《小妖精和杂货商》，1853
    the goblin and the huckster, 1853
    ---
    尽管小妖精和杂货商都出现在标题中，但小妖精才是这个故事真正的主角。
    despite the fact that both goblin and grocer appear in the title, the goblin is the real hero of the tale.
    奇怪的是，安徒生安排了三个角色，但没有把学生 \/ 诗人放在标题里。
    oddly, andersen has a cast of three but does not include the student\/poet in the title.
    小妖精，一个幻想中的生物，架起了学生充满诗意幻想的世界和杂货商充满商业与商品的世界之间的桥梁。
    the goblin, a creature of fantasy, bridges the student’s world of poetic visions and the grocer’s world of merce and modities.
    他实现了从杂货商那里获得物质支持（住所和一碗粥）以及从诗人那里获得精神滋养（从书页中浮现的幻想）的梦想。
    he lives out the dream of receiving material sustenance from the grocer (housing and a bowl of porridge) and spiritual nourishment from the poet (the visions that emerge from the pages of books).
    《小妖精和杂货商》被收录在安德鲁?朗于 19 世纪末出版的着名儿童童话系列书籍中，至今仍在印刷。
    “the goblin and the grocer” was included in andrew lang’s famous fairy-tale series of books for children published at the end of the nineteenth century and still in print today.
    然而，它并没有获得安徒生其他故事那样的经典地位，部分原因是它与其说是一个给孩子的童话故事，不如说是一个给成年人的关于阅读的寓言。
    and yet it has not attained the canonical status of other tales by andersen, in part because it is less a fairy tale for children than an allegory of reading for adults.
    这个故事写于 1849 年，大约在安徒生的短篇小说越来越多地涉及艺术的时候，它赞美了书页上的文字将自身转化为闪闪发光的美丽幻想的力量，也颂扬了见证阅读行为的乐趣。
    the story, written in 1849, around the time that andersen’s short stories were being increasingly occupied with art, celebrates the power of words on a page to transform themselves into shimmering visions of beauty and also tols the pleasures of witnessing the act of reading.
    当学生正在读一本 “破旧的书” 时，他那小小的阁楼房间变成了一个明亮的天堂，充满了景象、声音和香气。
    while the student is reading from a “tattered book,” his tiny attic room transforms itself into a luminous paradise, filled with sights, sounds, and aromas.
    仅仅通过观察学生，小妖精自己就能够体验到这本书的幻想力量。
    the goblin, solely by observing the student, is able to perience for himself the visionary power of the book.
    被物质和精神所吸引，小妖精找到了一种既能拥有粥又能享用它的方法。
    drawn to the material and to the spiritual, the goblin finds a way to have his porridge and eat it too.
    ---
    从前有一个普通的学生，他住在阁楼里，一无所有。
    there was once a regular student, who lived in a garret, and had no possessions.
    还有一个普通的杂货商，房子是他的，他住在一楼。
    and there was also a regular huckster, to whom the house belonged, and who occupied the ground floor.
    一个小妖精和杂货商住在一起，因为在圣诞节的时候，他总是有一大盘满满的果酱，中间还有一大块黄油。
    a goblin lived with the huckster, because at christmas he always had a large dish full of jam, with a great piece of butter in the middle.
    杂货商能负担得起这些；所以小妖精留在了杂货商那里，这对他来说很狡猾。
    the huckster could afford this; and therefore the goblin remained with the huckster, which was very cunning of him.
    一天晚上，学生从后门走进商店为自己买蜡烛和奶酪，他没有人可派，所以他自己来了；他得到了他想要的东西，然后杂货商和他的妻子向他点头道晚安，她是一个不止会点头的女人，因为她通常有很多话要说。
    one evening the student came into the shop through the back door to buy candles and cheese for himself, he had no one to send, and therefore he came himself; he obtained what he wished, and then the huckster and his wife nodded good evening to him, and she was a woman who could do more than merely nod, for she had usually plenty to say for herself.
    学生转身离开时也点头回应，然后突然停下来，开始读包着奶酪的那张纸。
    the student nodded in return as he turned to leave, then suddenly stopped, and began reading the piece of paper in which the cheese was wrapped.
