旅伴14 文本已添加

14

 Great black grasshoppers played the mouthorgan, and the owl struck herself on the body instead of a drum.

巨大的黑蚱蜢弹起独弦琴，猫头鹰用翅膀敲着肚皮——因为她没有鼓。

Itwas altogether a ridiculous concert. Little black goblins with false lights in theircaps danced about the hall;

这真是一个很妙的合奏！许多小黑妖精，戴着镶有鬼火的帽子，在大厅里跳舞。

butno one could see the traveller, and he had placed himself just behind thethrone where he could see and hear everything.

可是谁也看不见旅伴，因为他隐身在王座后面。他什么都听见了。

 The courtiers who came in afterwards lookednoble and grand; but any one with common sense could see what they really were,only broomsticks, with cabbages for heads.

朝臣们这时都进来了。他们都神气十足，不可一世。不过有眼力的人一看就知道他们是些什么宝贝东西。他们原来是顶着几棵老白菜根的扫帚。

Themagician had given them life, and dressed them in embroidered robes.

魔法师只不过用魔力使它们有了生命，同时给它们穿上几件绣花衣服罢了。

Itanswered very well, as they were only wanted for show.

不过这倒没有什么关系，因为他们在这儿只不过是摆摆场面。

Afterthere had been a little dancing, the princess told the magician that she had anew suitor, and asked him what she could think of for the suitor to guess whenhe came to the castle the next morning.

跳了一阵舞以后，公主告诉魔法师说，她又有一位新的求婚者。她问他，明天这人来到宫里的时候，他觉得她应该叫他猜一个什么问题好。

"Listento what I say," said the magician, "you must choose something veryeasy, he is less likely to guess it then. Think of one of your shoes, he willnever imagine it is that. Then cut his head off; and mind you do not forget tobring his eyes with you to-morrow night, that I may eat them."

“听着！”魔法师说，“我告诉你，你应该给他一件最容易的东西猜，这样他才想不到。你觉得你的一只鞋子怎样？这东西他一定是猜不着的。把他的头砍下来吧：不过请不要忘记明晚你来的时候，千万把他的眼珠带来，因为我想尝尝味道。”

Theprincess curtsied low, and said she would not forget the eyes.

公主弯腰行了礼，同时答应地决不会忘记那对眼珠。

Themagician then opened the mountain and she flew home again, but the travellerfollowed and flogged her so much with the rod, that she sighed quite deeplyabout the heavy hail-storm, and made as much haste as she could to get back toher bedroom through the window.

魔法师于是就打开山。她又飞回家去。不过旅伴在跟着她，同时用技条拼命抽她。她不禁大声叹气，说冰雹真厉害。她加速地飞，希望早点飞进窗子，回到睡房里去。

Thetraveller then returned to the inn where John still slept, took off his wingsand laid down on the bed, for he was very tired.

旅伴飞回旅店的时候，约翰奈斯还在熟睡。他摘下翅膀，也躺到床上睡了，因为他已经很疲倦了。

Earlyin the morning John awoke, and when his fellow-traveller got up, he said thathe had a very wonderful dream about the princess and her shoe, he thereforeadvised John to ask her if she had not thought of her shoe. Of course thetraveller knew this from what the magician in the mountain had said.

当约翰奈斯醒来的时候，天已经亮了。旅伴也起来了，并且说他昨夜做了一个非常奇怪的梦，梦见公主和她的一只鞋子。因此旅伴就叫约翰奈斯问一问公主，她心里是不是在想一只鞋子！这正是他从山里魔法师口中所听到的东西。但是他一点也不把实情告诉约翰奈斯。他只是叫他问她是不是在想一只鞋子。

"Imay as well say that as anything," said John. "Perhaps your dream maycome true; still I will say farewell, for if I guess wrong I shall never seeyou again."

“我当然可以问她这件事，正如我可以问她任何别的事一样，”约翰奈斯说。“也许你的梦是有道理的，因为我一直相信，上帝会帮助我。不过我现在得向你告别了，因为如果我猜错了的话，我就再也不能见到你了。”