搬开，在床榻上放了一粒豌豆。然后她取出二十床垫子，把它们压在豌豆上。随后，她又在这些垫子上放了二十床鸭绒被。 这位公主夜里就睡在这些东西上面。
The next morning she was asked how she had slept. "Oh, very badly indeed!" she replied. "I have scarcely closed my eyes the whole night through. I do not know what was in my bed, but I had something hard under me, and am all over black and blue. It has hurt me so much!"
Now it was plain that the lady must be a real Princess, since she had been able to feel the little pea through the twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds. None but a real Princess could have had such a delicate sense of feeling. So the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a real princess; and the pea was put in the museum, where it may still be seen, if no one has stolen it.
第二天早晨大家问她昨晚睡得怎样。“啊，不舒服极了！”公主说，“我差不多整夜没合上眼！天晓得我床上有件什么东西？我睡到一块很硬的东西上面，弄得我全身发青发紫，这真怕人！”
现在大家就看出来了。她是一位真正的公主，因为压在这二十床垫子和二十床鸭绒被下面的一粒豌豆，她居然还能感觉得出来。除了真正的公主以外，任何人都不会有这么嫩的皮肤的。 因此那位王子就选她为妻子了，因为现在他知道他得到了一位真正的公主。这粒豌豆因此也就被送进了博物馆，如果没有人把它拿走的话，人们现在还可以在那儿看到它呢。
聊斋志异故事:邂逅封三娘
This is a story from Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio. Lady Fan was gentle and beautiful. One day， accompanied by an attendant on an outing to the Water and Moon Monastery， she encountered the warm and equally beautiful Lady Feng. As they found an affinity between each other， on deqarting Lady Fan invited Lady Feng to visit her home some day. Back home Lady Fan missed her newly made friend terribly and soon fell ill. On the ninth day of the ninth nonth of the lunar calendar， the Double Ninth Festival， Lady Fan and her attendant came to the family garden to enjoy flowers. There she saw Lady Feng looking at her from outside the garden wall. Overjoyed， Lady Fan met Meng Anren， a young， handsome and talented scholar from a impoverished family. Helped by Lady Feng， Lady Fan and the young scholar entered betrothal. Unfortunately， a rich local bully also had his eyes on Lady Fan and forced a marriage proposal on Lady Fan's parents， who saw no choice but to accept. The day before the wedding， Lady Fan hanged herself in her room. The heartbroken young scholar， on hearing the news， rushed to her tomb and wailed uncontuollably. Suddenly， he heard Lady Feng's voice from behind， "If you dig up the tomb， I can bring her back to life." He did as she said， and carried the dead Lady Fan back to his place. Whth Lady Feng's magic medicine Lady Fan indeed came to life and the two lovers married. Before Lady Feng left， she disclosed her real identity――a fox fairy.
《聊斋志异》中的故事。范十一娘，心地善良，有倾国倾城之貌。一日在丫环的陪同下去水月寺游玩，遇上美丽热情的封三娘，二人见面都很喜欢对方。分别时，十一娘约封三娘去她家玩。十一娘回家后，日夜想念相信封三娘，日久天长，郁郁成疾。重阳节这天，丫环扶十一娘在花园赏花，忽见封三娘正攀墙向园内张望，于是被请进园来，并住下。十一娘的病就此好了。
来年春天，她俩结伴郊游。十一娘碰见年轻英俊的贫寒秀才孟安仁，在封三娘帮助下，订了婚约，有一显贵相中十一娘，十一娘父母惧怕权势，同意了这门亲事。就在迎亲前一天，十一娘自缢。孟安仁听到噩耗，万分悲痛，夜晚到十一娘坟上大哭。忽听三娘在背后说：“你快挖开坟，我有办法。”孟安仁挖开坟将十一娘背回家中。经封三娘调药相救，十一娘苏醒了，二人遂成婚，封三娘辞别时说出自己是狐仙。
《聊斋志异》中的故事。范十一娘，心地善良，有倾国倾城之貌。一日在丫环的陪同下去水月寺游玩，遇上美丽热情的封三娘，二人见面都很喜欢对方。分别时，十一娘约封三娘去她家玩。十一娘回家后，日夜想念相信封三娘，日久天长，郁郁成疾。重阳节这天，丫环扶十一娘在花园赏花，忽见封三娘正攀墙向园内张望，于是被请进园来，并住下。十一娘的病就此好了。
来年春天，她俩结伴郊游。十一娘碰见年轻英俊的贫寒秀才孟安仁，在封三娘帮助下，订了婚约，有一显贵相中十一娘，十一娘父母惧怕权势，同意了这门亲事。就在迎亲前一天，十一娘自缢。孟安仁听到噩耗，万分悲痛，夜晚到十一娘坟上大哭。忽听三娘在背后说：“你快挖开坟，我有办法。”孟安仁挖开坟将十一娘背回家中。经封三娘调药相救，十一娘苏醒了，二人遂成婚，封三娘辞别时说出自己是狐仙。
聊斋志异故事:双鬼侍母
This is a classic Chinese fairy tale. It was said that there is a kind of poisonous grass that causes people to die after eating it. People said that people who died of eating this grass would become ghosts. They could reincarnate only by finding a person who had also died by eating the poisonous grass. A young masn， named Zhu Sheng， went to visit his friend. It was the middle of summer and he was very thirsty. He still had half of his journey ahead of him.Then he spotted a tea house along the road and stopped in for a cup of tea. He eagerly drank the tea that the teahouse owner Ms. Kou brought for him. As soon as he got home he felt a pain in his stomach. He realized that Ms. Kou had given him a cup of tea made with the poisonous grass to benefit her reincarnation. The young man hated her and vowed to get revenge. After his death， he took Ms. Kou back to the nether world. There the two of them got married in the nether world. The young man's mother cried all day long because she missed her son very much. One day，the young man heard the crying of his mother and persuaded his wife to go back to the human world to take care of his mother.The couple worked hard and was comforted and helped the old woman. Though their life was getting better and better， the old woman still did not feel at ease because she knew that her son and daughter-in-law were ghosts. So she pleaded with them to find their replacements. But the young man said："I won't do things lffensive to God and reason.My only hope is to take good care of you and let you live a happy life."S o the couple did their best for the old woman until she died.God was moved by the couple's deeds and then God sent a fairy cart to bring them to heaven. They finally became immortals.
《聊斋志异》中的故事。水莽草是一种毒草，人误食会死。有人说吃水莽草死的人会变成水莽鬼，只有找到同样死的人才可以脱生。少年祝生，到朋友家作客。时至仲夏，走在半路上口干舌燥，见一茶棚，饮了寇三娘端来的水莽草茶。走到家中顿感腹中痛疼难忍，深恨寇三娘为脱生而害自己，并发誓说：“我死后也不让她脱生。”祝生死后，把已去投胎的寇三娘揪了回来，二人结为阴间夫妻。祝母因思念儿子，日夜哭泣。一天，祝生听到母亲的噪声，说服寇三娘一同回人间服侍*。夫妻二人勤劳孝顺，家里日子一天比一天好。祝母知道儿子、儿媳是鬼，心里总不踏实，劝他俩再找替身。祝生说：“我不愿作那伤天害理的事，唯一希望就是把你服侍好，让你过上好日子。”就这样，祝生夫妻对母亲尽忠尽孝，直到母亲寿终归西。祝生夫妇的品格感动了天帝，天帝派一辆神车，把他夫妻二人接到天人，做了神仙。
《聊斋志异》中的故事。水莽草是一种毒草，人误食会死。有人说吃水莽草死的人会变成水莽鬼，只有找到同样死的人才可以脱生。少年祝生，到朋友家作客。时至仲夏，走在半路上口干舌燥，见一茶棚，饮了寇三娘端来的水莽草茶。走到家中顿感腹中痛疼难忍，深恨寇三娘为脱生而害自己，并发誓说：“我死后也不让她脱生。”祝生死后，把已去投胎的寇三娘揪了回来，二人结为阴间夫妻。祝母因思念儿子，日夜哭泣。一天，祝生听到母亲的噪声，说服寇三娘一同回人间服侍*。夫妻二人勤劳孝顺，家里日子一天比一天好。祝母知道儿子、儿媳是鬼，心里总不踏实，劝他俩再找替身。祝生说：“我不愿作那伤天害理的事，唯一希望就是把你服侍好，让你过上好日子。”就这样，祝生夫妻对母亲尽忠尽孝，直到母亲寿终归西。祝生夫妇的品格感动了天帝，天帝派一辆神车，把他夫妻二人接到天人，做了神仙。
聊斋志异故事:葛巾玉版
This is a story from Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio. Chang Dayong of Luoyang loved peonies very much. He went to Caozhou when he learned that the peonies there were the best of all. He resided in a big garden to wait for the peonies to blossom. When the peonies were budding and redy to blossom， he was already broke， so he pawned all his valuables to wait to see the peonies blossom. One day， Dayong saw a beautiful girl and they fell in love at first sight. The girl followed Dayong to Luoyang and married him. She was Gejin. Later， her younger sister， Yuban， married to Daqi， Dayong's younger brother. One year alter， both of them gave birth to boys. The sisters never talked about their family background. When asked time and again about their father's family， they said，"His family name is Wei and his mother was named Lady Cao." Dayong felt strange at the word because there was no Wei family in Caozhou and moreover， how could such a distinguished family not send people out to find their missing daughters. With these questions in mind， Dayong went to Caozhou again to see the owner of the big garden. He asked the owner whether there was a Lady Cao in the vicinity. The owner took him to a big peony plant and said， "This is Lady Cao."At the work， Dayong began to realize that his wife and her sister were peony flower goddesses. When he returned home， Gejin said to him， "Three years ago， when I saw you loved peonies so much that I was noved and turned into a girl to marry you. Now that you know everything， I have to go."Saying this， she and Yuban， putting the children on the ground， disasppeared. A few days later， two peony plants grew out of the place where the two boys had been put. They bore plate-size beautiful flowers， one in purple and the other in white. That is how the two famous peonies， Purple Gejin and White Yuban took their names.
《聊斋志异》中的故事。洛阳常大用酷爱牡丹。听说曹州牡丹天下第一，他就跑到曹州，住在一个大花园内，天天等着牡丹开放。待牡丹含苞欲放时，大用已身无分文了，他将值钱的东西和衣服典卖，仍等着看花。一天，大用碰到一艳丽女子，二人一见钟情，那女子跟着大用回到洛阳，嫁给大用，她就是葛巾。后来，葛巾又把妹妹玉版嫁给了大用弟弟大器。一年后各生一子。二位女郎从不说自己的身世，在大用兄弟再三追问下她们才说：自己姓魏，母亲被封为曹夫人。大用听了更是奇怪。一是曹州没有魏姓，二是这样大的家族丢两个女儿怎么没人找。带着这两个谜，大用又来到曹州，找到那座花园的主人，问起当地可有曹夫人。主人领他到一株大牡丹前说：“这就是曹夫人。”大用这才知道自己的妻子和弟妹都是牡丹花神变的。大用回到家后，葛巾告之：“三年前，看到你对牡丹情深，很感动，便变为女子嫁你，现在你知道真情，我要走了。” 说完和玉版把孩子往地上一放，就无影无踪了。几天后，在放儿子的地方长出两株牡丹，一紫一白，花朵像盘子大，花色艳丽。后人将这两种名花叫“葛巾紫”、 “玉版白”。
《聊斋志异》中的故事。洛阳常大用酷爱牡丹。听说曹州牡丹天下第一，他就跑到曹州，住在一个大花园内，天天等着牡丹开放。待牡丹含苞欲放时，大用已身无分文了，他将值钱的东西和衣服典卖，仍等着看花。一天，大用碰到一艳丽女子，二人一见钟情，那女子跟着大用回到洛阳，嫁给大用，她就是葛巾。后来，葛巾又把妹妹玉版嫁给了大用弟弟大器。一年后各生一子。二位女郎从不说自己的身世，在大用兄弟再三追问下她们才说：自己姓魏，母亲被封为曹夫人。大用听了更是奇怪。一是曹州没有魏姓，二是这样大的家族丢两个女儿怎么没人找。带着这两个谜，大用又来到曹州，找到那座花园的主人，问起当地可有曹夫人。主人领他到一株大牡丹前说：“这就是曹夫人。”大用这才知道自己的妻子和弟妹都是牡丹花神变的。大用回到家后，葛巾告之：“三年前，看到你对牡丹情深，很感动，便变为女子嫁你，现在你知道真情，我要走了。” 说完和玉版把孩子往地上一放，就无影无踪了。几天后，在放儿子的地方长出两株牡丹，一紫一白，花朵像盘子大，花色艳丽。后人将这两种名花叫“葛巾紫”、 “玉版白”。
红楼梦故事:晴雯补裘
As Xi Ren， the leading service girl who had taken care of Baoyu was away to visit her home， the duties， and the charge of Yihongyuan Court， fell on Qing Wen. A girl anxious to excel in everything， Qing Wen did everything personally. For the special occasion of his uncle's birthday party， baoyu puton a very unique Russian-made cloak woven with threads from peacock feather， a gift from his grandmother. That evening， he returned with a sad look： the cloak had a hold burnt in it. Fortunately it was evening and the grandmother and the ladies in the house failed to notice. One servant hurriedly brought the cloak out to professionals to be mended over night， for Baoyu had to wear the cloak the next morning. But the servant returned to report that no craftsman dared to take the job， as none of them was able to identify what material the cloak was made of. While everyone was upset， Qing Wen managed to sit up from her sick bed， and after a look she claimed the material was peacock gold threads，" she said， "the cloak will look as good as new." Even with the proper thread， no one dared to take the job. Therefore， Qing Wen， with a coat draped over her shoulders， began to mend. Due to sickness， she felt dizzy and saw stars. She bit her lips and continued. She had to stop for a bread every few stitches. It was in the small hours of the morning when she finally finished the job. People marveled at the mending she had done-the damage was almost invisible.
宝玉的大丫头袭人回娘家，怡红院诸事交丫鬟晴雯料理。晴雯事事要强，带重病操持宝玉的一切。宝玉为舅舅过生日，特穿上贾母送他的一件俄罗斯人用孔雀毛线织成的毛氅去赴宴。但晚上回来后，只见宝玉唉声叹气，一问才知毛氅烧了一个洞，幸好天黑，家母和太太们都没有看到。丫头连夜叫嬷嬷拿了出去补，让天亮前补好，因为明天还得穿。嬷嬷们去了半天回来说："工匠们不认识这是什么，不敢揽这活。"大家都很着急。因病卧床的晴雯，听说此事，忙硬挺着身子坐起来，拿过来一瞧说："这是孔雀金线，咱们用孔雀金线织密点，就能混过去。"虽有孔雀金线，大家都说不会织。晴雯只好披衣，但因身子虚，刚要动手，觉得头重脚轻，眼前猫金星，又怕宝玉着急，只好咬牙拼命撑着，逢几针，歇一会，一直到后半夜才补完。大家拿过来一看，简直和原来的一模一样。
宝玉的大丫头袭人回娘家，怡红院诸事交丫鬟晴雯料理。晴雯事事要强，带重病操持宝玉的一切。宝玉为舅舅过生日，特穿上贾母送他的一件俄罗斯人用孔雀毛线织成的毛氅去赴宴。但晚上回来后，只见宝玉唉声叹气，一问才知毛氅烧了一个洞，幸好天黑，家母和太太们都没有看到。丫头连夜叫嬷嬷拿了出去补，让天亮前补好，因为明天还得穿。嬷嬷们去了半天回来说："工匠们不认识这是什么，不敢揽这活。"大家都很着急。因病卧床的晴雯，听说此事，忙硬挺着身子坐起来，拿过来一瞧说："这是孔雀金线，咱们用孔雀金线织密点，就能混过去。"虽有孔雀金线，大家都说不会织。晴雯只好披衣，但因身子虚，刚要动手，觉得头重脚轻，眼前猫金星，又怕宝玉着急，只好咬牙拼命撑着，逢几针，歇一会，一直到后半夜才补完。大家拿过来一看，简直和原来的一模一样。
后来居上The Latecomers Surpass the Old-timers
This set phrase is derived from the complaints Ji An made to the emperor.
Ji Anlived at the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24). He was respected for being upright and just and for daring to speak the truth. He did not bother about amall matters in personal behaviour and in being an official. He was particular about actual effects and ,although he did not cause a stir ,he could keep the prefecture he governed in perfect order. Because of this. the imperial court transferred him to the central government from being the perfect of the Donghai Prefecture to being a commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officals.
Once,Emperor Wudi said that he would implement the policy of benevolence and justice of Confucianism and would do good turns to the people.Emperor Wudi Had hardly finished his remards when Ji An said that there was no need for the emperor to say so.Why should the emperor bother,Ji An said, about pretending to implement the policy of benevolence and justice since he was so greedy and avaricious within himself? This choked the emperor off. The emperor suddenly Changed his countenance and declared the meeting over. All the civilian and military officers at court were breathless with anxiety for fear that Ji An might bring disaster upon himself because of this. After returning, Emperor Wudi said to the people around him that Ji An was a little too rude and too straightforward.
For this reason ,Ji An was never promoted again. When he was the commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officials, both Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were low -ranking lfficials of little importance. Later ,they were promoted continuously. Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and Zhang Tang became the imperial censor. However, JiAn's post remained thesame. One day, Ji An said to Emperor Wudi that the way the emperor used his ministers was just like piling up firewood, which meant that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers. Of course, Emperor Wudi could see that Ji An was complaining. So,turning to his ministers, Emperor Wudi said, "It is true that no one can stop learning.You see, Ji An is making more and more indiscreet remarks."
This story comes from The Historical Records. Later generations use the set phrase "the latecomers surpass the old-timers " to indicate that successors can cxcel the predecessors, which is quite different from the original idea when Ji An said that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.
