59
0The Forest Bride 森林新娘
by Parker Fillmore 帕克·菲尔莫尔著
There was once a farmer who had three sons
从前有一个农民他有三个儿子
One day when the boys were grown to manhood he said to them
当这些男孩长大时他对他们说
My sons it is high time that you were all married Tomorrow Iwish you to go out in search of brides
我的儿子们 你们都该结婚了 明天我希望你们去寻找新娘
But where shall we go the oldest son asked
但我们该去哪里呢 最大的儿子问
I have thought of that too the father said
我也考虑过这个问题 父亲说
Do each of you chop down a tree and then take the directionin which the fallen tree points 你们每个人砍倒一棵树 然后按照倒下的树指向的方向前进
I m sure that each of you if you go far enough in thatdirection will find a suitable bride
我相信如果你们朝着那个方向走得足够远 每个人都会找到一个合适的新娘
So the next day the three sons chopped down trees
于是第二天 三个儿子都砍倒了树
The oldest son s tree fell pointing north
大儿子的树倒向北方
That suits me he said for he knew that to the north lay afarm where a very pretty girl lived
那正合我意 他说 因为他知道北方有一个农场 那里住着一个非常漂亮的女孩
The tree of the second son when it fell pointed south
二儿子的树倒向南方
That suits me the second son declared thinking of a girlthat he had often danced with who lived on a farm to the south
那正合我意 二儿子宣称 他想到了一个他经常与之跳舞的住在南方农场的女孩
The youngest son s tree the youngest son s name was Veikkowhen it fell pointed straight to the forest
最小的儿子的树 最小儿子的名字是维科 倒下时直指森林
Ha Ha the older brothers laughed
哈 哈 哥哥们笑了
Veikko will have to go courting one of the Wolf girls or oneof the Foxes
维科将不得不去追求狼家的女孩或狐狸家的女孩了
They meant by this that only animals lived in the forest andthey thought they were making a good joke at Veikko s expense
他们的意思是森林里只有动物居住 他们认为这是在取笑维科
But Veikko said he was perfectly willing to take his chancesand go where his tree pointed
但维科说他完全愿意冒险 去他的树所指的方向
The older brothers went gaily off and presented their suitsto the two farmers whose daughters they admired
哥哥们愉快地离开 向他们所欣赏的两位农民的女儿求婚
Veikko too started off with a brave front but after he hadgone some distance in the forest his courage began to ebb
维科也带着勇敢的姿态出发了 但当他走进森林一段距离后 他的勇气开始消退
How can I find a bride he asked himself in a place wherethere are no human creatures at all 我怎么能在一个根本没有人类的地方找到新娘呢 他自问
Just then he came to a little hut He pushed open the doorand went in
就在这时 他来到了一个小屋里 他推开门走了进去
It was empty
里面空无一人
To be sure there was a little mouse sitting on the tabledaintily combing her whiskers but a mouse of course doesn t count
当然 桌上有一只小老鼠 正在优雅地梳理着她的胡须 但老鼠当然不算数
There s nobody here Veikko said aloud
这里没人 维科大声说
The little mouse paused in her toilet and turning towardshim said reproachfully 为什么 Veikko
我在这里呢 小老鼠停下了梳理 转过身来责备地说
But you don t count You re only a mouse
但你不算数 你只是一只老鼠
Of course I count the little mouse declared
当然我算数
But tell me what were you hoping to find
但告诉我 你希望找到什么
I was hoping to find a sweetheart
我希望找到一个恋人
The little mouse questioned him further and Veikko told herthe whole story of his brothers and the trees
小老鼠进一步询问他 维科就把他和兄弟们以及树木的整个故事告诉了她
The two older ones are finding sweethearts easily enoughVeikko said
两个哥哥都很容易就找到了恋人 维科说
but I don t see how I can off here in the forest And it willshame me to have to go home and confess that I alone have failed
但我不明白我怎么能在这里的森林里找到 如果不得不回家承认只有我失败了 那将是耻辱
See here Veikko the little mouse said why don t you take mefor your sweetheart
听着 维科 小老鼠说 你为什么不选我做你的恋人呢
Veikko laughed heartily
维科大笑起来
But you re only a mouse Whoever heard of a man having amouse for a sweetheart
但你只是一只老鼠 谁听说过一个男人有老鼠做恋人的
