英国语文第四册 第25期:寓言(3)

III．MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN

III．墨丘利和樵夫

A Woodman was felling a tree on the bank of a river, and by chance let slip his axe¹ into the water, when it immediately sank to the bottom.

一位樵夫在河岸边伐木，突然他手中的斧子意外地落入水中，斧子很快沉入河底。

In great distress² for his loss, he sat down by the side of the stream, and lamented³ bitterly.

他因为斧子的掉落感到很难过，坐在河边唉声叹气。

But Mercury, whose river it was, taking pity on him, appeared before him.

掌管这条河的河神墨丘利看到了，很同情他，在他面前现身。

Hearing the cause of his sorrow, he dived to the bottom of the river, and bringing up a golden axe, asked the woodman if that was his.

墨丘利听到樵夫诉说难过的原因后，潜入河底，取出一把金斧子，问樵夫这把是不是他的。

Upon the man denying it, Mercury dived a second time, and brought up one of silver.

樵夫说不是后，墨丘利再次潜入河底，带上来一把银斧子。

Again the man denied that it was his.

樵夫还是说不是。

So diving a third time, he produced the very axe which the man had lost.

墨丘利第三次潜入水中后，拿出樵夫掉落的那把斧子。

"That is mine!" said the woodman, glad to have recovered his own;

樵夫说到：“这把斧子是我的！”他很开心又找回了自己的斧子；

and so pleased was Mercury with the fellow's truthfulness⁴ and honesty, that he at once made him a present of the other two.

墨丘利因为此人的真诚与诚实深感欣喜，于是立刻把其他两把斧子一并赠予他。

When the man's companions heard this story, one of them determined⁵ to try whether he might not have the like good fortune.

樵夫的同伴们听闻这个故事，其中一人决意想试试他是否有可能有这样的好运气。

So going to the same place, as if for the purpose of cutting wood, he let his axe slip intentionally⁶ into the river,

于是他来到同一个地方，假装为了伐木的缘由，他故意把斧子滑落到河里，

and then sat down on the bank, and made a great show of weeping.

然后坐在岸边大声地哭泣。

Mercury appeared as before; and hearing from him that his tears were caused by the loss of his axe,

墨丘利依旧现身了，听闻他说是因为丢了斧子而伤心哭泣，

he dived into the stream, and bringing up a golden axe, asked him if that was the axe he had lost.

于是墨丘利潜入水中，拿出一把金斧子，问他这把斧子是否是他丢的那把。

"Ay, surely!" said the man, eagerly; and he was about to grasp the treasure,

“嗯，当然是这把！”此人急切地说道；他刚想要抓住金斧子这个财宝。

when Mercury, to punish his impudence⁷ and lying, not only refused to give him that one,

这时，墨丘利为了惩罚他的厚颜无耻和谎话连篇，不仅没把金斧子给他，

but would not so much as restore him his own axe again.

连那人自己掉进河里的斧子也没有再归还给他。

Honesty is the best policy.

诚实是最好的策略。

1 axe   

n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减

参考例句：

• Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。
• The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

2 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

3 lamented   

adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫
• We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 truthfulness   

n. 符合实际

参考例句：

• Among her many virtues are loyalty, courage, and truthfulness. 她有许多的美德，如忠诚、勇敢和诚实。
• I fired a hundred questions concerning the truthfulness of his statement. 我对他发言的真实性提出一连串质问。

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

7 impudence   

n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼

参考例句：

• His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。
• What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。