汲黯是西汉武帝时代人，以刚直正义、敢讲真话而受人尊重。他为人和做官都不拘小节，讲求实效。虽然表面上不那么轰轰烈烈，却能把一个郡治理得井井有条，因此，朝廷把他从东海太守调到朝廷当主爵都尉――一种主管地方吏任免的官职。
有一次，汉武帝说要实行儒家的仁义之政，为老百姓办好事了。没等皇帝把话说完，汲黯就说：“陛下内心里那么贪婪多欲，表面上却要装得实行仁政，这是何苦呢？”一句话把皇帝噎了回去。汉武帝登时脸色大变，宣布罢朝，满朝文武都为汲黯捏着一把汗，担心他会因此招来大祸。武帝回到宫里以后，对身边的人说，汲黯这个人也未免太粗太直了。
从此以后，汲黯的官职再也没有提升。他当主爵都尉的时候，公孙弘、张汤都还是不起眼的小官，后来，他们一个劲儿住上升，公孙弘当上了丞相，张汤做上了御史大夫，可他汲黯还蹲在原地没动窝。有一天，汲黯对武帝说，陛下使用群臣，跟码劈柴一样，是“后来者居上”啊！汉武帝当然听得出这是发牢骚。于是，转脸对臣下们说：“人真是不能不学习啊！你们听汲黯说话，越来越离谱了！”
故事出自《史记?汲郑列传》。成语“后来居上”，往往指后起的可以胜过先前的。和汲黯说这话的原意，大不相同。
Ji Anlived at the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24). He was respected for being upright and just and for daring to speak the truth. He did not bother about amall matters in personal behaviour and in being an official. He was particular about actual effects and ,although he did not cause a stir ,he could keep the prefecture he governed in perfect order. Because of this. the imperial court transferred him to the central government from being the perfect of the Donghai Prefecture to being a commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officals.
Once,Emperor Wudi said that he would implement the policy of benevolence and justice of Confucianism and would do good turns to the people.Emperor Wudi Had hardly finished his remards when Ji An said that there was no need for the emperor to say so.Why should the emperor bother,Ji An said, about pretending to implement the policy of benevolence and justice since he was so greedy and avaricious within himself? This choked the emperor off. The emperor suddenly Changed his countenance and declared the meeting over. All the civilian and military officers at court were breathless with anxiety for fear that Ji An might bring disaster upon himself because of this. After returning, Emperor Wudi said to the people around him that Ji An was a little too rude and too straightforward.
For this reason ,Ji An was never promoted again. When he was the commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officials, both Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were low -ranking lfficials of little importance. Later ,they were promoted continuously. Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and Zhang Tang became the imperial censor. However, JiAn's post remained thesame. One day, Ji An said to Emperor Wudi that the way the emperor used his ministers was just like piling up firewood, which meant that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers. Of course, Emperor Wudi could see that Ji An was complaining. So,turning to his ministers, Emperor Wudi said, "It is true that no one can stop learning.You see, Ji An is making more and more indiscreet remarks."
This story comes from The Historical Records. Later generations use the set phrase "the latecomers surpass the old-timers " to indicate that successors can cxcel the predecessors, which is quite different from the original idea when Ji An said that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.
汲黯是西汉武帝时代人，以刚直正义、敢讲真话而受人尊重。他为人和做官都不拘小节，讲求实效。虽然表面上不那么轰轰烈烈，却能把一个郡治理得井井有条，因此，朝廷把他从东海太守调到朝廷当主爵都尉――一种主管地方吏任免的官职。
有一次，汉武帝说要实行儒家的仁义之政，为老百姓办好事了。没等皇帝把话说完，汲黯就说：“陛下内心里那么贪婪多欲，表面上却要装得实行仁政，这是何苦呢？”一句话把皇帝噎了回去。汉武帝登时脸色大变，宣布罢朝，满朝文武都为汲黯捏着一把汗，担心他会因此招来大祸。武帝回到宫里以后，对身边的人说，汲黯这个人也未免太粗太直了。
从此以后，汲黯的官职再也没有提升。他当主爵都尉的时候，公孙弘、张汤都还是不起眼的小官，后来，他们一个劲儿住上升，公孙弘当上了丞相，张汤做上了御史大夫，可他汲黯还蹲在原地没动窝。有一天，汲黯对武帝说，陛下使用群臣，跟码劈柴一样，是“后来者居上”啊！汉武帝当然听得出这是发牢骚。于是，转脸对臣下们说：“人真是不能不学习啊！你们听汲黯说话，越来越离谱了！”
故事出自《史记?汲郑列传》。成语“后来居上”，往往指后起的可以胜过先前的。和汲黯说这话的原意，大不相同。
聊斋志异故事:细柳教子
As a child， Xiliu was smart and liked to read biographies of ancient sages. She decided to follow the examples of previous worthies and leave behind a reputation that would be noted for generations to come. At the age of nineteen she married Gao Sheng， who had just olst his wife and had a son named Changfu. Ayear later Xiliu gave birth to a boy and named him Changhu. Before long， Gao Sheng， still young， died of an illness， leaving Xiliu to care for her sons. Seeing Changfu was often truant in his studies， Xiliu sent him to work with the shepherd boys as punishment. Changfu could not his knees and asked his mother to allow him to return to school. Xiliu refused， and Changfu， like a beggar， huddled himself up with cold. A grandmother in the village inter ceded and took care of the boy. Xiliu told her，"If Changfu is ready to take a beating of 100 strokes， I'll take him back."Changfu decided that he would take the beating. Aware of Changfu's genuine repentance for his errors， Xiliu did not beat him and asked him to continue his studies.
Changhu was a slow-minded child， so Xiliu asked him to quit school and work in the fields. But Changhu was so lazy that he often neglected work. Xiliu then asked him to engage in trade， but he used up all his money in gambling. At last， Xiliu sent him to Luoyang to sell goods， where he was put into jail for using fake silver in a whorehouse. In jail he suffered a lot. One day Xiliu called Changfu in and said："I gave the fake silver to your brother on purpose， intending to make him suffer. Now you go and get him out."Back home， Changhu knelt before his mother， bitterly remorseful. He finally gave up evil and returned to good. Fellow villagers then began to understand Xiliu. She loved her children by tempering them in sufferings.
《聊斋志异》中的故事。细柳从小聪明，喜读圣人烈传，立志长大后效仿前贤，流芳百世。她十九岁嫁给丧偶不久的高生，前妻留一子名长福。一年后，细柳又生一子名长怙。高生命短，不久病故，细柳和两个儿子相依为命。大儿长福不用功读书，经常逃学，细柳让他和牧童一块干活。没几天，长福熬不住，跪求母亲让他再读书，细柳不允。乡亲邻居都责备细柳。冬天到了，长福冻得缩头缩脑如同乞丐，村中一老妇为孩子说情，细柳说：“如果长福肯挨一百棍就来见我。”长福情愿挨打。细柳见他悔过，没打他，让长福继续读书。长怙大脑迟钝，细柳让他弃文务农，但长怙懒惰经常逃工；细柳让他经商，长怙把本钱赌光。后来，细柳让长怙去洛阳贩货，他因用假银逛妓院而入狱，受尽磨难，一天，细柳把长福叫来说：“你弟弟这次出去，是我有意给他假银，让他吃尽苦头，你现在救他吧！”长怙回来后跪在母亲面前，悔恨交加，从此改邪归正。这时乡亲们才明白，细柳让孩子在磨难中锻炼，才是真正爱孩子。
Changhu was a slow-minded child， so Xiliu asked him to quit school and work in the fields. But Changhu was so lazy that he often neglected work. Xiliu then asked him to engage in trade， but he used up all his money in gambling. At last， Xiliu sent him to Luoyang to sell goods， where he was put into jail for using fake silver in a whorehouse. In jail he suffered a lot. One day Xiliu called Changfu in and said："I gave the fake silver to your brother on purpose， intending to make him suffer. Now you go and get him out."Back home， Changhu knelt before his mother， bitterly remorseful. He finally gave up evil and returned to good. Fellow villagers then began to understand Xiliu. She loved her children by tempering them in sufferings.
《聊斋志异》中的故事。细柳从小聪明，喜读圣人烈传，立志长大后效仿前贤，流芳百世。她十九岁嫁给丧偶不久的高生，前妻留一子名长福。一年后，细柳又生一子名长怙。高生命短，不久病故，细柳和两个儿子相依为命。大儿长福不用功读书，经常逃学，细柳让他和牧童一块干活。没几天，长福熬不住，跪求母亲让他再读书，细柳不允。乡亲邻居都责备细柳。冬天到了，长福冻得缩头缩脑如同乞丐，村中一老妇为孩子说情，细柳说：“如果长福肯挨一百棍就来见我。”长福情愿挨打。细柳见他悔过，没打他，让长福继续读书。长怙大脑迟钝，细柳让他弃文务农，但长怙懒惰经常逃工；细柳让他经商，长怙把本钱赌光。后来，细柳让长怙去洛阳贩货，他因用假银逛妓院而入狱，受尽磨难，一天，细柳把长福叫来说：“你弟弟这次出去，是我有意给他假银，让他吃尽苦头，你现在救他吧！”长怙回来后跪在母亲面前，悔恨交加，从此改邪归正。这时乡亲们才明白，细柳让孩子在磨难中锻炼，才是真正爱孩子。
聊斋志异故事:黄英醉陶
This is a story in Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio about "Drunken Tao," a unique species in the chrysanthemum family. The Ma family was a scholars family and a family of chrysanthemum lovers. In this story, the lord of the present generation, Ma Zicai, was more fanantical about the plant than those of previous generations. On hearing of a unique species available in JinlingCity, he rushed there and bought two. On his way back he saw a handsome young man on a horse behind a canopied cart. He was surnamed Tao and the girl inside the cart was his sister Huangying. They were moving away from Jinling and looking for a new place to live. At Ma's invitation, the two settled down in the south courtyard of the Ma residence. The girl often picked up the withered plants Ma discarded and would replant them in front of her room. The next day these withered plants would bloom splendidly and fragrantly. Before long, Huanying's flowers became known in the area and many people came to buy them. Before long Ma's wife died of illness and Ma married the flower-loving Huangying. Every day Ma drank and played chess with her brogher beside chrysanthemum flowers. One day ,after getting drunk, the young man tripped and fell. Ma couldn't believe his eyes when the young man fell and turned in a huge, man-sized chrysanthemum plant. He ran to report to his wife, who rushed out and plucked a flower that she kept inside her dress. By dawn, Ma saw the young man again, lying on the ground fast asleep. He realized that the brother and sister were both chrysanthemum spirits. But the second time the brother turned into a plant after getting drunk, the young man failed to change back to human form. His sister reserved a length of root from the plant. Before long, a unique species sprouted, grew up and bloomed with a smell of wine aroma. Later generations caslled this species "Drunken Tao."
《聊斋志异》中的故事。有一种菊花叫“醉陶”，此花名流传着一个故事。从前，有一家姓马的，历代爱菊。到了马子才这一代，更有过于前辈，一次，子才在金陵买了两株菊花佳品。回家路上遇到了一位英俊少年，骑驴紧跟着一车前行。少年自称姓陶，车内坐的是姐姐黄英。因姐姐住不惯金陵，想移居他地。于是，在子才的邀请下，姐弟俩住进了马家南院。陶家姐弟经常把子才扔掉的残谢菊花种到自己住的南院。今日种下，隔日开花，姿色绝美，香气袭人。从前，前来买花者不断。不久，马子才的妻子病死，娶黄英为妻。陶弟天天和子才在菊圃下酒。一日，陶弟喝醉，在回屋时，不小心被菊花绊倒，即化为一株菊花。子才急忙告诉黄英，黄英急出，拔菊放入衣下，待天亮时，见陶弟在地上酣睡。子才这才知道黄英和陶弟都是菊仙。一日，陶弟又醉酒，倒地化菊再未能转回。黄英说我弟弟没命了，立即掐一段根，回屋精心护植，不久开花，飘出浓烈的酒香。后来，人们把这种菊花叫“醉陶”。
《聊斋志异》中的故事。有一种菊花叫“醉陶”，此花名流传着一个故事。从前，有一家姓马的，历代爱菊。到了马子才这一代，更有过于前辈，一次，子才在金陵买了两株菊花佳品。回家路上遇到了一位英俊少年，骑驴紧跟着一车前行。少年自称姓陶，车内坐的是姐姐黄英。因姐姐住不惯金陵，想移居他地。于是，在子才的邀请下，姐弟俩住进了马家南院。陶家姐弟经常把子才扔掉的残谢菊花种到自己住的南院。今日种下，隔日开花，姿色绝美，香气袭人。从前，前来买花者不断。不久，马子才的妻子病死，娶黄英为妻。陶弟天天和子才在菊圃下酒。一日，陶弟喝醉，在回屋时，不小心被菊花绊倒，即化为一株菊花。子才急忙告诉黄英，黄英急出，拔菊放入衣下，待天亮时，见陶弟在地上酣睡。子才这才知道黄英和陶弟都是菊仙。一日，陶弟又醉酒，倒地化菊再未能转回。黄英说我弟弟没命了，立即掐一段根，回屋精心护植，不久开花，飘出浓烈的酒香。后来，人们把这种菊花叫“醉陶”。
聊斋志异故事:画皮
聊斋志异故事:画皮
This is a story from Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio. One day a scholar named Wang Sheng in Taiyuan met， on his way out， a beautiful girl. He brought her back to be kept in his study. The girl adked him not to tell anybody. Days later， Wang met a Taoist priest， who asked， "Did you have any peculiar encounter？""No，" Wang firmly denied."But you have an evil air in your face，" the priest sasid with a worried look. "And your blook is about to be drained by a moster." Back home， before he entered the room， Wang looked into his study through the window lattice. He saw a fierce-looking devil was painting a hide. Upon hearing his footsteps the devil hurriedly draped the hide and became the beautiful girl again. Frightened almost to death， Wang broke into a run， but it was too late. The devil caught him， cut open his chest and ate his heart. Wang's wife saw this. The grieved woman fled to seek help from the priest. To see if the woman was sincere about saving her husband， the priest made fun of her. He even bid the woman to eat what he had vomited. To save her husband， she endured everything. The priest laughed before he left. Back home， ly she felt like vomiting. Something from her mouth dropped into her husband's cut chest. Slowly， her husband regained his life. 《聊斋志异》中的故事。太原王生，早晨出门遇见一位年轻漂亮的女子，便把她带回家，藏在书房。女子告诉他，对谁也不要说这件事。一天，王生外出碰见一老道，老道见王忙问：“你最近遇到什么了？”王生撒谎说：“什么也没遇见。”老道说：“你身上一股妖气，你的血快被妖精吸干了。”王生回到家里，隔窗往书房内看去，只见一狰狞厉鬼，正用一支彩笔画人皮，听到人的声音后，又忙把人皮往身上一披，立刻变作一位美丽的少女，王生吓得魂飞魄散，拔腿就跑。厉鬼赶上，拉住王生，挖出了他的心。王生妻子陈氏，亲眼看到丈夫被害，悲痛欲绝，她急忙找到道士，跪地哀求道士救她丈夫。老道为考验陈氏救夫的决心，百般戏弄陈氏，并从口中吐出东西让陈氏吃。陈氏一心想救丈夫，什么都忍受了，道士见状哈哈大笑而去。陈氏一到家里，抚着丈夫的尸体大哭，在抱尸收敛时，她突然呕吐，所食东西一下子从口中飞出，落入丈夫腔中，丈夫慢慢地苏醒过来。
This is a story from Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio. One day a scholar named Wang Sheng in Taiyuan met， on his way out， a beautiful girl. He brought her back to be kept in his study. The girl adked him not to tell anybody. Days later， Wang met a Taoist priest， who asked， "Did you have any peculiar encounter？""No，" Wang firmly denied."But you have an evil air in your face，" the priest sasid with a worried look. "And your blook is about to be drained by a moster." Back home， before he entered the room， Wang looked into his study through the window lattice. He saw a fierce-looking devil was painting a hide. Upon hearing his footsteps the devil hurriedly draped the hide and became the beautiful girl again. Frightened almost to death， Wang broke into a run， but it was too late. The devil caught him， cut open his chest and ate his heart. Wang's wife saw this. The grieved woman fled to seek help from the priest. To see if the woman was sincere about saving her husband， the priest made fun of her. He even bid the woman to eat what he had vomited. To save her husband， she endured everything. The priest laughed before he left. Back home， ly she felt like vomiting. Something from her mouth dropped into her husband's cut chest. Slowly， her husband regained his life. 《聊斋志异》中的故事。太原王生，早晨出门遇见一位年轻漂亮的女子，便把她带回家，藏在书房。女子告诉他，对谁也不要说这件事。一天，王生外出碰见一老道，老道见王忙问：“你最近遇到什么了？”王生撒谎说：“什么也没遇见。”老道说：“你身上一股妖气，你的血快被妖精吸干了。”王生回到家里，隔窗往书房内看去，只见一狰狞厉鬼，正用一支彩笔画人皮，听到人的声音后，又忙把人皮往身上一披，立刻变作一位美丽的少女，王生吓得魂飞魄散，拔腿就跑。厉鬼赶上，拉住王生，挖出了他的心。王生妻子陈氏，亲眼看到丈夫被害，悲痛欲绝，她急忙找到道士，跪地哀求道士救她丈夫。老道为考验陈氏救夫的决心，百般戏弄陈氏，并从口中吐出东西让陈氏吃。陈氏一心想救丈夫，什么都忍受了，道士见状哈哈大笑而去。陈氏一到家里，抚着丈夫的尸体大哭，在抱尸收敛时，她突然呕吐，所食东西一下子从口中飞出，落入丈夫腔中，丈夫慢慢地苏醒过来。
红楼梦故事:元妃省亲
Homecoming by an Imperial Concubine
This is an episode from the novel A Dream of Red Mansions. Just as the whole family was busy prepasring the birthday ceremony for Jia Zheng， Jia was summoned to report to the imperial court. His family did not know why and felt uneasy about it. The family members waited for quite a while before the butler came back to say that Jia Yuangchun（Jia Zheng's eldest daughter） was conferred the title of highest-ranking imperial concubine.The emperor had granted that Yuangchun would pay a visit to her parents at the upcoming Lantern Festival. The Jia family relaxed after hearing the news. In order to welcome the homecoming imperial concubine， the Jia family became busier and built a garden of grand views for the occasion.
