《顽皮的孩子》,1835 年
the saucy boy, 1835
从前有一位老诗人,一位真正善良的老诗人。
once upon a time there was an old poet, one of those right good old poets.
一天晚上,当他坐在家里的时候,外面正刮着一场可怕的暴风雨;雨倾盆而下,但是老诗人舒适地坐在他的壁炉角,那里火烧得正旺,苹果正在烤着。
one evening, as he was sitting at home, there was a terrible storm going on outside; the rain was pouring down, but the old poet sat fortably in his chimney-corner, where the fire was burning and the apples were roasting.
“在这种天气里外出的可怜人身上不会有一根干的线头了。” 他说。
“there will not be a dry thread left on the poor people who are out in this weather,” he said.
“哦,开门!我又冷又湿透了。” 外面一个小孩喊道。他一边哭一边敲门,而雨倾盆而下,风把所有的窗户都吹得嘎嘎作响。
“oh, open the door! i am so cold and wet through,” called a little child outside. it was crying and knocking at the door, whilst the rain was pouring down and the wind was rattling all the windows.
“可怜的小家伙!” 诗人说,然后站起来打开了门。在他面前站着一个小男孩;他赤身裸体,水从他长长的金色卷发上流下。他冷得直发抖;如果他没有被让进来,他肯定会在暴风雨中死去。
“poor creature!” said the poet, and got up and opened the door. before him stood a little boy; he was naked, and the water flowed from his long fair locks. he was shivering with cold; if he had not been let in, he would certainly have perished in the storm.
“可怜的小东西!” 诗人说,然后拉着他的手。“到我这儿来;我很快就会让你暖和起来。你会有一些酒和一个苹果,因为你是这么漂亮的一个男孩。”
“poor little thing!” said the poet, and took him by the hand. “e to me; i will soon warm you. you shall have some wine and an apple, for you are such a pretty boy.”
他确实是。他的眼睛像两颗明亮的星星一样闪烁,尽管水从他金色的卷发上流下,它们仍然卷曲得非常漂亮。
and he was, too. his eyes sparkled like two bright stars, and although the water flowed down from his fair locks, they still curled quite beautifully.
他看起来像一个小天使,但是由于寒冷而脸色苍白,浑身发抖。他手里拿着一把漂亮的弓,但是它已经完全被雨弄坏了,漂亮的箭的颜色因为被打湿而混在了一起。
he looked like a little angel, but was pale with cold, and trembling all over. in his hand he held a splendid bow, but it had been entirely spoilt by the rain, and the colours of the pretty arrows had run into one another by getting wet.
老人在炉火边坐下,把小男孩抱在膝上,拧干他头发上的水,把他的手放在自己手里暖着。
the old man sat down by the fire, and taking the little boy on his knee, wrung the water out of his locks and warmed his hands in his own.
然后他给他做了一些热的加香料的酒,这让他很快恢复了活力;于是他红着脸跳到地上,围着老人跳起舞来。
he then made him some hot spiced wine, which quickly revived him; so that with reddening cheeks, he sprang upon the floor and danced around the old man.
“你是个快乐的男孩。” 老人说。
“you are a merry boy,” said the latter.
“你叫什么名字?”
“what is your name?”
“我叫丘比特。” 他回答。“你不认识我吗?我的弓在那儿。你知道,我用那个射箭。看,天气又变好了 —— 月亮在照耀着。”
“my name is cupid,” he answered. “don’t you know me? there lies my bow. i shoot with that, you know. look, the weather is getting fine again — the moon is shining.”
“但是你的弓坏了。” 老诗人说。
“but your bow is spoilt,” said the old poet.
“那可就不幸了。” 小男孩说着拿起弓看了看。“哦,它完全干了,一点也没坏。弦绷得很紧;我来试试。” 于是他拉开弓,拿起一支箭,瞄准,然后正好射中了善良的老诗人的心脏。“你现在看到我的弓没坏了吧?” 他说,然后大笑着跑开了。这个调皮的男孩竟然这样射老诗人,老诗人把他带进温暖的房间,对他那么好,还给了他最好的酒和最好的苹果!
“that would be unfortunate,” said the little boy, taking it up and looking at it. “oh, it’s quite dry and isn’t damaged at all. the string is quite tight; i’ll try it.” so, drawing it back, he took an arrow, aimed, and shot the good old poet right in the heart. “do you see now that my bow was not spoilt?” he said, and, loudly laughing, ran away. what a naughty boy to shoot the old poet like that, who had taken him into his warm room, had been so good to him, and had given him the nicest wine and the best apple!
善良的老人躺在地上哭泣;他真的被射中了心脏。“哦!” 他叫道,“这个丘比特是个多么调皮的男孩啊!我要把这件事告诉所有的好孩子,让他们小心别和他玩,以免他伤害他们。”
the good old man lay upon the floor crying; he was really shot in the heart. “oh!” he cried, “what a naughty boy this cupid is! i shall tell all the good children about this, so that they take care never to play with him, lest he hurt them.”
所有他告诉过这件事的好孩子,不论男孩女孩,都提防着邪恶的丘比特;但他还是欺骗了他们所有人,因为他非常狡猾。
and all good children, both girls and boys, whom he told about this, were on their guard against wicked cupid; but he deceives them all the same, for he is very deep.
当学生们下课出来时,他胳膊下夹着一本书,穿着一件黑外套走在他们旁边。他们认不出他。
when the students e out of class, he walks beside them with a book under his arm, and wearing a black coat. they cannot recognize him.
然后,如果他们挽着他的胳膊,以为他也是一个学生,他就会把一支箭射进他们的胸膛。
and then, if they take him by the arm, believing him to be a student too, he sticks an arrow into their chest.
当女孩们去教堂接受坚信礼时,他也在她们中间。
and when the girls go to church to be confirmed, he is amongst them too.
事实上,他总是跟着人们。
in fact, he is always after people.
他坐在剧院的大吊灯里闪闪发光,人们以为那是一盏灯;但他们很快就发现自己错了。
he sits in the large chandelier in the theatre and blazes away, so that people think it is a lamp; but they soon find out their mistake.
他在城堡花园和散步道上走来走去。
he walks about in the castle garden and on the promenades.
是的,有一次他甚至射中了你父亲和你母亲的心。去问问他们,你就会听到他们怎么说。
yes, once he shot your father and your mother in the heart too. just ask them, and you will hear what they say.
哦!他是个坏男孩,这个丘比特,你绝不能和他有任何关系,因为他追着每个人。
oh! he is a bad boy, this cupid, and you must never have anything to do with him, for he is after every one.
想想看,他甚至向老奶奶射了一箭;但那是很久以前的事了。伤口早就愈合了,但这样的事情永远不会被忘记。
just think, he even shot an arrow at old grandmother; but that was a long time ago. the wound has long been healed, but such things are never forgotten.
现在你知道这个邪恶的丘比特是个多么坏的男孩了吧。
now you know what a bad boy this wicked cupid is.