    这是从一本旧书中撕下的一页，一本不应该被撕毁的书，因为它充满了诗歌。
    it was a leaf torn out of an old book, a book that ought not to have been torn up, for it was full of poetry.
    “那边还有一些同样的。” 杂货商说：“我用一些咖啡豆从一个老妇人那里换来了这个；如果你愿意，你可以用六便士买下剩下的。”
    “yonder lies some more of the same sort,” said the huckster: “i gave an old woman a few coffee berries for it; you shall have the rest for sixpence, if you will.”
    “我当然愿意。” 学生说：“把书给我而不是奶酪；没有奶酪我也可以吃我的面包和黄油。像这样撕毁一本书是一种罪过。”
    “indeed i will,” said the student; “give me the book instead of the cheese; i can eat my bread and butter without cheese. it would be a sin to tear up a book like this.
    “你是个聪明人，也是个务实的人，但你对诗歌的了解不比那边那个桶多。”
    “you are a clever man; and a practical man; but you understand no more about poetry than that cask yonder.”
    这是非常无礼的话，尤其是针对那个桶；但杂货商和学生都笑了，因为这只是开玩笑说的。
    this was a very rude speech, especially against the cask; but the huckster and the student both laughed, for it was only said in fun.
    但是小妖精非常生气，竟然有人敢对一个是户主并且卖最好黄油的杂货商说这样的话。
    but the goblin felt very angry that any man should venture to say such things to a huckster who was a householder and sold the best butter.
    一到晚上，商店关门，除了学生每个人都上床睡觉了，小妖精轻轻地走进杂货商妻子睡觉的卧室，拿走了她的舌头，当然，那时她并不需要舌头。
    as soon as it was night, and the shop closed, and every one in bed cept the student, the goblin stepped softly into the bedroom where the huckster’s wife slept, and took away her tongue, which of course, she did not then want.
    无论他把舌头放在房间里的哪个物品上，那个物品立刻就有了声音和话语，并且能够像那位女士自己一样轻松地表达它的想法和感受。
    whatever object in the room he placed his tongue upon immediately received voice and speech, and was able to press its thoughts and feelings as readily as the lady herself could do.
    一次只能被一个物品使用，这是好事，因为如果很多东西同时说话会引起很大的混乱。
    it could only be used by one object at a time, which was a good thing, as a number speaking at once would have caused great confusion.
    小妖精把舌头放在桶上，桶里有很多旧报纸。
    the goblin laid the tongue upon the cask, in which lay a quantity of old newspapers.
    “真的是这样吗，” 他问道，“你真的不知道诗歌是什么吗？”
    “is it really true,” he asked, “that you do not know what poetry is?”
    “我当然知道，” 桶回答说：“诗歌是总是在报纸的角落里的东西，有时会被剪下来；我可以大胆地断言，我里面的诗歌比那个学生拥有的还多，而我只是杂货商的一个可怜的桶。”
    “of course i know,” replied the cask: “poetry is something that always stand in the corner of a newspaper, and is sometimes cut out; and i may venture to affirm that i have more of it in me than the student has, and i am only a poor tub of the huckster’s.”
    然后小妖精把舌头放在咖啡磨上；它确实转起来了！接着他把舌头放在黄油桶和钱箱上，它们都和废纸桶表达了同样的观点；而多数人的意见总是要被尊重的。
    then the goblin placed the tongue on the coffee mill; and how it did go to be sure! then he put it on the butter tub and the cash box, and they all pressed the same opinion as the waste-paper tub; and a majority must always be respected.
    “现在我要去告诉学生。” 小妖精说；说着他悄悄地走上后楼梯，来到学生住的阁楼。
    “now i shall go and tell the student,” said the goblin; and with these words he went quietly up the back stairs to the garret where the student lived.
    他还点着一支蜡烛，小妖精透过钥匙孔往里看，看到他正在读从商店里拿出来的那本撕破的书。
    he had a candle burning still, and the goblin peeped through the keyhole and saw that he was reading in the torn book, which he had brought out of the shop.