On the day of the Lantern Festival， Jia Zheng's mother led all members of her clan to wait by the main entrance to the garden. Accompanied by a swarm of imperial maids， Yuanchun came back on a sedan chair which was draped with an embroidery of a phoenix and tiny gold bells. Eight men carried the sedan chair on their shoulders. The imperial concubine was shown around the garden， in which there were pavilions with gorgeouslypainted beams and pilars. There were also patches of bamboos and strangely-shaped stones. The trees in the garden were decorated with flowers made of silk cloth while lanterns made of conches and clams were placed aside a pond. The garden was decorated so majestically that even Yuanchun thought it to be too luxurious.
After Yuanchun was seated， Jia Zheng's mother and Madam Wang （Yuangchun's grandmother and mother）met with her. Ther faced one another in silence：the mother and grandmother couldn't speak a word； they just sobbed. Yuanchun finally said："It is not easy for me to come back from a place where I can see no family members. But now that I'm back， you just sob away and have nothing to say to me. I'd better return to the palace. I don't know when I will be allowed to come home again." After that，all continued to cry.
After the banquet was ready， Yuanchun was marshaled to her seat. The imperial concubine invited her sisters and Bao Yu to recite poems， and she bestowed gifts to everyone at the bable. When the time came to leave， Yuanchun held the hands of her grandmothed that they not squander noney on her next homecoming， if there was one .The imperial concubine then turned away from her parents and left mournfully.
《红楼门》中的故事。贾政生日那天，正在热闹之际，忽然传贾政入朝。全家老小不知出了什么事，心情不定地等了好一阵子，才见管家报信说，贾政的大女儿贾元春被封为贵妃娘娘了，皇上恩准明年元宵节回家省亲，这时全家人才放下心来。为迎接元妃省亲，贾府上下开邕忙碌，还专修了一座大观园。元宵节那天，贾母率荣宁两府土穰细流和，一清早就在大门口迎侯。元春坐八人抬绣风銮大轿，由宫女们呼拥进大观园，在园内转了一圈。只见园内雕梁画栋金碧辉煌，佳木怪石竹林掩映，树上挂满各种绢花，池中有螺蚌制成的彩灯。贵妃看后觉得“太奢华糜费了”。元春落座，贾母、王夫人等相见。大家相对无言，只是抽泣，最后还是元春强说：“当初送我到那不得人的地方，好不容易才回家，大家不说笑只顾哭，我回去了，不知地才能再见……”说着又哭起来。宴会齐备，请贵妃入席。贵妃请姐妹们与宝玉咏诗。元春对每个都有赏赐，临走时，拉住贾母、王夫人的手，要她们保重身体，并叮嘱，如下次省亲，切不可浪费，说完悲悲切切地转身而去。
This is an episode from the novel A Dream of Red Mansions. Just as the whole family was busy prepasring the birthday ceremony for Jia Zheng， Jia was summoned to report to the imperial court. His family did not know why and felt uneasy about it. The family members waited for quite a while before the butler came back to say that Jia Yuangchun（Jia Zheng's eldest daughter） was conferred the title of highest-ranking imperial concubine.The emperor had granted that Yuangchun would pay a visit to her parents at the upcoming Lantern Festival. The Jia family relaxed after hearing the news. In order to welcome the homecoming imperial concubine， the Jia family became busier and built a garden of grand views for the occasion.
On the day of the Lantern Festival， Jia Zheng's mother led all members of her clan to wait by the main entrance to the garden. Accompanied by a swarm of imperial maids， Yuanchun came back on a sedan chair which was draped with an embroidery of a phoenix and tiny gold bells. Eight men carried the sedan chair on their shoulders. The imperial concubine was shown around the garden， in which there were pavilions with gorgeouslypainted beams and pilars. There were also patches of bamboos and strangely-shaped stones. The trees in the garden were decorated with flowers made of silk cloth while lanterns made of conches and clams were placed aside a pond. The garden was decorated so majestically that even Yuanchun thought it to be too luxurious.
After Yuanchun was seated， Jia Zheng's mother and Madam Wang （Yuangchun's grandmother and mother）met with her. Ther faced one another in silence：the mother and grandmother couldn't speak a word； they just sobbed. Yuanchun finally said："It is not easy for me to come back from a place where I can see no family members. But now that I'm back， you just sob away and have nothing to say to me. I'd better return to the palace. I don't know when I will be allowed to come home again." After that，all continued to cry.
After the banquet was ready， Yuanchun was marshaled to her seat. The imperial concubine invited her sisters and Bao Yu to recite poems， and she bestowed gifts to everyone at the bable. When the time came to leave， Yuanchun held the hands of her grandmothed that they not squander noney on her next homecoming， if there was one .The imperial concubine then turned away from her parents and left mournfully.
《红楼门》中的故事。贾政生日那天，正在热闹之际，忽然传贾政入朝。全家老小不知出了什么事，心情不定地等了好一阵子，才见管家报信说，贾政的大女儿贾元春被封为贵妃娘娘了，皇上恩准明年元宵节回家省亲，这时全家人才放下心来。为迎接元妃省亲，贾府上下开邕忙碌，还专修了一座大观园。元宵节那天，贾母率荣宁两府土穰细流和，一清早就在大门口迎侯。元春坐八人抬绣风銮大轿，由宫女们呼拥进大观园，在园内转了一圈。只见园内雕梁画栋金碧辉煌，佳木怪石竹林掩映，树上挂满各种绢花，池中有螺蚌制成的彩灯。贵妃看后觉得“太奢华糜费了”。元春落座，贾母、王夫人等相见。大家相对无言，只是抽泣，最后还是元春强说：“当初送我到那不得人的地方，好不容易才回家，大家不说笑只顾哭，我回去了，不知地才能再见……”说着又哭起来。宴会齐备，请贵妃入席。贵妃请姐妹们与宝玉咏诗。元春对每个都有赏赐，临走时，拉住贾母、王夫人的手，要她们保重身体，并叮嘱，如下次省亲，切不可浪费，说完悲悲切切地转身而去。
红楼梦故事:三姐自刎
This is a story from A Dream of Red Mansions. Third Sister You， a very pretty and strong character， was the sister of jia Zhen's wife. When Jia Zhen， a play boy by nature， was tired of his wife， his eyes fell on the beautiful Third Sister. Collaborasted with his cousin Jia Lian they tried to seduce the girl， only to be met with a harsh telling-off. The two playboys， scared by this virtuous but unyielding girl， tried to marry her off as soon as possible. When the Third Sister fell in love with LiuXianglian， an actor who had once played opera in the residence， her sister， Jia Zhen's wife， told her that the young man had left town. But the Third Sister was determined."I'll wait for him， one year or ten， it doesn's matter，" she said."And if he dies I'll shave my hair and become a mun." On a business trip in the capital， Jia Lian chanced to meet Liu. Jia told Liu of the Third Sister's wish. Liu aired his willingness on the spot. He asken Jia to give his mandarin duck sword to the girl as a token of his betrothal. Feeling assured of her marriage and future， every day the girl looked several times affectionately at the sword she had hung by her bed. A few months later， Liu returned. When he saw the girl's beautiful looks， he grew suspicious of her virtue."The men in the Jia family are all promiscuous，" he thought."Why would this girl fall in love with me when she and I have never met？" He stepped back on the betrothal on a pretext that his aunt had betrothed him to sombody else and he came to retrieve his sword. Third sister knew what was on his mind. Heart bleeding， she took the sword from the wall， unsheathed it and committed suicide before Liu， an act to show her virtue and unyieldingness. The regretful young man cried bitterly over her corpse. He spent the rest of his life as a priest in a Taoist temple.
《红楼梦》中的故事。尤三姐是贾珍之妻尤氏的妹妹，她花容月貌，性格刚烈。贾珍玩腻了尤二姐，就串通贾琏打尤三姐的主意，却被尤三姐狠狠地责骂一番。从此二人很所尤三姐，一心想快点把她嫁出去。尤三姐看中了曾来贾府唱过戏的柳湘莲，姐姐告诉她湘莲现在不在京城。尤三姐说：“他一年不回我等一年，十年不归我等十年，人死了，我情愿剃头当尼姑去。”贾琏离京办事，遇上柳湘莲，说了尤三姐的事，湘莲应允，并取“鸳鸯剑”作聘礼，转交给尤三姐。三姐觉得终身有靠，将剑挂在床头，每天看几次。数月后，湘莲回京，得知尤三姐是天下无双的美人，他认为宁府的人品行不端，三姐和我素不相识，为何钟情于我，对尤三姐产生了怀疑，便假称姑妈已给定婚，想要回宝剑。尤三姐猜想湘莲一定是把自己当成下流女子了，心如刀绞，于是，摘下宝剑，当着湘莲的面自刎以表清白。湘莲后悔，抚尸大哭离去，后出家当道士去了。
《红楼梦》中的故事。尤三姐是贾珍之妻尤氏的妹妹，她花容月貌，性格刚烈。贾珍玩腻了尤二姐，就串通贾琏打尤三姐的主意，却被尤三姐狠狠地责骂一番。从此二人很所尤三姐，一心想快点把她嫁出去。尤三姐看中了曾来贾府唱过戏的柳湘莲，姐姐告诉她湘莲现在不在京城。尤三姐说：“他一年不回我等一年，十年不归我等十年，人死了，我情愿剃头当尼姑去。”贾琏离京办事，遇上柳湘莲，说了尤三姐的事，湘莲应允，并取“鸳鸯剑”作聘礼，转交给尤三姐。三姐觉得终身有靠，将剑挂在床头，每天看几次。数月后，湘莲回京，得知尤三姐是天下无双的美人，他认为宁府的人品行不端，三姐和我素不相识，为何钟情于我，对尤三姐产生了怀疑，便假称姑妈已给定婚，想要回宝剑。尤三姐猜想湘莲一定是把自己当成下流女子了，心如刀绞，于是，摘下宝剑，当着湘莲的面自刎以表清白。湘莲后悔，抚尸大哭离去，后出家当道士去了。
卧薪尝胆 Sleep On Brushwood and Taste Gall
During the Spring and Autumn period （770－476BC）, the State of Wu launched an attack against the State of Yue. The King of Wu was seriously wounded and soon died. His son Fu Chai became the new King. Fu was determined to get revenge. He drilled his army rigidly until it was a perfect fighting force. Three years later, he led his army against the State of Yue and caught its king Gou Jian. Fu took him to the State of Wu.
In order to avenge his father's death, Fu let him live in a shabby stone house by his father's tomb and ordered him to raise horses for him. Gou pretended to be loyal to Fu but he never forgot his humiliation. Many years later, he was set free. Gou secretly accumulated a military force after he went back to his own state. In order to make himself tougher he slept on firewood and ate a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed every night. At the same time he administered his state carefully, developing agriculture and educating the people. After a few years, his country became strong. Then Gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe out the State of Wu.
Later, people use it to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen one's resolve to realize one's ambition.
春秋时期，吴国和越国之间进行了一场战争，吴王不幸受了重伤，不久就死了。他的儿子夫差作了吴国的新国王，他发誓要替父亲报仇。于是，他严格的操练他的士兵，把他们训练成了一支非常厉害的军队。三年以后，他对越国发动了战争，抓住了越王勾践，把他带回了吴国。
为了复仇，夫差让勾践住在他父亲墓旁的破石屋里天天看墓、喂马。勾践表面上服从，心里面却想着复仇。几年以后，勾践被放回越国。他立刻开始秘密聚集一支军队。为了提醒自己不要忘了报仇，他睡在柴上，还每天在吃饭睡觉前尝一尝苦胆。同时，他专心治理国家，大力发展农业，加强民众教育。几年后，越国又变得强大起来，然后，勾践抓住一个适当的机会消灭了吴国。
后来，人们用它来形容人刻苦自励以达到自己定下的目标。
In order to avenge his father's death, Fu let him live in a shabby stone house by his father's tomb and ordered him to raise horses for him. Gou pretended to be loyal to Fu but he never forgot his humiliation. Many years later, he was set free. Gou secretly accumulated a military force after he went back to his own state. In order to make himself tougher he slept on firewood and ate a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed every night. At the same time he administered his state carefully, developing agriculture and educating the people. After a few years, his country became strong. Then Gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe out the State of Wu.
Later, people use it to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen one's resolve to realize one's ambition.
春秋时期，吴国和越国之间进行了一场战争，吴王不幸受了重伤，不久就死了。他的儿子夫差作了吴国的新国王，他发誓要替父亲报仇。于是，他严格的操练他的士兵，把他们训练成了一支非常厉害的军队。三年以后，他对越国发动了战争，抓住了越王勾践，把他带回了吴国。
为了复仇，夫差让勾践住在他父亲墓旁的破石屋里天天看墓、喂马。勾践表面上服从，心里面却想着复仇。几年以后，勾践被放回越国。他立刻开始秘密聚集一支军队。为了提醒自己不要忘了报仇，他睡在柴上，还每天在吃饭睡觉前尝一尝苦胆。同时，他专心治理国家，大力发展农业，加强民众教育。几年后，越国又变得强大起来，然后，勾践抓住一个适当的机会消灭了吴国。
后来，人们用它来形容人刻苦自励以达到自己定下的目标。
Ajax（the Great）
Ajax（the Great） Ajax was a man of giant stature，daring but slow．When the Trojan War was about to break out he led his forces from Salamis to join the Greek army at Aulis．As one of the trustiest champions of the Greek cause，he was given thejob of guarding one end of the Greek camp near Troy．He was noted in the battlefield for his bravery and courage．After Achilles' death he became one of the two hot contestants for the dead hero's shield and armour，the other being Odysseus．When the weapons were finally judged to his rival，Ajax went mad for grief．Unable to get over the hardships，he took his own life．When，in order to seek the advice of，Odysseus came to visit the lower world，the shade of Ajax frowned uponhim．In the lower world Ajax chose to be a lion，guided clearly by the bitter recollection of his former life．
埃杰克斯是位身材魁梧、骁勇善战、但头脑迟钝的人。当特洛伊战争即将爆发时，他率领军队从萨拉米斯到达奥尔墨斯加入了希腊军队。作为一名为希腊事业奋斗的最可信赖的斗士，他被派去保卫靠近特洛伊的希腊军营边界。战场上，他因作战勇猛而出名。阿基里斯死后，他成为两个最有可能获得阿基里斯的盾甲的有力竞争对手之一。另一名对手是奥德修斯。最后，他的对手胜利了，并得到了盾甲。埃杰克斯悲伤至极，无法自拔，最终结束了自己的生命。奥德修斯为了得到盲人底比斯的忠告而来到阴间；埃杰克斯的幽灵冲着他直皱眉头。在阴间，由于受到前世痛苦记忆的折磨，埃杰克斯选择了做一头狮子。
埃杰克斯是位身材魁梧、骁勇善战、但头脑迟钝的人。当特洛伊战争即将爆发时，他率领军队从萨拉米斯到达奥尔墨斯加入了希腊军队。作为一名为希腊事业奋斗的最可信赖的斗士，他被派去保卫靠近特洛伊的希腊军营边界。战场上，他因作战勇猛而出名。阿基里斯死后，他成为两个最有可能获得阿基里斯的盾甲的有力竞争对手之一。另一名对手是奥德修斯。最后，他的对手胜利了，并得到了盾甲。埃杰克斯悲伤至极，无法自拔，最终结束了自己的生命。奥德修斯为了得到盲人底比斯的忠告而来到阴间；埃杰克斯的幽灵冲着他直皱眉头。在阴间，由于受到前世痛苦记忆的折磨，埃杰克斯选择了做一头狮子。
Jason
Jason
Among the pupils of the wise and just Centaur，there wasa boy named Jason．He was by birth a prince．His father Aeson was once king of Iolcus，but was overthrown by his own half brother Pelias．So he sent his baby son Jason to the Centaur for safekeeping．As a boy Jason took part in the boarhunt．When he grew up into a strong youth he was told of the secret of his birth．So he went to avenge his father's wrongs ．
On his way back to his native city he met a weak old woman waiting to be helped across a mountain stream．Kind and polite，Jason carried the old lady on his back and walked across the stream．Little had he thought that the old woman was just Hera herself ．Thus he got the help and protection of a power fulfriend at the beginning of his life．As he lost one shoe in the stream he had to enter Pelias' palace in only one shoe． Pelias was quite scared to see such a stranger because he had been warned by a prophet to be careful of a man wearing only one shoe．He was not surprised when Jason told him who he was and what his business was about．The artful Pelias welcomed hisnephew with false pride and joy ；he promised to give up the kingdom to one who had proved himself worthy of it．And heurged the youth to bring the golden fleece back from Colchis．He felt quite certain that his nephew would never come back alivefrom the hopeless task．Pelias' prediction was quite right．Jasondied a poor death in the kingdom of Colchis．
半人半马的怪物（Centaur）既英明又公正。他的学生中有个名叫杰森的男孩。杰森是位王子，他的父亲埃宋曾是伊俄卡斯的国王，但后来王位却被他同父异母兄弟珀利阿斯夺去了。因此他把还在襁褓中的儿子送给Centaur照料。还是个孩子时，杰森就参加过捕猎野猪。当他长成一位强壮的小伙，知道自己身世的秘密后，他决定要为父亲所受的不公报仇雪恨。
在返回祖国的路上，他遇到一位老婆婆。她希望能有人帮她渡过山里的一条小溪。出于善良的天性和谦恭有礼的本能，杰森背起老人，淌过了小溪。他并未想到这位老婆婆竟是赫拉本人。因此他在生活的起点便得到了一位神通广大的朋友的帮助和保护。由于他在过河时遗失了一只鞋子，他不得不赤着一只脚走进了珀利阿斯的宫殿。当珀利阿斯看到这个陌生人时，他惊恐异常，因为一位预言家提醒他提防一个只穿了一只鞋的男人。当杰森告诉他自己是谁以及自己此行的目的时，他并没有感到奇怪。狡诈的珀利阿斯带着假惺惺的自豪和喜悦迎接了这位侄子。他发誓说，他愿意放弃王位，但接替他继承王位的人必须能够用事实证明自己确配接受王冠。于是，他怂恿年轻人去科尔切斯取回金羊毛。他断定他的侄子再不会活着回到他面前，因为这根本就是个不可能完成的使命。珀利阿斯的预言千真万确。杰森悲惨地死在科尔切斯王国。
Among the pupils of the wise and just Centaur，there wasa boy named Jason．He was by birth a prince．His father Aeson was once king of Iolcus，but was overthrown by his own half brother Pelias．So he sent his baby son Jason to the Centaur for safekeeping．As a boy Jason took part in the boarhunt．When he grew up into a strong youth he was told of the secret of his birth．So he went to avenge his father's wrongs ．
On his way back to his native city he met a weak old woman waiting to be helped across a mountain stream．Kind and polite，Jason carried the old lady on his back and walked across the stream．Little had he thought that the old woman was just Hera herself ．Thus he got the help and protection of a power fulfriend at the beginning of his life．As he lost one shoe in the stream he had to enter Pelias' palace in only one shoe． Pelias was quite scared to see such a stranger because he had been warned by a prophet to be careful of a man wearing only one shoe．He was not surprised when Jason told him who he was and what his business was about．The artful Pelias welcomed hisnephew with false pride and joy ；he promised to give up the kingdom to one who had proved himself worthy of it．And heurged the youth to bring the golden fleece back from Colchis．He felt quite certain that his nephew would never come back alivefrom the hopeless task．Pelias' prediction was quite right．Jasondied a poor death in the kingdom of Colchis．
半人半马的怪物（Centaur）既英明又公正。他的学生中有个名叫杰森的男孩。杰森是位王子，他的父亲埃宋曾是伊俄卡斯的国王，但后来王位却被他同父异母兄弟珀利阿斯夺去了。因此他把还在襁褓中的儿子送给Centaur照料。还是个孩子时，杰森就参加过捕猎野猪。当他长成一位强壮的小伙，知道自己身世的秘密后，他决定要为父亲所受的不公报仇雪恨。
在返回祖国的路上，他遇到一位老婆婆。她希望能有人帮她渡过山里的一条小溪。出于善良的天性和谦恭有礼的本能，杰森背起老人，淌过了小溪。他并未想到这位老婆婆竟是赫拉本人。因此他在生活的起点便得到了一位神通广大的朋友的帮助和保护。由于他在过河时遗失了一只鞋子，他不得不赤着一只脚走进了珀利阿斯的宫殿。当珀利阿斯看到这个陌生人时，他惊恐异常，因为一位预言家提醒他提防一个只穿了一只鞋的男人。当杰森告诉他自己是谁以及自己此行的目的时，他并没有感到奇怪。狡诈的珀利阿斯带着假惺惺的自豪和喜悦迎接了这位侄子。他发誓说，他愿意放弃王位，但接替他继承王位的人必须能够用事实证明自己确配接受王冠。于是，他怂恿年轻人去科尔切斯取回金羊毛。他断定他的侄子再不会活着回到他面前，因为这根本就是个不可能完成的使命。珀利阿斯的预言千真万确。杰森悲惨地死在科尔切斯王国。
Second Thoughts
Second ThoughtsDAY ONETuesday, June 15
At high noon a large spaceship floated gently down out of a blue sky to land on the front lawn of the White House. It rested motionless for the next five hours while the White House hummed with activity. The President was evacuated and then the military moved in with troops, tanks and helicopters. Stealth fighters roared overhead. Both Congress and the United Nations called emergency sessions as a frightened world held its breath.
