2. The Council with the Munchkins 第二章 初逢芒奇金人

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第1个回答  2022-07-09
She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally. Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the window, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door.

突然,房子剧烈地震动了一下,把朵洛茜惊醒,要不是躺在柔软的床上,她可能就会受伤。朵洛茜吓得屏住呼吸,不知道发生了什么。托托也害怕,把鼻子紧贴在朵洛茜的脸上,呜呜地哼叫着。房子却不再动,明媚的阳光从窗口照进房间,洒满了整间小屋。朵洛茜站起来跳下床,走到门口打开房门,托托也紧跟着跑出去。

The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw.

“哇!”朵洛茜被眼前的一切惊呆了,眼睛睁地大大得,吃惊地看着周围的景色。

The cyclone had set the house down very gently--for a cyclone--in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.

龙卷风停了,小屋稳稳地落在一处神奇美丽的王国上。一片片绿油油的草地,一棵棵结满诱人果子的果树,一丛丛鲜艳夺目的花朵随处可见。身着艳丽羽毛的鸟儿在树丛之间嬉戏歌唱。不远处,绿色草丛之间,一条小溪潺潺流过,闪着清凉的水花,发出叮叮咚咚的响声,正在轻柔地向来自干枯、荒凉草原的小姑娘诉说着。

While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older.

正当朵洛茜好奇地望着周围神奇美丽的景色时, 迎面走来了一群奇异怪人,他们虽没有成年人高,也不算很矮,就像朵洛茜那般高。朵洛茜还是小女孩,他们却老多了。

Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman's hat was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But the little woman was doubtless much older. Her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.

他们有三个男的一个女的,穿着古怪的衣服,头上顶着圆圆的帽子,帽子高高的,有一英尺高,有着尖尖的顶端,帽子边缘还挂了些小铃铛,随着他们走动,发出清脆的叮当声。那些男子戴着的是蓝色的帽子,小妇人的帽子却是白色的。她披着一件有褶皱的长袍,上面布满小星星,在阳光下像钻石一样闪闪发光。那些男的身上穿着蓝色的衣服,头上戴着相同的帽子,脚上穿着擦得干干净净的长筒靴,闪着湛蓝的光芒。朵洛茜觉得这些男的和叔叔亨利一样老,其中两个人都已长满胡须。但那个小妇人比他们都要老,她不仅脸上布满皱纹,头发也近花白,走路也不稳。

When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice:
"You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage.

他们走近小木屋时,朵洛茜正站在门口。他们好像有些害怕,停了下来,相互低声交谈着。那个小妇人却朝朵洛茜走了过去,鞠了一躬,用一种甜美的嗓音说道:“欢迎你,最神圣的魔法师,来到芒奇金王国。非常感谢你为我们除掉了邪恶的东方女巫,让我们摆脱了她的邪恶统治。”

Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life. But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy said, with hesitation, "You are very kind, but there must be some mistake. I have not killed anything."

听了这些话,朵洛茜感到非常奇怪,这个小妇人为什么叫我魔法师呢?为什么说是我杀死了邪恶的东方女巫?朵洛茜一直都是一个天真善良人畜无害的小姑娘,因为龙卷风而远离家乡来到这里,她从来没有伤害过任何东西呀。小妇人却在等着朵洛茜回答,等了一会儿,朵洛茜回答说:“你心地真好,但你一定弄错了,我从来没有伤害过任何东西呀”

"Your house did, anyway," replied the little old woman, with a laugh, "and that is the same thing. See!" she continued, pointing to the corner of the house. "There are her two feet, still sticking out from under a block of wood."

“但你的房子杀死了邪恶的东方女巫。”小妇人微笑着回答,“和你杀死了她一样”小妇人指着小木屋的角落里的继续说“那就是她的两只脚,还在木堆里呢”

Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.

朵洛茜看过去,吓得大叫起来。那边,在房子的横梁下面,确实伸着两只脚,脚尖绷紧,穿着银白色的靴子。

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in dismay. "The house must have fallen on her. Whatever shall we do?"

“天呀!”朵洛茜非常害怕,两只手慌张地握在一起,“肯定是房子落在了她身上,我们该怎么办呀?”

"There is nothing to be done," said the little woman calmly.

“什么也不需要做”小妇人平静地回答。

"But who was she?" asked Dorothy.

“她是谁?”朵洛茜问。

"She was the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said," answered the little woman. "She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day. Now they are all set free, and are grateful to you for the favor."