    但是房间多么明亮啊！从书里射出一道光，这道光变得宽阔而饱满，像一棵树的树干，明亮的光线从树干向上扩散，笼罩在学生的头上。
    but how light the room was! from the book shot forth a ray of light which grew broad and full, like the stem of a tree, from which bright rays spread upward and over the student’s head.
    每一片叶子都是新鲜的，每一朵花就像一个美丽的女性的头；有些有着深色而闪亮的眼睛，另一些有着奇妙的蓝色而清澈的眼睛。
    each leaf was fresh, and each flower was like a beautiful female head; some with dark and sparkling eyes, and others with eyes that were wonderfully blue and clear.
    果实像星星一样闪闪发光，房间里充满了美妙的音乐声。
    the fruit gleamed like stars, and the room was filled with sounds of beautiful music.
    小妖精从未想象过，更不用说见过或听过，有任何景象像这样辉煌。
    the little goblin had never imagined, much less seen or heard of, any sight so glorious as this.
    他踮着脚尖静静地站着，往里窥视，直到阁楼里的光熄灭了。
    he stood still on tiptoe, peeping in, till the light went out in the garret.
    毫无疑问，学生吹灭了蜡烛上床睡觉了；但小妖精仍然站在那里，听着那仍然在响着的音乐，轻柔而美妙，是一首甜美的摇篮曲，为已经躺下休息的学生而奏。
    the student no doubt had blown out his candle and gone to bed; but the little goblin remained standing there nevertheless, and listening to the music which still sounded on, soft and beautiful, a sweet cradle-song for the student, who had lain down to rest.
    “这是一个奇妙的地方。” 小妖精说，“我从没想到会有这样的事情。我想和学生待在这里。” 这个小矮人仔细考虑了一下，因为他是一个明智的小精灵。最后他叹了口气，“但是学生没有果酱！” 于是他又下楼回到杂货商的店里，他回来得正是时候，这是一件好事，因为桶几乎把女士的舌头用坏了；他已经描述了他一面所包含的所有东西，正准备翻到另一面去描述那里有什么，这时小妖精进来了，把舌头还给了女士。
    “this is a wonderful place,” said the goblin; “i never pected such a thing. i should like to stay here with the student;” and the little man thought it over, for he was a sensible little spirit. at last he sighed, “but the student has no jam!” so he went down stairs again into the huckster’s shop, and it was a good thing he got back when he did, for the cask had almost worn out the lady’s tongue; he had given a description of all that he contained on one side, and was just about to turn himself over to the other side to describe what was there, when the goblin entered and restored the tongue to the lady.
    但从那以后，整个商店，从钱箱到松木原木，都以桶的意见为准；他们都对他充满信心，非常尊敬他，以至于当杂货商在晚上读关于戏剧和艺术的评论时，他们都认为这一定都来自桶。
    but from that time forward, the whole shop, from the cash box down to the pinewood logs, formed their opinions from that of the cask; and they all had such confidence in him, and treated him with so much respect, that when the huckster read the criticisms on theatricals and art of an evening, they fancied it must all e from the cask.
    但是在他看到那些之后，小妖精再也不能安静地坐在楼下听那些智慧和理解了；所以，一到晚上阁楼里有微光闪烁，他就鼓起勇气，因为对他来说，那些光线似乎是强有力的缆绳，把他拉上去，迫使他去透过钥匙孔窥视；在那里的时候，一种广阔的感觉笼罩着他，就像我们在暴风雨来临时面对永远涌动的大海所体验到的那样；这让他眼里涌出了泪水。
    but after what he had seen, the goblin could no longer sit and listen quietly to the wisdom and understanding down stairs; so, as soon as the evening light glimmered in the garret, he took courage, for it seemed to him as if the rays of light were strong cables, drawing him up, and obliging him to go and peep through the keyhole; and, while there, a feeling of vastness came over him such as we perience by the ever-moving sea, when the storm breaks forth; and it brought tears into his eyes.
    他自己也不知道为什么哭泣，但一种愉快的感觉夹杂在他的泪水里。
    he did not himself know why he wept, yet a kind of pleasant feeling mingled with his tears.