At exactly 5:00 p.m. eastern time, a small door opened in the side of the craft and a human-like creature stepped out.
As beings go, it wasn't that alarming. About three feet tall, it had a large head atop a small body with two spindly legs. And there were feather-like appendages growing from its head as well as from what could have been a tail if it were a bird. But it moved like a human and wore a one-piece uniform of a gold metallic material that sparkled in the sun. Walking to the nearest soldier, it stopped short, its two unnaturally large eyes blinking twice. Then in perfect English with a high-pitched voice, it said, "Take me to your esteemed leader."
After much military and political consternation, the request was granted. Standing before the President of the United States, who was seated at his desk in the oval office surrounded by half a dozen secret agents, the little being bowed. "President and Chief Commander, I humbly come to you as ambassador facilitator for an ancient and distinguished race. Please realize that you're dealing with beings of such power that their purpose must be friendly or you'd have already been destroyed in my humble estimation."
It paused to scratch the base of a head feather. "I myself am Mooba. My kind are respected throughout the universe as the finest of translators. I must tell you that the Xxlepis ship has been moored at the edge of your solar system for a year now while I've been studying your languages and customs on their behalf. I know all there is to know about all of you, in my humble opinion."
The President smiled halfheartedly, "Should I find that comforting?"
Mooba brightened, "Of course. Because I'm thorough I rarely make mistakes." He shrugged. "I'll admit to a few, but none that wasn't rectified. I'm sorry to inform you that yours is not the only species I considered for contact on this planet. There are some others more appealing, but yours is the most intelligent. And yours is also the only species believing themselves in charge."
The President's eyebrows lifted at such a statement.
Mooba continued, "For purposes of decorum, tomorrow I will teach you about the Xxlepis." His top feathers suddenly stiffened. "Be forewarned. Although highly evolved intellectually, the Xxlepis are emotionally fragile and quick to perceive imaginary insults if decorum isn't carefully followed. They're quirky that way--easily offended. And if you offend them you will not reap the benefits they can bestow."
"Fair enough" the President agreed, but his expression was one of puzzlement.
The conversation was over.
DAY TWOWednesday, June 16
The next day two soldiers were sent to escort Mooba back to the White House, but he wasn't on the spaceship. Instead, when the President with his staff and secret agents arrived at the meeting room, Mooba was already there. Without anyone noticing, he had left the spaceship, slipped through a ring of military, a mob of reporters and White House staff to find the secured meeting room no one had told him about the day before. It unnerved the President and particularly his secret agents.
Standing at the back of the room Mooba waited for everyone to get settled. Then he abruptly began, "The first thing to do when introduced...is to bow. Some of your human cultures already practice that formality. And the second thing after bowing... is to do nothing." He paused for emphasis. "It's best, Sir President, to allow me to do all the talking, particularly in the beginning. The Xxlepis themselves rarely speak because words to them are sacred. They believe that by saying less, what is said increases in value. So speaking only at the end of a conversation is a sign of respect. Of course, in my humble opinion, that makes for very short conversations." It was hard to tell if Mooba was joking so no one laughed.
The alien continued. "The Xxlepis find it difficult dealing with other cultures, so they take great care to insulate themselves. In addition to being their translator I serve as a filter to shield their refined sensibilities--but still I must be accurate and complete. Not an easy job, in my humble opinion. The Xxlepis are emotional, you see. Despite all their sophistication, they just want to be loved and they can't handle rejection. I think you humans can appreciate that." He watched as one of the staff arose and walked to a table at the side of the room pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"What's that?"
"The President smiled. "It's coffee, a common beverage. And there's also donuts. Would you like some?"
Mooba's top feathers twitched excitedly. "Certainly." He stepped quickly across the room and to everyone's surprise gulped down a whole carafe of hot coffee. Then he grabbed several donuts. Returning to the front of the room, he noisily smacked his lips. Powdered sugar from the donuts had somehow ended up on his chin. It was a comical sight that everyone politely ignored.
"That was tasty," he said, "in my humble opinion. Now, let me explain more about the Xxlepis. Having mastered the mysteries of science and technology, they have returned to the arts, particularly their poetry. They are on a quest for new forms of expression. For example, the 20 ways an elephant calls to its young or the 59 words the Eskimos use for snow. Whether or not a language is written or spoken is of secondary importance. The Xxlepis take pleasure in converting all manner of creature communication into just the right word with a precise meaning and contextual flavor to be used in their poetry. So they traverse the universe in search of communication to define new words because, to them, only words have true value. Personally, I think it's because words convey emotions."
"Speaking of value..." Mooba stopped mid-thought. "Ah... could I have more coffee?"
"Sir, there's no more coffee," said one of the agents addressing the President.
The President waved his hand. "Well then, please get another carafe. It'll only take a minute."
The agent left the room. Through the door, which had not fully closed, squeezed a short, rotund Basset Hound. It went immediately to the President wagging its tail while casting side-glances at Mooba.
"Hi there, Sally," the President gently stroked the dog's back. "Mooba, this is my dog. She just had puppies four weeks ago. What do you think of her?"
Mooba was quite interested, particularly when Sally left the President to approach him, her tail still wagging. He bent over so that his face was almost level with the dog's and she licked the sugar off his chin. His head feathers danced wildly. "I like her," he said and then made a noise somewhere between a bark and a whine. It startled everyone in the room, but Sally woofed in response.
Suddenly, the agent with the coffee appeared. "Here's the coffee, Sir."
At that point Sally was let out of the room. Mooba drank more coffee, after which he continued instructing the President.
"As I was saying, concerning value it's things that have no price that are worth the most to the Xxlepis. Things such as honor or knowledge or joy. That's because emotions, or the intangible, offer infinite possibilities for new words of shading and intensity. When a thing has a price, its value is already set, defined and limited according to the Xxlepis. So instead of price, value for them is in how many words a thing inspires."
"But as for emotions...the Xxlepis fell in love with the Drugans on the planet Phizell because they're always laughing. They have 32 words for 'giggle'. The Xxlepis were so thrilled with this that they made fools of themselves, showering them with half our gifts." He frowned. "I had an awful time convincing them to leave that planet."
Rolling his eyes, the little alien continued.
"Unfortunately, your culture values things more than words. That's what I learned from your television and radio signals. For example, when a commercial says a car has a soul, where does that leave a man? In order to add value to a thing, you've stolen a word meant only for living beings and devalued it. And in devaluing that word you've devalued yourselves. The Xxlepis would never understand and it's better that they not know about it. In my humble opinion."
Mooba patted a tail feather. "On the other hand, your world's libraries are filled with books and are an endless resource for poetry and great writings. Human beings are capable of deep thought and intense emotions and some have a desire to define them. It is these writings that will appeal to the Xxlepis and they will reward you beyond imagination. As long as they remain on this planet they will bestow gifts, so it's to your benefit to please them. That's all I can say."
He bowed and the meeting was abruptly over.
DAY THREEThursday, June 17
The introduction of the Xxlepis was set for noon. Although it was an unusually overcast day, that hadn't stopped a huge crowd from forming. At two minutes to 12:00 the President and four secret agents walked slowly up the red carpet and stopped 20 feet from the craft.
With the opening of a large door, a strange green mist emanated from the craft. Then a long and gently sloped ramp slid out upon which Mooba exited. The murmuring crowd hushed as three figures emerged from behind him. The figures were nearly seven feet tall, rather thin, and covered entirely in grey-green flowing robes and hoods. More than anything they resembled Gregorian monks, but it was how they moved that was startling. Although there was not a breath of wind, their robes rippled fluidly and they appeared to pour across the 20 feet coming to rest alongside Mooba and in front of the President and the agents.
Mooba's high voice spoke into the multitude of microphones set up by reporters and it sounded over the PA system. "Members of planet earth, I am pleased to introduce you to the Xxlepis. And, they in turn are very pleased to meet you." As he said this the three beings bowed deeply as did the President and his agents.
Mooba continued, "Supreme Commander, President of the United States and all citizens of earth, I am pleased to inform you on behalf of the Xxlepis that today they would like you to accept this gift that they offer you without reservation." Withdrawing something from a hidden pocket, Mooba handed it to the President.
Accepting the object, which fit into the palm of his hand, the President bowed again. "Thank you."
Seeing the three Xxlepis nodding from beneath their hoods, Mooba added, "The Xxlepis thank you, too."
The crowd roared their approval and the first meeting was over.
DAYS FOUR - TWENTYFriday-Sunday, June 18-July 4
When the gift was examined, scientists were astounded. The President had been handed a container that turned out to hold bacteria from a distant planet. Because these bacteria could manufacture any mineral, the Xxlepis had cultivated and refined it for multiple purposes. Specifically in humans, once ingested the bacteria became symbiotic with living cells and went about curing deficiencies. The resulting good health was miraculous and the closest thing to a fountain-of-youth elixir that humanity had ever experienced. Furthermore, the bacteria were easily reproduced.
The President wished to reciprocate with a gift of equal value and at Mooba's recommendation commissioned a compendium of sacred writings to be compiled in their original languages. Mooba assured him that as a gift, this would be a delightful surprise for the Xxlepis. It was an ambitious project requiring scholars of every religion and the United Nations was appointed to coordinate it. All nations agreed that no amount of money or effort should be spared to have the gift ready for the next meeting with the Xxlepis.
Mooba hadn't anticipated the effect the Xxlepis would have on their hosts. Mankind became like children at Christmas. While the Xxlepis's gift of health was reproduced en mass, that was just the beginning.
Everything had to be Xxlepis-related. To accommodate the demand, manufacturers broke all records (nearly those of physics) to get out a plethora of products. Overnight Gregorian monk's garb became the fashion craze, gray-green the most popular color until Monday when pastel-greens were introduced followed closely by polka dots. People were dressing their babies and pets in robes with cowls. Xxlepis gray-green began showing up on toys, dish ware, buildings. If imitation is the highest form of flattery then the Xxlepis should have been flattered indeed.
Commercials advertising Xxlepis products had but one theme, life was better with Xxlepis whether you wore Xxlepis clothes or sat on Xxlepis furniture. The inference was, so long as you had Xxlepis you were a somebody with something. Unfortunately, the opposite inference was also true, for without Xxlepis you were considered a nobody with nothing.
The irony was not lost on Mooba who watched commercialism turn the Xxlepis, a race of beings who loved the nonmaterial, into the biggest name brand of all time.
DAY TWENTY-ONEMonday, July 5
When the President and his staff appeared at the spaceship on Monday noon it was before a vastly different-looking crowd. Although a hot July day, the majority was wearing hooded robes, waving signs and holding banners that said, "Xxlepis rocks!"
This day, upon exiting the craft, the three Xxlepis did not immediately bow. Although their faces couldn't be seen, it appeared that from beneath the cowls they were turning their heads to examine the crowd. Watching them, Mooba's head feathers stiffened noticeably and he frowned.
This time it was the President who came bearing a gift. The President proudly offered the huge book heavy with gold leafing that one of the Xxlepis gingerly accepted, grasping it with long fingers while the other two Xxlepis stretched forward for a closer look. Their grey-green robes cast a greenish hue over the book.
"Please accept this gift from mankind," said the President, his voice trembling. "Over 300 of our finest scholars assembled it from our sacred writings."
Translating, Mooba looked pleased.
Caught up in the moment and almost as an afterthought, the President added, "Millions were spent. With its parchment and gold leafing, it's the most expensive book ever created."
Mooba's head feathers quivered the moment the President said the most expensive book ever created. He didn't look pleased. He stopped translating and stared at the President. "Ah, Sir President, in my humble opinion..." he interrupted, but his warning went unheeded.
"Go on. Tell them," the President urged and Mooba complied.
The reaction was immediate. Shoving the book back at the President, which he almost dropped, the three Xxlepis, murmuring bubbling-clicking noises, whipped about and swept back up into the spaceship faster than anybody thought they could move. Mooba followed as closely behind as his spindly legs allowed. Pausing at the ship's doorway he turned and shrugged as though apologizing just before the metal door slammed shut with a thud.
The President and crowd, indeed the whole nation and all of earth were stunned. They felt like children awakening Christmas morning to discover that their presents had been stolen.
There was no further contact with the Xxlepis although vigorous attempts were made using a PA system as well as radio and television waves and banging on the spaceship doors. Now nobody anywhere talked about anything except the Xxlepis and why they had so abruptly left the gathering. Earth commiserated.
DAY TWENTY-TWOTuesday, July 6
Early Tuesday, without ado, the huge spacecraft gently lifted into the morning air and disappeared.
It was then Mooba sought admittance to the White House, shocking everyone because they thought he had left along with his alien employers. Escorted to the President's oval office, Mooba's head feathers began to wave as he moaned sorrowfully. "In my humble opinion, my job is just too difficult."
The President agreed without knowing why as Mooba sat down on a chair. A couple of agents approached to stand behind him. "It's my fault. I thought I'd made you understand, but I was wrong. You meant only to impress when you said the book cost millions to create. But as soon as you gave it a price, in the eyes of the Xxlepis you declared it useless. They were insulted and horrified. They couldn't leave fast enough."
He hesitated and then glared at the President as if to suggest he did share responsibility. Then Mooba sighed. "It's my humble opinion that they'd never have understood your species anyway."
"Well then why are you here?" the President was incredulous.
Suddenly the little alien smiled. "Because unlike the Xxlepis, I don't care about words or meaning or money. Except in the performance of my job, of course. I'm due for a vacation and I'd like a little fun." Before agents could stop him he had jumped up and moved to the President's desk grabbing sour lemon candies from a dish. Popping them into his mouth he made slurping sounds.
The statement was so ridiculous the President had to laugh. "You mean a permanent vacation? Apparently they're never coming back."
