本帖最后由 ヮ成熟、羙° 于 2014-8-13 22:04 编辑
三个托钵僧的故事（10.1） 荷叶/译 我们都呆在原地，战战兢兢，焦急地等待着。这时，我们面前的地面裂开，窜出一只黑白花猫。只见它毛发直立，惊恐地喵喵直叫。在它身后，紧跟着一只狼，狼差一点就抓住了它。这时，猫变成了一条虫子，钻进了树上垂下的一个石榴里，藏身在水果中。石榴开始胀大，直到大如南瓜。它升到了走廊顶部，从那掉了下来，摔碎了。当这一切发生时，那只狼变成了一只公鸡，开始尽快地吞食石榴籽。当所有的石榴籽都被吃光时，它飞向我们，拍拍翅膀，好像在问是否还有。这时它的眼睛停在宫殿的那条小河堤上。它赶了过去，但是石榴籽先它一步变为一条鱼，滚入了水里。公鸡化身为一条梭鱼，随着鱼猛地跳入水里，两个小时，它们在水下互相追逐，上来下去，发出可怕的叫声，但我们却什么也看不见。最后，他们以平常的样子从水里钻上来，嘴里喷出火舌，我们唯恐宫殿会起火。然而，不久，我们惊恐的理由更充分了，因为魔鬼已摆脱了公主，向我们飞奔而来。要不是公主把魔鬼的注意力吸引到自己身上，我们的命运就难说了。此时，苏丹王的胡须烧焦了，面部烧伤了，太监总管被烧成了焦炭。一颗火星剥夺了我的右眼，我和苏丹王都放弃了获救的希望。这时，我们听到公主在喊：“胜利了，胜利了！”只见魔鬼躺在她脚下，化为一大堆灰烬。 尽管公主精疲力竭，但她立刻命令唯一没有受伤的小奴隶去给她拿一杯水来。她把水端在手里，先念了些咒语，然后突然把水洒在我脸上，说道：“如果你只是因魔法而变成的猴子，变回你原来的样子。”我立刻就以从前的样子出现在她面前，只是瞎了一只眼。 我正要跪下，感谢公主的搭救之恩，但公主没有给我时间。她转向她父亲，说：“陛下，我赢得了这场战斗，但损失惨重。这场火穿透了我的心，我没有多长时间了。如果我找到最后一粒石榴把它吃掉就不会这样。这是魔鬼最后一搏，在这以前我都相当安全。但失去了这次机会，我只能求助于火，尽管他经验丰富，但我还是证明了我比他知道得要多。他死了，化为灰烬了。但我的死期也临近了。”“我的女儿，”苏丹王哭叫：“我的处境怎么这么悲惨！我不明白自己为什么还活着。太监总管已经被火烧死，你救出的王子也烧瞎了一只眼。”他哽咽着，再也说不下去了，我们都哭了。 突然公主尖叫道：“我要燃烧了，我要燃烧了！”死亡的到来结束了她的痛苦。 夫人，我没法表达我在这种惨景下是什么感觉。我宁愿终生做猴子，也不愿看到我的恩人以如此骇人听闻的方式消失。苏丹王非常悲伤，无人能劝。他的臣民，都非常钟爱公主，分享着他的悲伤。举国致哀七日，然后，公主的骨灰被隆重安葬，上面修建了极好的陵墓。 公主去世后，苏丹王大病一场，他病刚好，就派人把我找来，直截了当，但礼貌地通知我，我的存在总是使他想到他的损失，他请求我立刻离开他的王国，永远也不要回来，否则处死。我当然一定要服从，不知自己将来的命运如何，我刮掉了胡须和眼眉，穿上了托钵僧的衣服。我漫无目的地游了几个国家，最后决定来巴格达请求忠诚者的领袖来听听我的故事。 夫人，这就是我的故事。 另外一个托钵僧也讲述了他的故事。 第三个托钵僧王子的故事 第三个托钵僧说，我的故事与这两位朋友的截然不同。剥夺他们右眼的是命运，而我失去了右眼是由于自己的愚蠢。 附：原文 We all remained where we were quaking with anxiety, when the ground opened in front of us and a black and white cat leapt out, its hair standing on end,and miauing frightfully. At its heels was a wolf, who had almost seized it,when the cat changed itself into a worm, and, piercing the skin of a pomegranate which had tumbled from a tree, hid itself in the fruit. The pomegranate swelled till it grew as large as a pumpkin, and raised itself on to the roof of the gallery, from which it fell into the court and was broken into bits. While this was taking place the wolf, who had transformed himself into a cock, began to swallow the seed ofthe pomegranate as fast as he could. When all were gone he flew towards us, flapping his wings as if to ask if we saw any more, when suddenly his eye fell on one which lay on the bank of the little canal that flowed through the court; he hastened towards it,but before he could touch it the seed rolled into the canal and became a fish.The cock flung himself in after the fish and took the shape of a pike, and for two hours they chase deach other up and down under the water, uttering horrible cries, but we could see nothing. At length they rose from the water in their proper forms, but darting such flames of fire from their mouths that we dreaded lest the palace should catch fire. Soon, however, we had much greater cause for alarm, as the genius, having shaken off the princess, flew towards us. Our fate would have been sealed if the princess, seeing our danger, had not attracted the attention of the genius to herself. As it was, the Sultan's beard was singed and his face scorched, the chief of the eunuchs was burned to a cinder, while a sparkdeprived me of