    “和学生一起坐在这样一棵树下该是多么美妙辉煌啊。” 但那是不可能的，他必须满足于透过钥匙孔看，并且即使这样也应该心存感激。
    “how wonderfully glorious it would be to sit with the student under such a tree;” but that was out of the question, he must be content to look through the keyhole, and be thankful for even that.
    他站在旧的楼梯平台上，秋风从活板门吹到他身上。
    there he stood on the old landing, with the autumn wind blowing down upon him through the trap-door.
    天气非常冷；但这个小生物直到阁楼的灯光熄灭，音乐声消失才真正感觉到冷。
    it was very cold; but the little creature did not really feel it, till the light in the garret went out, and the tones of music died away.
    那时他多么颤抖啊，然后又爬下楼回到他温暖的角落，那里感觉像家一样舒适。
    then how he shivered, and crept down stairs again to his warm corner, where it felt home-like and fortable.
    当圣诞节再次来临，带来那盘果酱和一大块黄油时，他最喜欢杂货商了。
    and when christmas came again, and brought the dish of jam and the great lump of butter, he liked the huckster best of all.
    不久之后，在半夜，小妖精被一阵可怕的噪音和敲打百叶窗和房门的声音以及守夜人的号角声吵醒；因为一场大火爆发了，整条街似乎都充满了火焰。
    soon after, in the middle of the night, the goblin was awoke by a terrible noise and knocking against the window shutters and the house doors, and by the sound of the watchman’s horn; for a great fire had broken out, and the whole street appeared full of flames.
    是在他们的房子里，还是邻居的房子里？没有人能说清楚，因为恐惧笼罩了所有人。
    was it in their house, or a neighbor’s? no one could tell, for terror had seized upon all.
    杂货商的妻子非常惊慌，她从耳朵上取下金耳环放进口袋里，这样至少她能保存一些东西。
    the huckster’s wife was so bewildered that she took her gold ear-rings out of her ears and put them in her pocket, that she might save something at least.
    杂货商跑去拿他的商业文件，仆人决定保存她好不容易买到的蓝色丝绸披风。
    the huckster ran to get his business papers, and the servant resolved to save her blue silk mantle, which she had managed to buy.
    每个人都想保住他们拥有的最好的东西。
    each wished to keep the best things they had.
    小妖精也有同样的愿望；他一跃而起，上了楼，来到学生的房间，发现学生正站在敞开的窗前，平静地看着对面邻居家肆虐的大火。
    the goblin had the same wish; for, with one spring, he was up stairs and in the student’s room, whom he found standing by the open window, and looking quite calmly at the fire, which was raging at the house of a neighbor opposite.
    小妖精抓起放在桌上的那本奇妙的书，把它塞进他的红帽子里，然后用双手紧紧地按住帽子。
    the goblin caught up the wonderful book which lay on the table, and popped it into his red cap, which he held tightly with both hands.
    房子里最宝贵的财富得救了；他带着它跑到屋顶，坐在烟囱上。
    the greatest treasure in the house was saved; and he ran away with it to the roof, and seated himself on the chimney.
    对面燃烧着的房子的火焰照亮了他，他坐在那里，双手紧紧地压在帽子上，财宝就在帽子里；然后他发现了自己内心真正的感受，确切地知道了自己的倾向。
    the flames of the burning house opposite illuminated him as he sat, both hands pressed tightly over his cap, in which the treasure lay; and then he found out what feelings really reigned in his heart, and knew actly which way they tended.
    然而，当火被扑灭，小妖精又开始思考时，他犹豫了，最后说道：“我必须在两者之间分配自己；我不能完全放弃杂货商，因为有果酱。”
    and yet, when the fire was tinguished, and the goblin again began to reflect, he hesitated, and said at last, “i must divide myself between the two; i cannot quite give up the huckster, because of the jam.”
    这是人性的一种表现。我们就像小妖精；我们都去拜访杂货商 “因为有果酱”。
    this is a representation of human nature. we are like the goblin; we all go to visit the huckster “because of the jam.”