Mooba grinned knowingly as his head feathers twitched. "On the contrary. I've been with the Xxlepis 120 years and don't you think that if anybody should know what they're doing and why they're doing it, it would be I? That's my humble opinion. As for selecting your species, I've had second thoughts. But don't worry, Sir President, the Xxlepis will be back. Before their ship left I put a puppy on board."
He popped another sour lemon candy.
At high noon a large spaceship floated gently down out of a blue sky to land on the front lawn of the White House. It rested motionless for the next five hours while the White House hummed with activity. The President was evacuated and then the military moved in with troops, tanks and helicopters. Stealth fighters roared overhead. Both Congress and the United Nations called emergency sessions as a frightened world held its breath.
At exactly 5:00 p.m. eastern time, a small door opened in the side of the craft and a human-like creature stepped out.
As beings go, it wasn't that alarming. About three feet tall, it had a large head atop a small body with two spindly legs. And there were feather-like appendages growing from its head as well as from what could have been a tail if it were a bird. But it moved like a human and wore a one-piece uniform of a gold metallic material that sparkled in the sun. Walking to the nearest soldier, it stopped short, its two unnaturally large eyes blinking twice. Then in perfect English with a high-pitched voice, it said, "Take me to your esteemed leader."
After much military and political consternation, the request was granted. Standing before the President of the United States, who was seated at his desk in the oval office surrounded by half a dozen secret agents, the little being bowed. "President and Chief Commander, I humbly come to you as ambassador facilitator for an ancient and distinguished race. Please realize that you're dealing with beings of such power that their purpose must be friendly or you'd have already been destroyed in my humble estimation."
It paused to scratch the base of a head feather. "I myself am Mooba. My kind are respected throughout the universe as the finest of translators. I must tell you that the Xxlepis ship has been moored at the edge of your solar system for a year now while I've been studying your languages and customs on their behalf. I know all there is to know about all of you, in my humble opinion."
The President smiled halfheartedly, "Should I find that comforting?"
Mooba brightened, "Of course. Because I'm thorough I rarely make mistakes." He shrugged. "I'll admit to a few, but none that wasn't rectified. I'm sorry to inform you that yours is not the only species I considered for contact on this planet. There are some others more appealing, but yours is the most intelligent. And yours is also the only species believing themselves in charge."
The President's eyebrows lifted at such a statement.
Mooba continued, "For purposes of decorum, tomorrow I will teach you about the Xxlepis." His top feathers suddenly stiffened. "Be forewarned. Although highly evolved intellectually, the Xxlepis are emotionally fragile and quick to perceive imaginary insults if decorum isn't carefully followed. They're quirky that way--easily offended. And if you offend them you will not reap the benefits they can bestow."
"Fair enough" the President agreed, but his expression was one of puzzlement.
The conversation was over.
DAY TWOWednesday, June 16
The next day two soldiers were sent to escort Mooba back to the White House, but he wasn't on the spaceship. Instead, when the President with his staff and secret agents arrived at the meeting room, Mooba was already there. Without anyone noticing, he had left the spaceship, slipped through a ring of military, a mob of reporters and White House staff to find the secured meeting room no one had told him about the day before. It unnerved the President and particularly his secret agents.
Standing at the back of the room Mooba waited for everyone to get settled. Then he abruptly began, "The first thing to do when introduced...is to bow. Some of your human cultures already practice that formality. And the second thing after bowing... is to do nothing." He paused for emphasis. "It's best, Sir President, to allow me to do all the talking, particularly in the beginning. The Xxlepis themselves rarely speak because words to them are sacred. They believe that by saying less, what is said increases in value. So speaking only at the end of a conversation is a sign of respect. Of course, in my humble opinion, that makes for very short conversations." It was hard to tell if Mooba was joking so no one laughed.
The alien continued. "The Xxlepis find it difficult dealing with other cultures, so they take great care to insulate themselves. In addition to being their translator I serve as a filter to shield their refined sensibilities--but still I must be accurate and complete. Not an easy job, in my humble opinion. The Xxlepis are emotional, you see. Despite all their sophistication, they just want to be loved and they can't handle rejection. I think you humans can appreciate that." He watched as one of the staff arose and walked to a table at the side of the room pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"What's that?"
"The President smiled. "It's coffee, a common beverage. And there's also donuts. Would you like some?"
Mooba's top feathers twitched excitedly. "Certainly." He stepped quickly across the room and to everyone's surprise gulped down a whole carafe of hot coffee. Then he grabbed several donuts. Returning to the front of the room, he noisily smacked his lips. Powdered sugar from the donuts had somehow ended up on his chin. It was a comical sight that everyone politely ignored.
"That was tasty," he said, "in my humble opinion. Now, let me explain more about the Xxlepis. Having mastered the mysteries of science and technology, they have returned to the arts, particularly their poetry. They are on a quest for new forms of expression. For example, the 20 ways an elephant calls to its young or the 59 words the Eskimos use for snow. Whether or not a language is written or spoken is of secondary importance. The Xxlepis take pleasure in converting all manner of creature communication into just the right word with a precise meaning and contextual flavor to be used in their poetry. So they traverse the universe in search of communication to define new words because, to them, only words have true value. Personally, I think it's because words convey emotions."
"Speaking of value..." Mooba stopped mid-thought. "Ah... could I have more coffee?"
"Sir, there's no more coffee," said one of the agents addressing the President.
The President waved his hand. "Well then, please get another carafe. It'll only take a minute."
The agent left the room. Through the door, which had not fully closed, squeezed a short, rotund Basset Hound. It went immediately to the President wagging its tail while casting side-glances at Mooba.
"Hi there, Sally," the President gently stroked the dog's back. "Mooba, this is my dog. She just had puppies four weeks ago. What do you think of her?"
Mooba was quite interested, particularly when Sally left the President to approach him, her tail still wagging. He bent over so that his face was almost level with the dog's and she licked the sugar off his chin. His head feathers danced wildly. "I like her," he said and then made a noise somewhere between a bark and a whine. It startled everyone in the room, but Sally woofed in response.
Suddenly, the agent with the coffee appeared. "Here's the coffee, Sir."
At that point Sally was let out of the room. Mooba drank more coffee, after which he continued instructing the President.
"As I was saying, concerning value it's things that have no price that are worth the most to the Xxlepis. Things such as honor or knowledge or joy. That's because emotions, or the intangible, offer infinite possibilities for new words of shading and intensity. When a thing has a price, its value is already set, defined and limited according to the Xxlepis. So instead of price, value for them is in how many words a thing inspires."
"But as for emotions...the Xxlepis fell in love with the Drugans on the planet Phizell because they're always laughing. They have 32 words for 'giggle'. The Xxlepis were so thrilled with this that they made fools of themselves, showering them with half our gifts." He frowned. "I had an awful time convincing them to leave that planet."
Rolling his eyes, the little alien continued.
"Unfortunately, your culture values things more than words. That's what I learned from your television and radio signals. For example, when a commercial says a car has a soul, where does that leave a man? In order to add value to a thing, you've stolen a word meant only for living beings and devalued it. And in devaluing that word you've devalued yourselves. The Xxlepis would never understand and it's better that they not know about it. In my humble opinion."
Mooba patted a tail feather. "On the other hand, your world's libraries are filled with books and are an endless resource for poetry and great writings. Human beings are capable of deep thought and intense emotions and some have a desire to define them. It is these writings that will appeal to the Xxlepis and they will reward you beyond imagination. As long as they remain on this planet they will bestow gifts, so it's to your benefit to please them. That's all I can say."
He bowed and the meeting was abruptly over.
DAY THREEThursday, June 17
The introduction of the Xxlepis was set for noon. Although it was an unusually overcast day, that hadn't stopped a huge crowd from forming. At two minutes to 12:00 the President and four secret agents walked slowly up the red carpet and stopped 20 feet from the craft.
With the opening of a large door, a strange green mist emanated from the craft. Then a long and gently sloped ramp slid out upon which Mooba exited. The murmuring crowd hushed as three figures emerged from behind him. The figures were nearly seven feet tall, rather thin, and covered entirely in grey-green flowing robes and hoods. More than anything they resembled Gregorian monks, but it was how they moved that was startling. Although there was not a breath of wind, their robes rippled fluidly and they appeared to pour across the 20 feet coming to rest alongside Mooba and in front of the President and the agents.
Mooba's high voice spoke into the multitude of microphones set up by reporters and it sounded over the PA system. "Members of planet earth, I am pleased to introduce you to the Xxlepis. And, they in turn are very pleased to meet you." As he said this the three beings bowed deeply as did the President and his agents.
Mooba continued, "Supreme Commander, President of the United States and all citizens of earth, I am pleased to inform you on behalf of the Xxlepis that today they would like you to accept this gift that they offer you without reservation." Withdrawing something from a hidden pocket, Mooba handed it to the President.
Accepting the object, which fit into the palm of his hand, the President bowed again. "Thank you."
Seeing the three Xxlepis nodding from beneath their hoods, Mooba added, "The Xxlepis thank you, too."
The crowd roared their approval and the first meeting was over.
DAYS FOUR - TWENTYFriday-Sunday, June 18-July 4
When the gift was examined, scientists were astounded. The President had been handed a container that turned out to hold bacteria from a distant planet. Because these bacteria could manufacture any mineral, the Xxlepis had cultivated and refined it for multiple purposes. Specifically in humans, once ingested the bacteria became symbiotic with living cells and went about curing deficiencies. The resulting good health was miraculous and the closest thing to a fountain-of-youth elixir that humanity had ever experienced. Furthermore, the bacteria were easily reproduced.
The President wished to reciprocate with a gift of equal value and at Mooba's recommendation commissioned a compendium of sacred writings to be compiled in their original languages. Mooba assured him that as a gift, this would be a delightful surprise for the Xxlepis. It was an ambitious project requiring scholars of every religion and the United Nations was appointed to coordinate it. All nations agreed that no amount of money or effort should be spared to have the gift ready for the next meeting with the Xxlepis.
Mooba hadn't anticipated the effect the Xxlepis would have on their hosts. Mankind became like children at Christmas. While the Xxlepis's gift of health was reproduced en mass, that was just the beginning.
Everything had to be Xxlepis-related. To accommodate the demand, manufacturers broke all records (nearly those of physics) to get out a plethora of products. Overnight Gregorian monk's garb became the fashion craze, gray-green the most popular color until Monday when pastel-greens were introduced followed closely by polka dots. People were dressing their babies and pets in robes with cowls. Xxlepis gray-green began showing up on toys, dish ware, buildings. If imitation is the highest form of flattery then the Xxlepis should have been flattered indeed.
Commercials advertising Xxlepis products had but one theme, life was better with Xxlepis whether you wore Xxlepis clothes or sat on Xxlepis furniture. The inference was, so long as you had Xxlepis you were a somebody with something. Unfortunately, the opposite inference was also true, for without Xxlepis you were considered a nobody with nothing.
The irony was not lost on Mooba who watched commercialism turn the Xxlepis, a race of beings who loved the nonmaterial, into the biggest name brand of all time.
DAY TWENTY-ONEMonday, July 5
When the President and his staff appeared at the spaceship on Monday noon it was before a vastly different-looking crowd. Although a hot July day, the majority was wearing hooded robes, waving signs and holding banners that said, "Xxlepis rocks!"
This day, upon exiting the craft, the three Xxlepis did not immediately bow. Although their faces couldn't be seen, it appeared that from beneath the cowls they were turning their heads to examine the crowd. Watching them, Mooba's head feathers stiffened noticeably and he frowned.
This time it was the President who came bearing a gift. The President proudly offered the huge book heavy with gold leafing that one of the Xxlepis gingerly accepted, grasping it with long fingers while the other two Xxlepis stretched forward for a closer look. Their grey-green robes cast a greenish hue over the book.
"Please accept this gift from mankind," said the President, his voice trembling. "Over 300 of our finest scholars assembled it from our sacred writings."
Translating, Mooba looked pleased.
Caught up in the moment and almost as an afterthought, the President added, "Millions were spent. With its parchment and gold leafing, it's the most expensive book ever created."
Mooba's head feathers quivered the moment the President said the most expensive book ever created. He didn't look pleased. He stopped translating and stared at the President. "Ah, Sir President, in my humble opinion..." he interrupted, but his warning went unheeded.
"Go on. Tell them," the President urged and Mooba complied.
The reaction was immediate. Shoving the book back at the President, which he almost dropped, the three Xxlepis, murmuring bubbling-clicking noises, whipped about and swept back up into the spaceship faster than anybody thought they could move. Mooba followed as closely behind as his spindly legs allowed. Pausing at the ship's doorway he turned and shrugged as though apologizing just before the metal door slammed shut with a thud.
The President and crowd, indeed the whole nation and all of earth were stunned. They felt like children awakening Christmas morning to discover that their presents had been stolen.
There was no further contact with the Xxlepis although vigorous attempts were made using a PA system as well as radio and television waves and banging on the spaceship doors. Now nobody anywhere talked about anything except the Xxlepis and why they had so abruptly left the gathering. Earth commiserated.
DAY TWENTY-TWOTuesday, July 6
Early Tuesday, without ado, the huge spacecraft gently lifted into the morning air and disappeared.
It was then Mooba sought admittance to the White House, shocking everyone because they thought he had left along with his alien employers. Escorted to the President's oval office, Mooba's head feathers began to wave as he moaned sorrowfully. "In my humble opinion, my job is just too difficult."
The President agreed without knowing why as Mooba sat down on a chair. A couple of agents approached to stand behind him. "It's my fault. I thought I'd made you understand, but I was wrong. You meant only to impress when you said the book cost millions to create. But as soon as you gave it a price, in the eyes of the Xxlepis you declared it useless. They were insulted and horrified. They couldn't leave fast enough."
He hesitated and then glared at the President as if to suggest he did share responsibility. Then Mooba sighed. "It's my humble opinion that they'd never have understood your species anyway."
"Well then why are you here?" the President was incredulous.
Suddenly the little alien smiled. "Because unlike the Xxlepis, I don't care about words or meaning or money. Except in the performance of my job, of course. I'm due for a vacation and I'd like a little fun." Before agents could stop him he had jumped up and moved to the President's desk grabbing sour lemon candies from a dish. Popping them into his mouth he made slurping sounds.
The statement was so ridiculous the President had to laugh. "You mean a permanent vacation? Apparently they're never coming back."
Mooba grinned knowingly as his head feathers twitched. "On the contrary. I've been with the Xxlepis 120 years and don't you think that if anybody should know what they're doing and why they're doing it, it would be I? That's my humble opinion. As for selecting your species, I've had second thoughts. But don't worry, Sir President, the Xxlepis will be back. Before their ship left I put a puppy on board."
He popped another sour lemon candy.
井底之蛙The Frog in the Shallow Well
井底之蛙The Frog in the Shallow Well一口废井里住着一只青蛙。有一天，青蛙在井边碰上了一只从海里来的大龟。 青蛙就对海龟夸口说： “你看，我住在这里多快乐！有时高兴了，就在井栏边跳跃一阵；疲倦了，就回到井 里，睡在砖洞边一回。或者只留出头和嘴巴，安安静静地把全身泡在水里：或者在软绵绵的 泥浆里散一回步，也很舒适。看看那些虾和蝌虾，谁也此不上我。而且，我是这个井里的主 人，在这井里极自由自在，你为什么不常到井里来游赏呢！” 那海龟听了青蛙的话，倒真想进去看看。但它的左脚还没有整个伸进去，右脚就已经绊 住了。它连忙后退了两步，把大海的情形告诉青蛙说： “你看过海吗？海的广大，哪止千里；海的深度，哪只千来丈。古时候，十年有九年大 水，海里的水，并不涨了多少；后来，八年里有七年大旱，海里的水，也不见得浅了多少。 可见大海是不受旱涝影响的。住在那样的大海里，才是真的快乐呢！” 井蛙听了海龟的一番话，吃惊地呆在那里，再没有话可说了。
Have you not heard of the frog that lived in a shallow well? It said to a turtle that lived in the East Sea, "I am so happy! When I go out, I jump about on the railing beside the mouth of the well. When I come home,I rest in the holes on the broken wall of the well. If I jump into the water, it comes up to my armpits and holds up my cheeks. If I walk in the mud, it covers up my feet. I look around at the wriggly worms, crabs and tadpoles, and none of them can compare with me. Moreover, I am lord of this trough of water and I stand up tall in this shallow well. My happiness is full. My dear sir, why don't you come often and look around my place?" Before the turtle from the East Sea could get its left foot in the well, its right knee got stuck. It hesitated and retreated. The turtle told the frog about the East Sea. "Even a distance of a thousand li cannot give you an idea of the sea's width; even a height of a thousand ren cannot give you an idea of its depth. In the time of King Yu of the Xia dynasty, there were floods nine years out of ten, but the waters in the sea did not increase. ln the time of King Tang of the Shang dynasty there were droughts seven years out of eight, but the waters in the sea did not decrease. The sea does not change along with the passage of time and its level does not rise or fall according to the amount of rain that falls. The greatest happiness is to live in the East Sea." After listening to these words, the frog of the shallow well was shocked into realization of his own insignificance and became very ill at ease.
Have you not heard of the frog that lived in a shallow well? It said to a turtle that lived in the East Sea, "I am so happy! When I go out, I jump about on the railing beside the mouth of the well. When I come home,I rest in the holes on the broken wall of the well. If I jump into the water, it comes up to my armpits and holds up my cheeks. If I walk in the mud, it covers up my feet. I look around at the wriggly worms, crabs and tadpoles, and none of them can compare with me. Moreover, I am lord of this trough of water and I stand up tall in this shallow well. My happiness is full. My dear sir, why don't you come often and look around my place?" Before the turtle from the East Sea could get its left foot in the well, its right knee got stuck. It hesitated and retreated. The turtle told the frog about the East Sea. "Even a distance of a thousand li cannot give you an idea of the sea's width; even a height of a thousand ren cannot give you an idea of its depth. In the time of King Yu of the Xia dynasty, there were floods nine years out of ten, but the waters in the sea did not increase. ln the time of King Tang of the Shang dynasty there were droughts seven years out of eight, but the waters in the sea did not decrease. The sea does not change along with the passage of time and its level does not rise or fall according to the amount of rain that falls. The greatest happiness is to live in the East Sea." After listening to these words, the frog of the shallow well was shocked into realization of his own insignificance and became very ill at ease.