the sight of one eye. Both I and the Sultan had given up all hope of a rescue, when there was a shout of "Victory, victory!" from the princess, and the genius lay at her feet a great heap of ashes. Exhausted though she was, the princess at once ordered the little slave,who alone was uninjured, to bring her a cup of water, which she took in herhand. First repeating some magic words over it, she dashed it into my face saying, "If you are only a monkey by enchantment, resume the form of the man you were before." In an instant I stood before her the same man I had formerly been, though having lost the sight of one eye. I was about to fall on my knees and thank the princess but she did notgive me time. Turning to the Sultan, her father, she said, "Sire, I have gained the battle, but it has cost me dear. The fire has penetrated to my heart, and I have only a few moments to live. This would not have happened if Ihad only noticed the last pomegranate seed and eaten it like the rest. It wasthe last struggle of the genius, and up to that time I was quite safe. But having let this chance slip I was forced to resort to fire, and in spite of all his experience I showed the genius that I knew more than he did. He is dead and in ashes, but my own death is approaching fast." "My daughter,"cried the Sultan, "how sad is my condition! I am only surprised I am alive at all! The eunuc is consumed by the flames, and the prince whom you have delivered has lost the sight of one eye." He could say no more, for sobs choked his voice, and weall wept together. Suddenly the princess shrieked, "I burn, I burn!" and death came to free her from her torments. I have no words, madam, to tell you of my feelings at this terrible sight.I would rather have remained a monkey all my life than let my benefactress perish in this shocking manner. As for the Sultan, he was quite inconsolable,and his subjects, who had dearly loved the princess, shared his grief. For seven days the whole nation mourned, and then the ashes of the princess were buried with great pomp, and a superb tomb was raised over her. As soon as the Sultan recovered from the severe illness which had seized him after the death of the princess he sent for me and plainly, though politely, informed me that my presence would always remind him of his loss, andhe begged that I would instantly quit his kingdom, and on pain of death never return to it. I was, of course, bound to obey, and not knowing what was to become of me I shaved my beard and eyebrows and put on the dress of a calender. After wandering aimlessly through several countries, I resolved to come to Bagdad and request an audience of the Commander of theFaithful. And that, madam, is my story. The other Calender then told his story. Story of the Third Calendar, Son of a King My story, said the Third Calender, is quite different from those of my two friends. It was fate that deprived them of the sight of their right eyes, but mine was lost by my own folly. | 
发表于 2014-8-13 11:12:21
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