美国小学英语教材6:第108课 金河王(9)

 Chapter Two HOW THE BLACK BROTHERS BECAME GOLDSMITHS 第二章 黑兄弟是如何变成金匠的

Southwest Wind, Esquire, kept his word. After the important visit above described, he entered the Treasure Valley no more; 西南风先生遵守诺言，经过了之前的这次重要光临，他再没来过宝藏谷，

and what was worse, neither did his relations, the other West Winds. 更严重的是，他的亲戚，另外一名西风也没有来。

So no rain fell in the valley from one year's end to another. 从年末到下一年，宝藏谷均无降雨。

Though everything remained green and flourishing in the plains below, the land of the Three Brothers was a desert. 尽管平原上一切都是绿色繁荣的景象，但三名兄弟的土地确是一片荒地。

What had once been the richest soil in the kingdom became a shifting heap of red sand; 曾经拥有该王国最富饶的土地，而如今变成了一堆红沙；

and the brothers gave up their worthless farm in despair, 三兄弟在绝望中放弃了无价值的农耕，

to seek some means of gaining a livelihood¹ among the cities and people of the plains. 并在城市和平原寻找生存的办法。

All their money was gone, and they had nothing left but some curious, old-fashioned pieces of gold. 他们的钱全没了，一无所有，除了一些稀奇古怪，老式的黄金碎片。

Suppose we turn goldsmiths? said Schwartz to Hans, as they entered the large city. 在他们进入大城市之时，施瓦兹对汉斯所，我们去当金匠如何？

It is a good trade. We can put a great deal of copper² into the gold without anyone's ever finding it out. 这是比好买卖，我们可以在金子中添加大量铜，没人会发现的。

So they hired a furnace and turned goldsmiths. But two things hurt their trade: 他们为此租了一个火炉，并变成了金匠，但有两件事影响了他们的生意；

first, that people did not like the coppered gold; second, that the two elder brothers, 第一，人们不喜欢铜制金子，第二，这两名年长的兄弟，

whenever they had sold anything, used to leave little Gluck to tend the furnace, and go and spend all the money for drink. 他们无论在哪里售卖，他们过去常常让小格拉克照看火炉，他们二人用挣来的钱喝酒。

So they melted all their gold without making money enough to buy any more. 所以他们融化了所有金子，他们也就没钱购买任何东西了。

At last there was left only one large drinking mug, which an uncle of his had given to little Gluck, 第三，目前只留下了一个大水杯，那是格拉克的叔叔留给格拉克的，

and which he was very fond of, and would not have parted with for the world. The mug was very odd to look at. 他非常引以为傲，他无论如何不会卖掉，这个水杯看起来古怪。

The handle was formed of two wreaths of flowing golden hair so finely spun³ that it looked more like silk than metal. 水杯柄是由两个花环制作而成，花环上是飘逸的金色头发，纺织得非常精巧，它看起来不像是金属更像是丝绸。

These wreaths flowed into a beard and whiskers which surrounded and decorated a very fierce little face, 这些飘逸的花环变成了胡须，这张凶残的脸环绕和点缀着

of the reddest gold imaginable, right in the front of the mug. 能够想象的最红的金子，就在水杯的正前方。

When it came to the mug's turn to be made into spoons, it half broke poor little Gluck's heart; but the brothers only laughed at him, 就在水杯要变成勺子时，格拉克为之而伤心，但兄弟们却嘲笑他，

tossed the mug into the melting pot, and staggered out, leaving him, as usual, to pour the gold into bars when it was all ready. 并将水杯扔进了熔炉，蹒跚着出去，并和往常一样让格拉克在一切准备就绪时将金子倒入金属棒。

 

1 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

2 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

3 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。