The Three Lazy Ones
格林童话： 三个懒汉 The Three Lazy Ones
A king had three sons whom he loved equally well， and he did not know which of them to appoint as king following his own death.
When the time came for him to die he called them to his bed and said， “Dear children， I have thought of something that I will reveal to you. The one of you is the laziest shall become king after me.”
The oldest one said， “Father， then the kingdom belongs to me， for I am so lazy that whenever I lie down to sleep， and a drop falls into my eyes， I will not even close them so that I can fall asleep.”
The second one said， “Father， the kingdom belongs to me， for I am so lazy that when I am sitting by the fire warming myself， I would rather let my heels burn up than to pull my legs back.”
The third one said， “Father， the kingdom is mine， for I am so lazy that if I were going to be hanged and already had the rope around my neck， and someone put into my hand a sharp knife with which to cut the rope， I would let myself be hanged rather than to lift my hand up to the rope.”
When the father heard this he said， “You have taken it the farthest and shall be king.”
在一个遥远的地方，有一个国王，他有三个儿子，对每一个儿子他都非常喜爱，他不知道自己死后应该把王位传给他们三个中的哪一个。所以，当他快要死的时候，就把他们叫到身边说：“亲爱的孩子们，在我死后，你们三个中谁最懒，谁就继承我的王位。”老大说：“既然这样，这王位就是我的，因为我是最懒的儿子，当我躺下睡觉时，有任何东西落到我的眼睛里，我也懒得去擦掉，即使不能把眼睛闭上，我仍然会继续睡觉。”二儿子说：“爸爸，王位应该传给我，因为我是最懒的儿子。当我坐在火边取暖的时候，就是火燃到我的脚趾，我也懒得把腿收回来。”第三个儿子说：“爸爸，这王位是我的，因为我是你最懒的儿子，如果我就要被吊起来，绳子已经套在了脖子上，有人把一把锋利的小刀塞在我手里，要我切断绳子，我宁愿被吊起来也懒得抬起手把绳子割断。”父亲听到这里说道：“你是最合适的人选，你应该继承王位。”
A king had three sons whom he loved equally well， and he did not know which of them to appoint as king following his own death.
When the time came for him to die he called them to his bed and said， “Dear children， I have thought of something that I will reveal to you. The one of you is the laziest shall become king after me.”
The oldest one said， “Father， then the kingdom belongs to me， for I am so lazy that whenever I lie down to sleep， and a drop falls into my eyes， I will not even close them so that I can fall asleep.”
The second one said， “Father， the kingdom belongs to me， for I am so lazy that when I am sitting by the fire warming myself， I would rather let my heels burn up than to pull my legs back.”
The third one said， “Father， the kingdom is mine， for I am so lazy that if I were going to be hanged and already had the rope around my neck， and someone put into my hand a sharp knife with which to cut the rope， I would let myself be hanged rather than to lift my hand up to the rope.”
When the father heard this he said， “You have taken it the farthest and shall be king.”
在一个遥远的地方，有一个国王，他有三个儿子，对每一个儿子他都非常喜爱，他不知道自己死后应该把王位传给他们三个中的哪一个。所以，当他快要死的时候，就把他们叫到身边说：“亲爱的孩子们，在我死后，你们三个中谁最懒，谁就继承我的王位。”老大说：“既然这样，这王位就是我的，因为我是最懒的儿子，当我躺下睡觉时，有任何东西落到我的眼睛里，我也懒得去擦掉，即使不能把眼睛闭上，我仍然会继续睡觉。”二儿子说：“爸爸，王位应该传给我，因为我是最懒的儿子。当我坐在火边取暖的时候，就是火燃到我的脚趾，我也懒得把腿收回来。”第三个儿子说：“爸爸，这王位是我的，因为我是你最懒的儿子，如果我就要被吊起来，绳子已经套在了脖子上，有人把一把锋利的小刀塞在我手里，要我切断绳子，我宁愿被吊起来也懒得抬起手把绳子割断。”父亲听到这里说道：“你是最合适的人选，你应该继承王位。”
恶毒的王子The Wicked Prince
恶毒的王子The Wicked Prince
这篇小故事最初发表于１８４０年１０月在哥本哈根出版的《沙龙》杂志上。安徒生在他的手记中说，这是一个在民间口头上流传的故事，他记得很清楚。于是，就写成一篇童话，把这个故事的这样内涵意义表达出来：一个貌似凶猛、不可一世的暴君――即现代所谓的独裁者――往往会在一些渺小的人物手上栽跟头，导致他的“伟大事业彻底失败”。这个故事中的王子做梦也没有想到，他会被一个钻进他的耳朵里去的小蚊蚋弄得最后发了疯。
HERE lived once upon a time a wicked prince whose heart and mind were to set upon conquering all the countries of the world, and on frightening the people; he devastated their countries with fire and sword, and his soldiers trod down the crops in the fields and destroyed the peasants' huts by fire, so that the flames licked the green leaves off the branches, and the fruit hung dried up on the singed black trees. Many a poor mother fled, her naked baby in her arms, behind the still smoking walls of her cottage; but also there the soldiers followed her, and when they found her, she served as new nourishment to their diabolical enjoyments; demons could not possibly have done worse things than these soldiers! The prince was of opinion that all this was right, and that it was only the natural course which things ought to take. His power increased day by day, his name was feared by all, and fortune favoured his deeds.
He brought enormous wealth home from the conquered towns, and gradually accumulated in his residence riches which could nowhere be equalled. He erected magnificent palaces, churches, and halls, and all who saw these splendid buildings and great treasures exclaimed admiringly: “What a mighty prince!” But they did not know what endless misery he had brought upon other countries, nor did they hear the sighs and lamentations which rose up from the débris of the destroyed cities.
The prince often looked with delight upon his gold and his magnificent edifices, and thought, like the crowd: “What a mighty prince! But I must have more―much more. No power on earth must equal mine, far less exceed it.”
He made war with all his neighbours, and defeated them. The conquered kings were chained up with golden fetters to his chariot when he drove through the streets of his city. These kings had to kneel at his and his courtiers' feet when they sat at table, and live on the morsels which they left. At last the prince had his own statue erected on the public places and fixed on the royal palaces; nay, he even wished it to be placed in the churches, on the altars, but in this the priests opposed him, saying: “Prince, you are mighty indeed, but God's power is much greater than yours; we dare not obey your orders.”
“Well,” said the prince. “Then I will conquer God too.” And in his haughtiness and foolish presumption he ordered a magnificent ship to be constructed, with which he could sail through the air; it was gorgeously fitted out and of many colours; like the tail of a peacock, it was covered with thousands of eyes, but each eye was the barrel of a gun. The prince sat in the centre of the ship, and had only to touch a spring in order to make thousands of bullets fly out in all directions, while the guns were at once loaded again. Hundreds of eagles were attached to this ship, and it rose with the swiftness of an arrow up towards the sun. The earth was soon left far below, and looked, with its mountains and woods, like a cornfield where the plough had made furrows which separated green meadows; soon it looked only like a map with indistinct lines upon it; and at last it entirely disappeared in mist and clouds. Higher and higher rose the eagles up into the air; then God sent one of his numberless angels against the ship. The wicked prince showered thousands of bullets upon him, but they rebounded from his shining wings and fell down like ordinary hailstones. One drop of blood, one single drop, came out of the white feathers of the angel's wings and fell upon the ship in which the prince sat, burnt into it, and weighed upon it like thousands of hundredweights, dragging it rapidly down to the earth again; the strong wings of the eagles gave way, the wind roared round the prince's head, and the clouds around―were they formed by the smoke rising up from the burnt cities?―took strange shapes, like crabs many, many miles long, which stretched their claws out after him, and rose up like enormous rocks, from which rolling masses dashed down, and became fire-spitting dragons.
The prince was lying half-dead in his ship, when it sank at last with a terrible shock into the branches of a large tree in the wood.
“I will conquer God!” said the prince. “I have sworn it: my will must be done!”
And he spent seven years in the construction of wonderful ships to sail through the air, and had darts cast from the hardest steel to break the walls of heaven with. He gathered warriors from all countries, so many that when they were placed side by side they covered the space of several miles. They entered the ships and the prince was approaching his own, when God sent a swarm of gnats―one swarm of little gnats. They buzzed round the prince and stung his face and hands; angrily he drew his sword and brandished it, but he only touched the air and did not hit the gnats. Then he ordered his servants to bring costly coverings and wrap him in them, that the gnats might no longer be able to reach him. The servants carried out his orders, but one single gnat had placed itself inside one of the coverings, crept into the prince's ear and stung him. The place burnt like fire, and the poison entered into his blood. Mad with pain, he tore off the coverings and his clothes too, flinging them far away, and danced about before the eyes of his ferocious soldiers, who now mocked at him, the mad prince, who wished to make war with God, and was overcome by a single little gnat.
Reference Version (参考译文)
从前有一个恶毒而傲慢的王子，他的全部野心是想要征服世界上所有的国家，使人一听到他的名字就害怕。他带着火和剑出征；他的兵士践踏着田野里的麦子，放火焚烧农民的房屋。鲜红的火焰燎着树上的叶子，把果子烧毁，挂在焦黑的树枝上。许多可怜的母亲，抱着赤裸的、仍然在吃奶的孩子藏到那些冒着烟的墙后面去。兵士搜寻着她们。如果找到了她们和孩子，那么他们的恶作剧就开始了。恶魔都做不出像他们那样坏的事情，但是这位王子却认为他们的行为很好。他的威力一天一天地增大；他的名字大家一提起来就害怕；他做什么事情都得到成功。
他从被征服了的城市中搜刮来许多金子和大量财富。他在京城里积蓄的财富，比什么地方都多。他下令建立起许多辉煌的宫殿、教堂和拱廊。凡是见过这些华丽场面的人都说：“多么伟大的王子啊！”他们没有想到他在别的国家里造成的灾难，他们没有听到从那些烧毁了的城市的废墟中发出的呻吟和叹息声。
这位王子瞧瞧他的金子，瞧瞧他那些雄伟的建筑物，也不禁有与众人同样的想法：“多么伟大的王子啊！不过，我还要有更多、更多的东西！我不准世上有任何其他的威力赶上我，更不用说超过我！”
于是他对所有的邻国掀起战争，并且征服了它们。当他乘着车子在街道上走过的时候，他就把那些俘虏来的国王套上金链条，系在他的车上。吃饭的时候，他强迫这些国王跪在他和他的朝臣们的脚下，同时从餐桌上扔下面包屑，要他们吃。现在王子下令要把他的雕像竖在所有的广场上和宫殿里，甚至还想竖在教堂神龛面前呢。不过祭司们说：“你的确威力不小，不过上帝的威力比你的要大得多。我们不敢做这样的事情。”
“那么好吧，”恶毒的王子说，“我要征服上帝！”他心里充满了傲慢和愚蠢，他下令要建造一只巧妙的船。他要坐上这条船在空中航行。这条船必须像孔雀尾巴一样色彩鲜艳，必须像是嵌着几千只眼睛――但是每只眼睛却是一个炮孔。王子只须坐在船的中央，按一下羽毛就有一千颗子弹向四面射出，同时这些枪就立刻又自动地装上子弹。船的前面套着几百只大鹰――他就这样向太阳飞去。大地低低地横在下面。地上的大山和森林，第一眼看来就像加过工的田野；绿苗从它犁过了的草皮里冒出来。不一会儿就像一张平整的地图；最后它就完全在云雾中不见了。这些鹰在空中越飞越高。这时上帝从他无数的安琪儿当中，先派遣了一位安琪儿。这个邪恶的王子就马上向他射出几千发子弹；不过子弹像冰雹一样，都被安琪儿光耀的翅膀撞回来了。有一滴血――唯一的一滴血――从那雪白的翅膀上的羽毛上落下来，落在这位王子乘坐的船上。血在船里烧起来，像５００多吨重的铅，击碎了这条船，同时把这条船沉沉地压下来。那些鹰的坚强的羽毛都断了。风在王子的头上呼啸。那焚烧着的船发出的烟雾在他周围集结成骇人的形状，像一些向他伸着尖锐前爪的庞大的螃蟹，也像一些滚动着的石堆和喷火的巨龙。
王子在船里，吓得半死。这条船最后落在一个浓密的森林上面。
“我要战胜上帝！”他说。“我既起了这个誓言，我的意志必须实现！”
他花了七年工夫制造出一些能在空中航行的、精巧的船。他用最坚固的钢制造出闪电来，因为他希望攻破天上的堡垒。他在他的领土里招募了一支强大的军队。当这些军队排列成队形的时候，他们可以铺满许多里地的面积。他们爬上这些船，王子也走进他的那条船，这时上帝送来一群蚊蚋――只是一小群蚊蚋。这些小虫子在王子的周围嗡嗡地叫，刺着他的脸和手。他一生气就抽出剑来，但是他只刺着不可捉摸的空气，刺不着蚊蚋。于是他命令他的部下拿最贵重的帷幔把他包起来，使得蚊蚋刺不着他。他的下人执行了他的命令。不过帷幔里面贴着一只小蚊蚋。它钻进王子的耳朵里，在那里面刺他。它刺得像火烧一样，它的毒穿进他的脑子。他把帷幔从他的身上撕掉，把衣服也撕掉。他在那些粗鲁、野蛮的兵士面前一丝不挂地跳起舞来。这些兵士现在都讥笑着这个疯了的王子――这个想向上帝进攻、而自己却被一个小蚊蚋征服了的王子。
这篇小故事最初发表于１８４０年１０月在哥本哈根出版的《沙龙》杂志上。安徒生在他的手记中说，这是一个在民间口头上流传的故事，他记得很清楚。于是，就写成一篇童话，把这个故事的这样内涵意义表达出来：一个貌似凶猛、不可一世的暴君――即现代所谓的独裁者――往往会在一些渺小的人物手上栽跟头，导致他的“伟大事业彻底失败”。这个故事中的王子做梦也没有想到，他会被一个钻进他的耳朵里去的小蚊蚋弄得最后发了疯。
HERE lived once upon a time a wicked prince whose heart and mind were to set upon conquering all the countries of the world, and on frightening the people; he devastated their countries with fire and sword, and his soldiers trod down the crops in the fields and destroyed the peasants' huts by fire, so that the flames licked the green leaves off the branches, and the fruit hung dried up on the singed black trees. Many a poor mother fled, her naked baby in her arms, behind the still smoking walls of her cottage; but also there the soldiers followed her, and when they found her, she served as new nourishment to their diabolical enjoyments; demons could not possibly have done worse things than these soldiers! The prince was of opinion that all this was right, and that it was only the natural course which things ought to take. His power increased day by day, his name was feared by all, and fortune favoured his deeds.
He brought enormous wealth home from the conquered towns, and gradually accumulated in his residence riches which could nowhere be equalled. He erected magnificent palaces, churches, and halls, and all who saw these splendid buildings and great treasures exclaimed admiringly: “What a mighty prince!” But they did not know what endless misery he had brought upon other countries, nor did they hear the sighs and lamentations which rose up from the débris of the destroyed cities.
The prince often looked with delight upon his gold and his magnificent edifices, and thought, like the crowd: “What a mighty prince! But I must have more―much more. No power on earth must equal mine, far less exceed it.”
He made war with all his neighbours, and defeated them. The conquered kings were chained up with golden fetters to his chariot when he drove through the streets of his city. These kings had to kneel at his and his courtiers' feet when they sat at table, and live on the morsels which they left. At last the prince had his own statue erected on the public places and fixed on the royal palaces; nay, he even wished it to be placed in the churches, on the altars, but in this the priests opposed him, saying: “Prince, you are mighty indeed, but God's power is much greater than yours; we dare not obey your orders.”
“Well,” said the prince. “Then I will conquer God too.” And in his haughtiness and foolish presumption he ordered a magnificent ship to be constructed, with which he could sail through the air; it was gorgeously fitted out and of many colours; like the tail of a peacock, it was covered with thousands of eyes, but each eye was the barrel of a gun. The prince sat in the centre of the ship, and had only to touch a spring in order to make thousands of bullets fly out in all directions, while the guns were at once loaded again. Hundreds of eagles were attached to this ship, and it rose with the swiftness of an arrow up towards the sun. The earth was soon left far below, and looked, with its mountains and woods, like a cornfield where the plough had made furrows which separated green meadows; soon it looked only like a map with indistinct lines upon it; and at last it entirely disappeared in mist and clouds. Higher and higher rose the eagles up into the air; then God sent one of his numberless angels against the ship. The wicked prince showered thousands of bullets upon him, but they rebounded from his shining wings and fell down like ordinary hailstones. One drop of blood, one single drop, came out of the white feathers of the angel's wings and fell upon the ship in which the prince sat, burnt into it, and weighed upon it like thousands of hundredweights, dragging it rapidly down to the earth again; the strong wings of the eagles gave way, the wind roared round the prince's head, and the clouds around―were they formed by the smoke rising up from the burnt cities?―took strange shapes, like crabs many, many miles long, which stretched their claws out after him, and rose up like enormous rocks, from which rolling masses dashed down, and became fire-spitting dragons.
The prince was lying half-dead in his ship, when it sank at last with a terrible shock into the branches of a large tree in the wood.
“I will conquer God!” said the prince. “I have sworn it: my will must be done!”
