泰西50軼事(一):阿爾弗雷德國王和麵餅 江銘輝 五夢網
泰西50軼事(Fifty Famous Stories Retold ),是永恆的短篇故事,它收集的故事:包括浩瀚歷史的著名英雄和他們的羅曼史,故事內容有勇氣、毅力和情感。故事人物包括拿破崙、羅賓漢,喬治華盛頓、成吉思汗等人。這些故事都是老少咸宜的故事,我將它逐篇翻譯,並配合圖畫,供大家欣賞。
泰西50軼事第一篇:阿爾弗雷德國王和麵餅
原文及翻譯如下:
King Alfred and the cakes
阿爾弗雷德國王和麵餅
Many years ago there lived in England a wise and good king whose name was Alfred. No other man ever did so much. for his country as he ; and people now, all over the world, speak of him as Alfred the Great.
很多年以前,英國有一位聰明而能幹的國王,他的名字叫做阿爾弗雷德(圖1)。從來沒有其他的人像他那樣有功於國家;因而現在全世界的人們一提起他,就稱他為阿爾弗雷德大帝。
圖1:阿爾弗雷德大帝像
In those days a king did not have a very easy life . There was war almost all the time, and no one else could lead his army into battle so well as he. And so, between ruling and fighting , he had a busy time of it indeed.
在那個恃代,一個國王是不能有安逸的生活。幾乎有天天戰爭發生,但沒有任何人能像他那樣能幹,領導軍隊作戰。因此在既要統冶又要作戰的情況下,他的確非常忙碌。
A fierce, rude people , called the Danes , had come from over the sea, and were fighting the English. There were so many of them,. and they were so bold and strong, that for a long time they gained every battle. If they kept on, they would soon be the masters of the whole country.
那時,有一個兇猛、粗暴的民族,稱為丹麥人,他們從海上渡過來,向英國挑戰。他們人是這麼多,而且又膽大、強壯,所以長久以來贏得每次的戰爭。如果他們這樣繼續下去,可能不久就要當全英國的主人了。
At last, after a great battle, the English army was broken up and scattered. Every man, had to save himself in the best way he could. King Alfred fled alone , in great haste , through the woods and swamps.
最後經過一場大戰,英國的軍隊被擊潰了,而且潰散。每一個人都必須盡自己所能解救目己。國王阿爾弗雷德在極匆忙中。獨自穿過森林和沼澤,逃脫了。
Late in the day the king ,came to the hut of a woodcutter. He was very tired and hungry, and he begged the woodcutter's wife to give him something to eat and a place to sleep in her hut.
這天傍晚,國王來到一個樵夫的草屋,他很疲倦而且飢餓,他就乞求樵夫的妻子給他一些吃的東西和睡覺的地方。
The woman was baking some cakes upon the hearth , and she looked with pity upon the poor, ragged fellow who seemed so hungry. She had no thought that he was the. king.
那婦人正在爐邊烘著一些麵餅,她很同情地望著這個可憐且衣衫檻樓面露飢餓的人,但她沒有想到,他就是國王。
"Yes," she said, "I will give you some super if you will watch these cakes. " I want to go out and milk the cow ; and yon must see that they do not burn while I am gone."
「好的,」她說:「如果你能看著這些麵餅的話,我願給你些晚餐。"我要到外面去擠牛乳。但是當我出去時,你要看好不要把麵餅烘焦了。
King Alfred was very, willing to watch the cakes, but he had far greater things to think about . How was he going. to get his army together again ? And how was he going to drive the fierce Danes out of the land ? He forgot his hunger; he forgot the cakes; he forgot that he was in the woodcutter's hut. His mind was busy making plans for tomorrow.
阿爾弗雷德王很願意看這些麵餅,但他有更重大的事要計劃著。如何去重新再聚集他的軍隊?如何把兇猛的丹麥人逐出領土?
他忘記了飢餓,也忘記了麵餅,更忘記了他是在樵夫的草屋內,他的頭腦正忙者計劃明天要做的事。
In a little while the woman came back. The cakes were smoking on the hearth. They were burned to a crisp. Ah, how angry she was!
一會兒後,婦人回來了。麵餅正在爐上冒著煙,而且都已燒焦脆裂了。啊!她是多麼的生氣?
" You lazy fellow ! " she cried. "See what you have done ! You want something to eat, but you do not want to work "
"你這懶惰的傢伙! "她喊道,"看,你做了什麼事!你想要東西吃,但是你卻不想耍工作! "(圖2)
I have been told that she even struck the king with a stick; but I can hardly believe that she was so ill-natured.
曾經有人告訴說我(作者),她甚至於用棍子來打國王,但是我很難相信她會有那樣壞的脾氣。
The king must have laughed to himself at the thought of being scolded in this way; and he was so hungry that he did not mind the woman's angry words half so much as the loss of the cakes.
國王想到自己這樣的被辱罵,自己必定也感到可笑,他是那麼的飢餓,以致於不介意婦人的忿怒的話“白白損失大半的麵餅”
I do not know whether he had anything to eat that night, or whether he had to go to bed without his supper. But it was not many days until he had gathered his men together again, and had beaten the Danes in a great battle.
我不知道那天晚上他究竟有沒有吃東西,還是餓著肚子就去睡覺。但是沒有幾天,他又重新聚集了他的部隊。而且在一次大戰役中把丹麥人打敗了。
阿爾弗雷德大帝簡介:
阿爾弗雷德(849~899),英格蘭韋塞克斯王國國王(871~899)。年輕時受過軍事訓練。他因作為南英格蘭的盎克-魯薩克森國王抵抗丹麥人的入侵而聞名於世,並因此成為惟一一個被授予“大帝”(the Great)名號的英格蘭皇帝。他是第一個將自己命名為“盎克魯-魯薩克森之王”的西薩克森皇帝。他的生活細節被10世紀的威爾士學者和主教亞瑟記錄下 來。他是一個善於學習的人,鼓勵教育,翻譯大批古典名著,並編纂《盎格魯-撒克遜編年史》,大力完善他的國家的法律體系和軍隊結構。他被一些天主教徒視為聖徒,但從未得到官方認可。英國聖公會尊稱他為天主教英雄,並在10月26日設立節日紀念他。他通常被描繪在英國教堂的彩色玻璃上。
2007年12月31日,由於受到人為破壞,雕像的右手臂和阿爾弗雷德所執的斧頭被損毀。修復後的雕像在不到一年的時間裡,於2008年平安夜再次遭到破壞,斧頭再度被毀(圖3)。
阿爾弗雷德可能也主持編寫了《盎格魯-撒克遜編年史》,以史無前例的規模記載了遠至450年的大事(甚至更早,因為書中還對基督降生1154年。一事發表了評述)這部《編年史》一直由後人續編至
此外,以他名字命名的阿爾弗雷德國王學院位於綠樹環繞的山地,可以俯瞰美麗的英格蘭歷史名城溫徹斯特。學院建立於1840年,具有悠久的歷史。現在,學院有學生5000多人,城市中心有許多的頗具藝術情趣的博物館,及其他文化娛樂設施,步行10分鐘即可到達。從這裡去驅車前往英國著名的南安普敦市僅需15分鐘。