“她是邪恶的东方女巫,”小妇人回答,“她统治芒奇金人无数年了,不管白天黑夜,一直都把芒齐金人当做奴仆,现在芒奇金人自由了,他们对你非常感激。”

"Who are the Munchkins?" inquired Dorothy

“谁是芒奇金人?”朵洛茜问道。

"They are the people who live in this land of the East where the Wicked Witch ruled."

“他们是居住在被邪恶女巫统治的东部地区的人。”

"Are you a Munchkin?" asked Dorothy.

“你是芒奇金人吗?”朵洛茜问道。

"No, but I am their friend, although I live in the land of the North. When they saw the Witch of the East was dead the Munchkins sent a swift messenger to me, and I came at once. I am the Witch of the North."

“我虽不是芒奇金人,但我是他们的朋友,我住在北部地区。当他们见到邪恶女巫死了,立刻就告诉了我,我马上就赶了过来,我就是北方女巫。”

"Oh, gracious!" cried Dorothy. "Are you a real witch?"

“哇,太棒了!”朵洛茜吃惊道。“你真的是女巫吗?”

"Yes, indeed," answered the little woman. "But I am a good witch, and the people love me. I am not as powerful as the Wicked Witch was who ruled here, or I should have set the people free myself."

“嗯,我确实是女巫。”小妇人回答道。“但我是善良的女巫师,人们都爱戴我,我的法力却没有邪恶女巫强大,否则我早就解放这里的人们了。”

"But I thought all witches were wicked," said the girl, who was half frightened at facing a real witch. "Oh, no, that is a great mistake. There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz, and two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good witches. I know this is true, for I am one of them myself, and cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were, indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz--the one who lives in the West."

“我本来以为所有的女巫都是坏蛋呢。”朵洛茜说道,刚遇到一个真实的女巫,她现在心里还很害怕呢。“不对,这是一个天大的错误。在整个奥兹国,一共有四位巫师,其中两个分别住在南方和北方,是好巫师,我就是其中一位,所以这肯定没错。另外两个分别住在西方和东方,是邪恶的坏蛋,现在你已经杀死了一个,但还有一个邪恶女巫住在西方。”

"But," said Dorothy, after a moment's thought, "Aunt Em has told me that the witches were all dead--years and years ago."

“但是,爱玛婶婶告诉过我,很久很久以前,巫师已经全死了。”朵洛茜想了想问道。

"Who is Aunt Em?" inquired the little old woman.

“爱玛婶婶是谁?”小妇人问道。

"She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where I came from."

“她是我婶婶,住在肯萨斯大草原,我也来自那里。”

The Witch of the North seemed to think for a time, with her head bowed and her eyes upon the ground. Then she looked up and said, "I do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that country mentioned before. But tell me, is it a civilized country?"

北方女巫低着头看着地面,好像在想什么事。然后她抬起头问道“我不知道肯萨斯在什么地方,我从来也没有听说过这个地方,那是一个文明国度吗?”

"Oh, yes," replied Dorothy.

“是的”朵洛茜回答道。

"Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us."

“这就对了,我想在文明的国家里,早就没有女巫了,也不会有男巫和魔法师以及魔术师,但这片土地却与世隔绝,还未开化,依然存在着巫师。”

"Who are the wizards?" asked Dorothy.

“这些巫师都是谁呀?”朵洛茜问道。

"Oz himself is the Great Wizard," answered the Witch, sinking her voice to a whisper. "He is more powerful than all the rest of us together. He lives in the City of Emeralds."

“奥兹本人就是伟大的巫师,”女巫悄悄地告诉朵洛茜。“他比其他所有巫师的法力都要强,他就住在翡翠城内。”

Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying.

朵洛茜还想问个问题,忽然静静站在一旁的芒奇金人指着邪恶女巫死亡的地方惊叫起来。

"What is it?" asked the little old woman, and looked, and began to laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely, and nothing was left but the silver shoes.

“怎么了?”小妇人问道,她看了一眼,笑了。死去的邪恶女巫的双脚完全消失了,只剩下了一双银白色靴子。

"She was so old," explained the Witch of the North, "that she dried up quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But the silver shoes are yours, and you shall have them to wear." She reached down and picked up the shoes, and after shaking the dust out of them handed them to Dorothy.

“她太老了,”北方女巫解释道,因此邪恶女巫的双脚在太阳下很快就干枯消失,她就这样死了。这双银靴就是你的了,穿上吧。北方女巫弯下腰,捡起那双银靴子,擦掉上面的灰尘,递给朵洛茜。

"The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes," said one of the Munchkins, "and there is some charm connected with them; but what it is we never knew."