And he spent seven years in the construction of wonderful ships to sail through the air, and had darts cast from the hardest steel to break the walls of heaven with. He gathered warriors from all countries, so many that when they were placed side by side they covered the space of several miles. They entered the ships and the prince was approaching his own, when God sent a swarm of gnats―one swarm of little gnats. They buzzed round the prince and stung his face and hands; angrily he drew his sword and brandished it, but he only touched the air and did not hit the gnats. Then he ordered his servants to bring costly coverings and wrap him in them, that the gnats might no longer be able to reach him. The servants carried out his orders, but one single gnat had placed itself inside one of the coverings, crept into the prince's ear and stung him. The place burnt like fire, and the poison entered into his blood. Mad with pain, he tore off the coverings and his clothes too, flinging them far away, and danced about before the eyes of his ferocious soldiers, who now mocked at him, the mad prince, who wished to make war with God, and was overcome by a single little gnat.
Reference Version (参考译文)
从前有一个恶毒而傲慢的王子，他的全部野心是想要征服世界上所有的国家，使人一听到他的名字就害怕。他带着火和剑出征；他的兵士践踏着田野里的麦子，放火焚烧农民的房屋。鲜红的火焰燎着树上的叶子，把果子烧毁，挂在焦黑的树枝上。许多可怜的母亲，抱着赤裸的、仍然在吃奶的孩子藏到那些冒着烟的墙后面去。兵士搜寻着她们。如果找到了她们和孩子，那么他们的恶作剧就开始了。恶魔都做不出像他们那样坏的事情，但是这位王子却认为他们的行为很好。他的威力一天一天地增大；他的名字大家一提起来就害怕；他做什么事情都得到成功。
他从被征服了的城市中搜刮来许多金子和大量财富。他在京城里积蓄的财富，比什么地方都多。他下令建立起许多辉煌的宫殿、教堂和拱廊。凡是见过这些华丽场面的人都说：“多么伟大的王子啊！”他们没有想到他在别的国家里造成的灾难，他们没有听到从那些烧毁了的城市的废墟中发出的呻吟和叹息声。
这位王子瞧瞧他的金子，瞧瞧他那些雄伟的建筑物，也不禁有与众人同样的想法：“多么伟大的王子啊！不过，我还要有更多、更多的东西！我不准世上有任何其他的威力赶上我，更不用说超过我！”
于是他对所有的邻国掀起战争，并且征服了它们。当他乘着车子在街道上走过的时候，他就把那些俘虏来的国王套上金链条，系在他的车上。吃饭的时候，他强迫这些国王跪在他和他的朝臣们的脚下，同时从餐桌上扔下面包屑，要他们吃。现在王子下令要把他的雕像竖在所有的广场上和宫殿里，甚至还想竖在教堂神龛面前呢。不过祭司们说：“你的确威力不小，不过上帝的威力比你的要大得多。我们不敢做这样的事情。”
“那么好吧，”恶毒的王子说，“我要征服上帝！”他心里充满了傲慢和愚蠢，他下令要建造一只巧妙的船。他要坐上这条船在空中航行。这条船必须像孔雀尾巴一样色彩鲜艳，必须像是嵌着几千只眼睛――但是每只眼睛却是一个炮孔。王子只须坐在船的中央，按一下羽毛就有一千颗子弹向四面射出，同时这些枪就立刻又自动地装上子弹。船的前面套着几百只大鹰――他就这样向太阳飞去。大地低低地横在下面。地上的大山和森林，第一眼看来就像加过工的田野；绿苗从它犁过了的草皮里冒出来。不一会儿就像一张平整的地图；最后它就完全在云雾中不见了。这些鹰在空中越飞越高。这时上帝从他无数的安琪儿当中，先派遣了一位安琪儿。这个邪恶的王子就马上向他射出几千发子弹；不过子弹像冰雹一样，都被安琪儿光耀的翅膀撞回来了。有一滴血――唯一的一滴血――从那雪白的翅膀上的羽毛上落下来，落在这位王子乘坐的船上。血在船里烧起来，像５００多吨重的铅，击碎了这条船，同时把这条船沉沉地压下来。那些鹰的坚强的羽毛都断了。风在王子的头上呼啸。那焚烧着的船发出的烟雾在他周围集结成骇人的形状，像一些向他伸着尖锐前爪的庞大的螃蟹，也像一些滚动着的石堆和喷火的巨龙。
王子在船里，吓得半死。这条船最后落在一个浓密的森林上面。
“我要战胜上帝！”他说。“我既起了这个誓言，我的意志必须实现！”
他花了七年工夫制造出一些能在空中航行的、精巧的船。他用最坚固的钢制造出闪电来，因为他希望攻破天上的堡垒。他在他的领土里招募了一支强大的军队。当这些军队排列成队形的时候，他们可以铺满许多里地的面积。他们爬上这些船，王子也走进他的那条船，这时上帝送来一群蚊蚋――只是一小群蚊蚋。这些小虫子在王子的周围嗡嗡地叫，刺着他的脸和手。他一生气就抽出剑来，但是他只刺着不可捉摸的空气，刺不着蚊蚋。于是他命令他的部下拿最贵重的帷幔把他包起来，使得蚊蚋刺不着他。他的下人执行了他的命令。不过帷幔里面贴着一只小蚊蚋。它钻进王子的耳朵里，在那里面刺他。它刺得像火烧一样，它的毒穿进他的脑子。他把帷幔从他的身上撕掉，把衣服也撕掉。他在那些粗鲁、野蛮的兵士面前一丝不挂地跳起舞来。这些兵士现在都讥笑着这个疯了的王子――这个想向上帝进攻、而自己却被一个小蚊蚋征服了的王子。
狗和影子(The Dog and the Shadow)
狗和影子(The Dog and the Shadow)
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now, on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
一只狗嘴里衔着一块肉，走过一条河上面的桥，看见他自己在水里的影子，以为是另一只狗，那时狗衔着的肉，比他自己的还要大一倍。因此他仍掉自己的那一块，狠狠地扑向那只狗，想夺到那一块较大的肉。结果两头都落了空，因为他想要抓取在水中的那一块，只不过是一个影子，而原来的那一块，也被水冲走了。
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
谨记，切莫因追逐幻影而丢失已有的东西。
It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now, on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.
一只狗嘴里衔着一块肉，走过一条河上面的桥，看见他自己在水里的影子，以为是另一只狗，那时狗衔着的肉，比他自己的还要大一倍。因此他仍掉自己的那一块，狠狠地扑向那只狗，想夺到那一块较大的肉。结果两头都落了空，因为他想要抓取在水中的那一块，只不过是一个影子，而原来的那一块，也被水冲走了。
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
谨记，切莫因追逐幻影而丢失已有的东西。
Palladium
Palladium
When Ilus had first built his new seat，the city of Troy， he prayed Zeus to show some sign of blessing for it． His prayer was heard，and a wooden image of Pallas- A-thena fell from heaven to within the walls of the city． Known as the Palladium， the statue afforded the city safety and protection． At religious meetings of the goddess it was carried through the city streets amid joys and songs of praise．
After the flames of war had spread for ten years before the walls of Troy， a prophet foretold that Troy could never be expected to fall as long as the Palladium was treasured by its people ．In order to steal it out，Odysseus and Diomedes slipped into the capital one night in disguise ，known to none but Hellen．The bad woman took out them to He cuba， the queen of Troy， at whose feet Odysseus immediately bowed down and asked formercy．The queen granted their request，and with the help of Helen，they successfully brought the image back to the Greek camp at dawn．
Later it was said that Aeneas got hold of it and carried itwith him to his new land，where it was Preserved together with the goddess' fire．
当伊拉斯最初建造特洛伊城时，他祈求宙斯赐福于这座城市。宙斯听到祈求后，一尊木制的智慧雅典娜像从天堂落到了城墙里。人们将它称作雅典娜神像。这尊木像担任着保卫和看守城市的任务。在祭神的宗教仪式中，它在欢快的气氛和赞美的歌声中被抬着走过城市的所有街道。
在特洛伊建成之前，战火已弥漫了十年。一位预言家说：只要雅典娜的神像受人民的爱戴，特洛伊城就永远不会衰灭。为了将神像偷出城，一天夜里奥德修斯和狄俄墨德斯乔装改扮潜入首都，这一切只有海伦知道。这个可恶的女人把他们介绍给特洛伊皇后赫克犹巴。奥德修斯立刻跪倒在她的面前乞求怜悯。皇后答应了他们的要求，在海伦的帮助下，他们在拂晓的时候成功地带着雕像回到希腊营地。
据说后来埃弥斯得到了雕像并带着它到了自己的新领地。木像和神火一起被保存在这块土地上。
When Ilus had first built his new seat，the city of Troy， he prayed Zeus to show some sign of blessing for it． His prayer was heard，and a wooden image of Pallas- A-thena fell from heaven to within the walls of the city． Known as the Palladium， the statue afforded the city safety and protection． At religious meetings of the goddess it was carried through the city streets amid joys and songs of praise．
After the flames of war had spread for ten years before the walls of Troy， a prophet foretold that Troy could never be expected to fall as long as the Palladium was treasured by its people ．In order to steal it out，Odysseus and Diomedes slipped into the capital one night in disguise ，known to none but Hellen．The bad woman took out them to He cuba， the queen of Troy， at whose feet Odysseus immediately bowed down and asked formercy．The queen granted their request，and with the help of Helen，they successfully brought the image back to the Greek camp at dawn．
Later it was said that Aeneas got hold of it and carried itwith him to his new land，where it was Preserved together with the goddess' fire．
当伊拉斯最初建造特洛伊城时，他祈求宙斯赐福于这座城市。宙斯听到祈求后，一尊木制的智慧雅典娜像从天堂落到了城墙里。人们将它称作雅典娜神像。这尊木像担任着保卫和看守城市的任务。在祭神的宗教仪式中，它在欢快的气氛和赞美的歌声中被抬着走过城市的所有街道。
在特洛伊建成之前，战火已弥漫了十年。一位预言家说：只要雅典娜的神像受人民的爱戴，特洛伊城就永远不会衰灭。为了将神像偷出城，一天夜里奥德修斯和狄俄墨德斯乔装改扮潜入首都，这一切只有海伦知道。这个可恶的女人把他们介绍给特洛伊皇后赫克犹巴。奥德修斯立刻跪倒在她的面前乞求怜悯。皇后答应了他们的要求，在海伦的帮助下，他们在拂晓的时候成功地带着雕像回到希腊营地。
据说后来埃弥斯得到了雕像并带着它到了自己的新领地。木像和神火一起被保存在这块土地上。
Thumbelina 拇指姑娘
She had a little house of her own, a little garden too, this woman of whom I am going to tell you, but for all that she was not quite happy.
"If only I had a little child of my own," she said, “Then, indeed, I should be quite happy."
今天我要讲给大家听的是一个妇女的故事，她有自己的一间小屋和一个小花园，但她还是开心不起来。 她说，我要是有个一丁点小的孩子该多好啊，这样我会多么开心啊。
And an old witch heard what the woman had wished, and said, "Oh, but that is easily managed. Here is a barley-corn. Plant it in a flower-pot and tend it carefully, and then you will see what will happen."
The woman was in a great hurry to go home and plant the barley-corn, but she did not forget to say "thank you" to the old witch. She not only thanked her, she even stayed to give her six silver pennies.
消息传到了一个女巫的耳朵里，她说，哦，这好办的很！这是一颗大麦粒，把它种到花盆里，然后你就等着看会发生什么吧。 女人赶紧跑回家种下麦粒，她没忘对巫婆说声谢谢，不仅如此，她还给了巫婆6个银币。
And what do you think happened? Almost before the corn was planted, up shot a large and beautiful flower. It was still unopened. The petals were folded closely together, but it looked like a tulip. It really was a tulip, a red and yellow one, too.
The woman loved flowers. She stooped and kissed the beautiful bud. As her lips touched the petals, they burst open, and oh! wonder of wonders! there in the very middle of the flower, there sat a little child. Such a tiny, pretty little maiden she was.
They called her Thumbelina. That was because she was no bigger than the woman's thumb.
你猜发生了什么？麦粒刚种下去，一朵美丽的大花就破土而出。这是一朵没开放的花，它的叶子紧紧的包在一起，看起来像是一朵郁金香。它真的是一朵郁金香，而且是红中带黄的。 女人非常喜欢花。她弯腰在美丽的花蕾上亲了一下。她的嘴唇一碰到花瓣，花儿立刻绽放了！噢，太美妙了！就在花的中央，坐着一个小小孩儿！多么小，多么可爱的一个少女啊！ 大家叫她拇指姑娘。因为她只有一个人的拇指那么点大。
And where do you think she slept?
When she slept little Thumbelina lay in her cradle on a tiny heap of violets, with the petal of a pale pink rose to cover her. And where do you think she played? A table was her playground. On the table the woman placed a plate of water. Little Thumbelina called that her lake.
Round the plate were scented flowers, the blossoms laying on the edge, while the pale green stalks reached thirstily down to the water.
你们知道她睡在哪里吗？ 小小拇指姑娘睡觉时躺在用紫罗兰花瓣垫着的胡桃壳里，盖的是粉色玫瑰花瓣。 你知道她又是在怎么玩耍吗？一张桌子就是她玩耍的天地，女人在桌上放了一盘子水，拇指姑娘把它叫做她的湖 盘子上摆了一圈芳香的花儿，花朵沿着边儿排开，而嫩绿的枝干贪婪地伸向水中。
In the lake floated a large tulip leaf. This was Thumbelina's little boat. Seated there she sailed from side to side of her little lake, rowing cleverly with two white horse hairs. As she rowed backwards and forwards she sang softly to herself. The woman listening hardly, and thought she had never known so sweet a song.
And now such a sad thing happened.
In through the broken window-pane hopped a big toad, oh! such an ugly big toad. She hopped right on to the table, where Thumbelina lay dreaming in her tiny cradle, under the pale pink rose leaf.
湖里漂着一片大郁金香叶子，这是拇指姑娘的小船。她灵巧的用两根白马尾做浆，把小船从湖的这头划到那头。她来来回回划船时轻轻地哼着歌儿，女人竖着耳朵听着，她觉得从来没听过这么一首甜美的歌。 可是就在这时发生了一件令人伤心的事。 一只大癞蛤蟆从破窗格子里跳了进来。天啊，多么丑陋的一只癞蛤蟆，她一下子跳到桌上，拇指姑娘此刻正盖着粉红的玫瑰花瓣，躺在小摇篮里做着美梦呢。
She peeped at her, this ugly toad.
"How beautiful the little maiden is," she croaked. "She will make a lovely bride for my handsome son." And she lifted the little cradle, with Thumbelina in it, and hopped out through the broken window-pane, down into the garden.
At the foot of the garden was a broad stream. Here, under the muddy banks lived the old toad with her son.
这只丑蛤蟆偷窥着她， “呱呱，这姑娘真漂亮！正好做我那漂亮儿子的新娘！”于是她抓起拇指姑娘正睡着的小摇篮，从破窗格子跳了出去，跳进了花园。 花园底下有一条宽宽的小溪，癞蛤蟆和她儿子就住在这泥泞的岸边。
How handsome she thought him! But he was really very ugly. Indeed, he was exactly like his mother.
When he saw little Thumbelina in her tiny cradle, he croaked with delight.
"Do not make so much noise," said his mother, "or you will wake the tiny creature. We may lose her if we are not careful. The slightest breeze would waft her far away. She is as light as gossamer."
癞蛤蟆觉得她儿子长的好看极了，但事实上他非常丑。他和他妈简直就是一个模子里铸出来的！ 当他看见小床里的拇指姑娘时，兴奋的呱呱大叫起来。 “别吵”！他妈说，“你会把这小可爱吵醒的！我们不小心点的话会让她跑掉的！微风都能把她吹走，她就像纱一样轻啊。”
Then the old toad carried Thumbelina out into the middle of the stream. "She will be safe here," she said, as she laid her gently on one of the leaves of a large water lily, and paddled back to her son.
"We will make ready the best rooms under the mud," she told him, "and then you and the little maiden will be married."
Poor little Thumbelina! She had not seen the ugly big toad yet, nor her ugly son.
When she woke up early in the morning, how she wept! Water all around her! How could she reach the shore? Poor little Thumbelina!
老蛤蟆把拇指姑娘背到河中央，“她在这里会很安全”，她说，把她轻轻地放在一片大睡莲的叶子上，然后游回到儿子身边。 我们要在泥巴下建几间最好的屋子，老蛤蟆说，这样你和她就可以结婚啦！ 可怜的拇指姑娘！她还从没见过这两只丑癞蛤蟆啊。 拇指姑娘一早醒来发现自己的处境后，伤心的哭泣起来，她的四周都是水！怎么回到岸上呢？可怜的拇指姑娘啊！
Down under the mud the old toad was very busy, decking the best room with buttercups and buds of water-lilies to make it gay for her little daughter-in-law, Thumbelina.
"Now we will go to bring her little bed and place it ready," said the old toad, and together she and her son swam out to the leaf where little Thumbelina sat.
"Croak, croak," was all the young toad could say, as he looked at his pretty little bride. 地底下呢， 老癞蛤蟆正忙着用灯芯草和黄睡莲把房间装饰了一番――新媳妇要住在里面，当然应该收拾得漂亮一点才对。 好了，现在我们要把她的小床搬来放到洞房里，老蛤蟆说，随后她就和她的儿子向那片托着拇指姑娘的叶子游去。 “阁！阁！呱！呱！呱！”这位少爷看着他漂亮的小新娘所能讲出的话，就只有这一点。
Then they took away the tiny little bed, and Thumbelina was left alone.
How the tears stained her pretty little face! How fast they fell into the stream! Even the fish as they swam hither and thither thought, "How it rains to-day," as the tiny drops fell thick and fast.
They popped up their heads and saw the forlorn little maiden. "She shall not marry the ugly toad," they said, as they looked with eager eyes at the pretty child. "No, she shall not marry the ugly toad."