“东方女巫一直以这双银靴子为骄傲,”一位芒奇金人说道,“它们有些神奇的地方,但我们却不知道。”

Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the table. Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said:"I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will worry about me. Can you help me find my way?"

朵洛茜拿着银靴子走进小屋,放在桌子上,然后又走出去对那些芒奇金人说道:“我非常想念我叔叔婶婶,他们也一定很担心我,你们能帮我回家吗?”

The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads.

芒奇金人和女巫互相看了一下,转向朵洛茜,摇了摇头,不知道怎么办。

"At the East, not far from here," said one, "there is a great desert, and none could live to cross it."

“在不远的东方,是一片无边的沙漠,没人能走出去。”其中一个说道。

"It is the same at the South," said another, "for I have been there and seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings."

“南面也是这样,”另一人说,“我去过那里,见过,南部是一个叫做库町泞的国家。”

"I am told," said the third man, "that it is the same at the West. And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the Wicked Witch of the West, who would make you her slave if you passed her way.

”我听说,西方也是这样,”第三个人说道,“那里是西方女巫温克思的地盘,一直被她统治着,经过那里的人都会被她收做奴仆。”

"The North is my home," said the old lady, "and at its edge is the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I'm afraid, my dear, you will have to live with us."

“北方是我的家,”老妇女说道,“边缘也是环绕奥兹国的大沙漠,亲爱的小姑娘,恐怕你不得不要和我们一起生活了。”

Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all these strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and began to weep also. As for the little old woman, she took off her cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she counted "One, two, three" in a solemn voice. At once the cap changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks:

听到要和一群陌生人生活在一起,朵洛茜感到特别孤独,开始抽泣。她的泪水使好心的芒奇金人也感到悲伤,纷纷拿出手记擦伤泪水。那位老妇女却摘下帽子,倒放在自己的鼻尖上,用神圣的口音念道“一、二、三”,忽然间,帽子变成了一块石板,上面用粉笔写着一行字迹:

"LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS"

“请朵洛茜去往翡翠城”

The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having read the words on it, asked, "Is your name Dorothy, my dear?"

小妇人把石板从鼻子上取了下来,一边读着上面的字迹,问道“亲爱的小姑娘,你是朵洛茜吗?”

"Yes," answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.

“我是朵洛茜。”小姑娘擦掉眼泪,抬起头回答道。

"Then you must go to the City of Emeralds. Perhaps Oz will help you."

“那你必须要去翡翠城,奥兹大法师可能会帮你的。”

"Where is this city?" asked Dorothy.

“翡翠城在哪呢?”朵洛茜问道。

"It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz, the Great Wizard I told you of."

“它就坐落在这片土地的中心,由我告诉过你的奥兹大法师统治。”

"Is he a good man?" inquired the girl anxiously.

“他是一位好人么吗?”朵洛茜担心地问道。

"He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him."

“他是一位好心的巫师,我没见过他,不知道他是男是女。”

"How can I get there?" asked Dorothy.

“我怎么去那里呢?”朵洛茜问道。

"You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm."
“你必须徒步走去,路途很长,需要穿过一个国家,其中即会有愉悦,也会有黑暗与恐怖。但我会用我全部的魔法来保护你。”

"Won't you go with me?" pleaded the girl, who had begun to look upon the little old woman as her only friend.

“你和我一起吗?”朵洛茜恳求道,她已经把小妇人当作她唯一的朋友了。

"No, I cannot do that," she replied, "but I will give you my kiss, and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North."

“不,”女巫回答道,“但我会把我的吻给你,没有人敢伤害被北方女巫吻过的人。”

She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as Dorothy found out soon after.

女巫走近朵洛茜,轻轻在她前额上吻过。朵洛茜发现女巫吻过的地方闪现出一圆圆的亮环。

"The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick," said the Witch, "so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-bye, my dear."

“去往翡翠城的道路是由金黄色的砖块铺成,”女巫说道,“所以你不要担心会迷路,当你见到奥兹魔法师时不要害怕,告诉他你的愿望,让他帮你,再见了,亲爱的孩子。”

The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel three times, and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone, because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by.

三名芒奇金人向朵洛茜鞠了一躬,祝她旅途愉快,然后他们穿过树丛,离开了。女巫微笑着向朵洛茜点了点头,绕着左脚转了三圈,便凭空消失了,吓坏了托托。女巫在的时候它就在低声吼叫,现在女巫走了,它无所顾忌地狂吠起来。

But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.

朵洛茜因为知道她是女巫,知道她会凭空离开去,所以一点也不吃惊。