But what could the little fish do to help Thumbelina?
Oh! they were such clever little fish!
They found the green stem which held the leaf on which Thumbelina sat. They bit it with their little sharp teeth, and they never stopped biting, till at last they bit the green stem through; and away, down the stream, floated the leaf, carrying with the little Thumbelina.
他们搬走了小床，把拇指姑娘一个人留在那里。
拇指姑娘哭花了她的小脸，眼泪滴进了小河里。她哭得越来越伤心，眼泪滴得越来越快，游来游去的鱼儿都在想，下大雨了呀？
他们探出小脑袋来，看见了这个可怜的小姑娘。
他们焦急的看着这么个可人儿，大家一致认为：她不能嫁给那个丑癞蛤蟆
但是小鱼能帮上拇指姑娘什么忙呢？
喔，他们真是聪明的小东西！
它们找到了托着那片绿叶的梗子――拇指姑娘就坐在那上面。它们用小尖牙咬那个梗子，不停地咬，直到把它咬断为止，使得这片叶子顺着水流走了，带着拇指姑娘流走了.
Free, free!" she sang, and her voice tinkled as a chime of fairy bells. "Free, free! " she sang merrily as she floated down the stream, away, far way out of reach of the ugly old toad and her ugly son.
And as she floated on, the little wild birds sang round her, and on the banks the little wild harebells bowed to her.
Butterflies were flitting here and there in the sunshine. A pretty little white one fluttered on to the leaf on which sat Thumbelina. He loved the tiny maiden so well that he settled down beside her.
Now she was quite happy! Birds around here, flowers near her, and the water gleaming like gold in the summer sunshine. What besides could little Thumbelina wish?
自由啦，自由啦，拇指姑娘唱起歌来，歌声像仙女的铃铛叮当响。自由啦，自由啦，她一边顺着河漂流一边愉快地唱歌，越漂越远，漂到癞蛤蟆够不着她的地方。 小鸟围绕着她唱歌，岸边野地里的蓝铃花也向她鞠躬。 蝴蝶在阳光下飞来飞去，一只很可爱的白蝴蝶飞落到拇指姑娘坐着的叶子上来，它是那么喜欢拇指姑娘于是它停在了她的身边。 拇指姑娘真是太开心了！小鸟儿在旁边飞，花儿也陪伴她左右，河水在夏日阳光的照耀下闪烁着金光。除此之外小小拇指姑娘还赊求什么呢？
She took off her sash and threw one end of it round the butterfly. The other end she fastened firmly to the leaf. On and on floated the leaf, the little maiden and the butterfly.
Suddenly a great cockchafer buzzed along. Alas! he caught sight of little Thumbelina. He flew to her, put his claw round her tiny waist and carried her off, up on to a tree.
Poor little Thumbelina! How frightened she was! How grieved she was, too. Would he fly away, she wondered, or would her sash hold him fast?
她解下腰带，把一端系在蝴蝶身上，把另一端紧紧地系在叶子上。叶子带着拇指姑娘一起很快地在水上流走了。 突然一只很大的金龟子嗡嗡嗡飞过。哎呀，他看到了她。他飞向她，用爪子抓住她纤细的腰，把她带到一棵树上去了。 可怜的拇指姑娘！她是多么地害怕！她又是多么地伤心！他飞走了没有？腰带会不会把他系的太紧了？
The cockchafer was charmed with the little maiden. He placed her tenderly on the largest leaf he could find. He gathered honey for her from the flowers, and as she sipped it, he sat near and told her how beautiful she looked.
But there were other chafers living in the tree, and when they came to see little Thumbelina, they said, "She is not pretty at all."
"She only has two legs," said one.
"She has no feelers," said another.
Some said she was too thin, others said she was too fat, and then they all buzzed and hummed together, "How ugly she is, how ugly she is!" But all the time little Thumbelina was the prettiest, daintiest little maiden that ever lived.
金龟子为这个小少女而倾倒，他温柔地把她放在最大的一片叶子上，还取出蜜糖给她吃，她吸吮着蜜糖，他坐在旁边告诉她是多么漂亮。 树林里还住着其它金龟子，他们都跑来看拇指姑娘，“呦，她长的一点都不好看呐。” 有一个说：“她不过只有两条腿罢了！” “她连触须都没有！”另一个说。 他们七嘴八舌，有的说她太瘦了，有的说她太胖了， 然后所有的金龟子一齐叫道，“她多么丑啊！太丑了！”但不管怎么说拇指姑娘确实是这个世界上最美丽，最娇艳的姑娘。
And now the cockchafer who had flown off with little Thumbelina thought he had been rather foolish to admire her.
He looked at her again. "Pretty? No, after all she was not very pretty." He would have nothing to do with her, and away he and all the other chafers flew. Only first they carried little Thumbelina down from the tree and placed her on a daisy. She wept because she was so ugly - so ugly that the chafers could not live with her. But all the time, you know, she was the prettiest little maiden in the world.
于是现在呢，金龟子觉得自己崇拜她真是太傻了，他再仔细端详她，真的很美吗？不，并不是很美。他再也没兴趣为她做任何事情了，他和其他金龟子一起飞走了。他们带着她从树上飞下来，把她放在一朵雏菊上面。她在那上面哭得怪伤心的，因为她长得那么丑，连金龟子也不要她了。可是她仍然是人们所想象不到的一个最美丽的人儿。
"If only I had a little child of my own," she said, “Then, indeed, I should be quite happy."
今天我要讲给大家听的是一个妇女的故事，她有自己的一间小屋和一个小花园，但她还是开心不起来。 她说，我要是有个一丁点小的孩子该多好啊，这样我会多么开心啊。
And an old witch heard what the woman had wished, and said, "Oh, but that is easily managed. Here is a barley-corn. Plant it in a flower-pot and tend it carefully, and then you will see what will happen."
The woman was in a great hurry to go home and plant the barley-corn, but she did not forget to say "thank you" to the old witch. She not only thanked her, she even stayed to give her six silver pennies.
消息传到了一个女巫的耳朵里，她说，哦，这好办的很！这是一颗大麦粒，把它种到花盆里，然后你就等着看会发生什么吧。 女人赶紧跑回家种下麦粒，她没忘对巫婆说声谢谢，不仅如此，她还给了巫婆6个银币。
And what do you think happened? Almost before the corn was planted, up shot a large and beautiful flower. It was still unopened. The petals were folded closely together, but it looked like a tulip. It really was a tulip, a red and yellow one, too.
The woman loved flowers. She stooped and kissed the beautiful bud. As her lips touched the petals, they burst open, and oh! wonder of wonders! there in the very middle of the flower, there sat a little child. Such a tiny, pretty little maiden she was.
They called her Thumbelina. That was because she was no bigger than the woman's thumb.
你猜发生了什么？麦粒刚种下去，一朵美丽的大花就破土而出。这是一朵没开放的花，它的叶子紧紧的包在一起，看起来像是一朵郁金香。它真的是一朵郁金香，而且是红中带黄的。 女人非常喜欢花。她弯腰在美丽的花蕾上亲了一下。她的嘴唇一碰到花瓣，花儿立刻绽放了！噢，太美妙了！就在花的中央，坐着一个小小孩儿！多么小，多么可爱的一个少女啊！ 大家叫她拇指姑娘。因为她只有一个人的拇指那么点大。
And where do you think she slept?
When she slept little Thumbelina lay in her cradle on a tiny heap of violets, with the petal of a pale pink rose to cover her. And where do you think she played? A table was her playground. On the table the woman placed a plate of water. Little Thumbelina called that her lake.
Round the plate were scented flowers, the blossoms laying on the edge, while the pale green stalks reached thirstily down to the water.
你们知道她睡在哪里吗？ 小小拇指姑娘睡觉时躺在用紫罗兰花瓣垫着的胡桃壳里，盖的是粉色玫瑰花瓣。 你知道她又是在怎么玩耍吗？一张桌子就是她玩耍的天地，女人在桌上放了一盘子水，拇指姑娘把它叫做她的湖 盘子上摆了一圈芳香的花儿，花朵沿着边儿排开，而嫩绿的枝干贪婪地伸向水中。
In the lake floated a large tulip leaf. This was Thumbelina's little boat. Seated there she sailed from side to side of her little lake, rowing cleverly with two white horse hairs. As she rowed backwards and forwards she sang softly to herself. The woman listening hardly, and thought she had never known so sweet a song.
And now such a sad thing happened.
In through the broken window-pane hopped a big toad, oh! such an ugly big toad. She hopped right on to the table, where Thumbelina lay dreaming in her tiny cradle, under the pale pink rose leaf.
湖里漂着一片大郁金香叶子，这是拇指姑娘的小船。她灵巧的用两根白马尾做浆，把小船从湖的这头划到那头。她来来回回划船时轻轻地哼着歌儿，女人竖着耳朵听着，她觉得从来没听过这么一首甜美的歌。 可是就在这时发生了一件令人伤心的事。 一只大癞蛤蟆从破窗格子里跳了进来。天啊，多么丑陋的一只癞蛤蟆，她一下子跳到桌上，拇指姑娘此刻正盖着粉红的玫瑰花瓣，躺在小摇篮里做着美梦呢。
She peeped at her, this ugly toad.
"How beautiful the little maiden is," she croaked. "She will make a lovely bride for my handsome son." And she lifted the little cradle, with Thumbelina in it, and hopped out through the broken window-pane, down into the garden.
At the foot of the garden was a broad stream. Here, under the muddy banks lived the old toad with her son.
这只丑蛤蟆偷窥着她， “呱呱，这姑娘真漂亮！正好做我那漂亮儿子的新娘！”于是她抓起拇指姑娘正睡着的小摇篮，从破窗格子跳了出去，跳进了花园。 花园底下有一条宽宽的小溪，癞蛤蟆和她儿子就住在这泥泞的岸边。
How handsome she thought him! But he was really very ugly. Indeed, he was exactly like his mother.
When he saw little Thumbelina in her tiny cradle, he croaked with delight.
"Do not make so much noise," said his mother, "or you will wake the tiny creature. We may lose her if we are not careful. The slightest breeze would waft her far away. She is as light as gossamer."
癞蛤蟆觉得她儿子长的好看极了，但事实上他非常丑。他和他妈简直就是一个模子里铸出来的！ 当他看见小床里的拇指姑娘时，兴奋的呱呱大叫起来。 “别吵”！他妈说，“你会把这小可爱吵醒的！我们不小心点的话会让她跑掉的！微风都能把她吹走，她就像纱一样轻啊。”
Then the old toad carried Thumbelina out into the middle of the stream. "She will be safe here," she said, as she laid her gently on one of the leaves of a large water lily, and paddled back to her son.
"We will make ready the best rooms under the mud," she told him, "and then you and the little maiden will be married."
Poor little Thumbelina! She had not seen the ugly big toad yet, nor her ugly son.
When she woke up early in the morning, how she wept! Water all around her! How could she reach the shore? Poor little Thumbelina!
老蛤蟆把拇指姑娘背到河中央，“她在这里会很安全”，她说，把她轻轻地放在一片大睡莲的叶子上，然后游回到儿子身边。 我们要在泥巴下建几间最好的屋子，老蛤蟆说，这样你和她就可以结婚啦！ 可怜的拇指姑娘！她还从没见过这两只丑癞蛤蟆啊。 拇指姑娘一早醒来发现自己的处境后，伤心的哭泣起来，她的四周都是水！怎么回到岸上呢？可怜的拇指姑娘啊！
Down under the mud the old toad was very busy, decking the best room with buttercups and buds of water-lilies to make it gay for her little daughter-in-law, Thumbelina.
"Now we will go to bring her little bed and place it ready," said the old toad, and together she and her son swam out to the leaf where little Thumbelina sat.
"Croak, croak," was all the young toad could say, as he looked at his pretty little bride. 地底下呢， 老癞蛤蟆正忙着用灯芯草和黄睡莲把房间装饰了一番――新媳妇要住在里面，当然应该收拾得漂亮一点才对。 好了，现在我们要把她的小床搬来放到洞房里，老蛤蟆说，随后她就和她的儿子向那片托着拇指姑娘的叶子游去。 “阁！阁！呱！呱！呱！”这位少爷看着他漂亮的小新娘所能讲出的话，就只有这一点。
Then they took away the tiny little bed, and Thumbelina was left alone.
How the tears stained her pretty little face! How fast they fell into the stream! Even the fish as they swam hither and thither thought, "How it rains to-day," as the tiny drops fell thick and fast.
They popped up their heads and saw the forlorn little maiden. "She shall not marry the ugly toad," they said, as they looked with eager eyes at the pretty child. "No, she shall not marry the ugly toad."
But what could the little fish do to help Thumbelina?
Oh! they were such clever little fish!
They found the green stem which held the leaf on which Thumbelina sat. They bit it with their little sharp teeth, and they never stopped biting, till at last they bit the green stem through; and away, down the stream, floated the leaf, carrying with the little Thumbelina.
他们搬走了小床，把拇指姑娘一个人留在那里。
拇指姑娘哭花了她的小脸，眼泪滴进了小河里。她哭得越来越伤心，眼泪滴得越来越快，游来游去的鱼儿都在想，下大雨了呀？
他们探出小脑袋来，看见了这个可怜的小姑娘。
他们焦急的看着这么个可人儿，大家一致认为：她不能嫁给那个丑癞蛤蟆
但是小鱼能帮上拇指姑娘什么忙呢？
喔，他们真是聪明的小东西！
它们找到了托着那片绿叶的梗子――拇指姑娘就坐在那上面。它们用小尖牙咬那个梗子，不停地咬，直到把它咬断为止，使得这片叶子顺着水流走了，带着拇指姑娘流走了.
Free, free!" she sang, and her voice tinkled as a chime of fairy bells. "Free, free! " she sang merrily as she floated down the stream, away, far way out of reach of the ugly old toad and her ugly son.
And as she floated on, the little wild birds sang round her, and on the banks the little wild harebells bowed to her.
Butterflies were flitting here and there in the sunshine. A pretty little white one fluttered on to the leaf on which sat Thumbelina. He loved the tiny maiden so well that he settled down beside her.
Now she was quite happy! Birds around here, flowers near her, and the water gleaming like gold in the summer sunshine. What besides could little Thumbelina wish?
自由啦，自由啦，拇指姑娘唱起歌来，歌声像仙女的铃铛叮当响。自由啦，自由啦，她一边顺着河漂流一边愉快地唱歌，越漂越远，漂到癞蛤蟆够不着她的地方。 小鸟围绕着她唱歌，岸边野地里的蓝铃花也向她鞠躬。 蝴蝶在阳光下飞来飞去，一只很可爱的白蝴蝶飞落到拇指姑娘坐着的叶子上来，它是那么喜欢拇指姑娘于是它停在了她的身边。 拇指姑娘真是太开心了！小鸟儿在旁边飞，花儿也陪伴她左右，河水在夏日阳光的照耀下闪烁着金光。除此之外小小拇指姑娘还赊求什么呢？
She took off her sash and threw one end of it round the butterfly. The other end she fastened firmly to the leaf. On and on floated the leaf, the little maiden and the butterfly.
Suddenly a great cockchafer buzzed along. Alas! he caught sight of little Thumbelina. He flew to her, put his claw round her tiny waist and carried her off, up on to a tree.
Poor little Thumbelina! How frightened she was! How grieved she was, too. Would he fly away, she wondered, or would her sash hold him fast?
她解下腰带，把一端系在蝴蝶身上，把另一端紧紧地系在叶子上。叶子带着拇指姑娘一起很快地在水上流走了。 突然一只很大的金龟子嗡嗡嗡飞过。哎呀，他看到了她。他飞向她，用爪子抓住她纤细的腰，把她带到一棵树上去了。 可怜的拇指姑娘！她是多么地害怕！她又是多么地伤心！他飞走了没有？腰带会不会把他系的太紧了？
The cockchafer was charmed with the little maiden. He placed her tenderly on the largest leaf he could find. He gathered honey for her from the flowers, and as she sipped it, he sat near and told her how beautiful she looked.
But there were other chafers living in the tree, and when they came to see little Thumbelina, they said, "She is not pretty at all."
"She only has two legs," said one.
"She has no feelers," said another.
Some said she was too thin, others said she was too fat, and then they all buzzed and hummed together, "How ugly she is, how ugly she is!" But all the time little Thumbelina was the prettiest, daintiest little maiden that ever lived.
金龟子为这个小少女而倾倒，他温柔地把她放在最大的一片叶子上，还取出蜜糖给她吃，她吸吮着蜜糖，他坐在旁边告诉她是多么漂亮。 树林里还住着其它金龟子，他们都跑来看拇指姑娘，“呦，她长的一点都不好看呐。” 有一个说：“她不过只有两条腿罢了！” “她连触须都没有！”另一个说。 他们七嘴八舌，有的说她太瘦了，有的说她太胖了， 然后所有的金龟子一齐叫道，“她多么丑啊！太丑了！”但不管怎么说拇指姑娘确实是这个世界上最美丽，最娇艳的姑娘。
And now the cockchafer who had flown off with little Thumbelina thought he had been rather foolish to admire her.
He looked at her again. "Pretty? No, after all she was not very pretty." He would have nothing to do with her, and away he and all the other chafers flew. Only first they carried little Thumbelina down from the tree and placed her on a daisy. She wept because she was so ugly - so ugly that the chafers could not live with her. But all the time, you know, she was the prettiest little maiden in the world.
于是现在呢，金龟子觉得自己崇拜她真是太傻了，他再仔细端详她，真的很美吗？不，并不是很美。他再也没兴趣为她做任何事情了，他和其他金龟子一起飞走了。他们带着她从树上飞下来，把她放在一朵雏菊上面。她在那上面哭得怪伤心的，因为她长得那么丑，连金龟子也不要她了。可是她仍然是人们所想象不到的一个最美丽的人儿。
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