Why the Tortoise’s Shell Is Not Smooth

粗糙的乌龟壳

    The distant sound of low voices, broken now and again by singing, reached Okonkwo from his wives’ huts as each woman and her children told folk stories. Ekwefi and her daughter, Ezinma, sat on a mat on the floor. It was Ekwefi’s turn to tell a story. Suddenly the murmuring stopped and all eyes turned to their favorite and most skillful storyteller.

    妻子们和她们的孩子在远处的房子里讲民间故事的时候，她们的低声细语，虽然时不时地为歌声所打断，还是传到了丈夫奥康瓦的耳中。爱克蔚菲和她的女儿，爱金玛，正坐在地板的垫子上。现在，轮到爱克蔚菲讲故事了。突然，窃窃私语的声音停止了，屋里所有人的目光都转向了他们最喜欢和最擅长讲故事的人。

    “Once upon a time,” she began, “all the birds were invited to a feast in the sky. They were very happy and began to prepare themselves for the great day. They painted their bodies deep red and drew beautiful patterns on them with dye.

    “很久很久以前，”她开始讲到，“所有的鸟儿都被邀请去天上参加一个宴会。他们都非常高兴，开始为这难得的日子做准备。他们把自己涂成深红色，用颜料在身上画出漂亮的图案。”

    “Tortoise saw all these preparations and soon discovered what it all meant. Nothing that happened in the world of the animals ever escaped his notice; he was full of cunning. As soon as he heard of the great feast in the sky his throat began to itch at the very thought. There was a famine in those days and Tortoise had not eaten a good meal for two moons. His body rattled like a dry stick in his empty shell. Slowly but surely he began to plan how he would go to the sky.”

    “陆龟见到了这些准备活动。不久，他就发现了这所有的一切意味着什么。任何发生在动物界里的风吹草动都难逃他的法眼；而且此公机智狡猾。一听说天上将举行盛大的宴会，他的喉咙就开始隐隐作痛。当时正在闹饥荒，陆龟已经有两个月没吃到过一顿好饭了。他的身子就像一个干柴棍一样，在空壳里发出连续短促的咕噜声。他开始稳扎稳打地计划怎样上天去了。”

    “But he had no wings,” said Ezinma.

    “可是他没有翅膀呀。”爱金玛提到。

    “Be patient,” replied her mother. “That is the story. Tortoise had no wings, but he went to the birds and asked to be allowed to go with them.

    “耐心点，”妈妈回答到，“故事就在这儿。陆龟没有翅膀，但是他去找鸟类，恳请能被允许跟他们一块儿去。”

    “‘We all know you too well,’ said the birds when they had heard him. ‘You are full of cunning and you are ungrateful. If we allow you to come with us you will soon begin your mischief. We know you of old.’

    “‘我们太了解你了，’听到他的请求后众鸟儿说。‘你不但狡猾无比，而且还忘恩负义。如果允许你跟我们一块儿去，你不久就会故伎重演。我们早就知道你会这一套。”

    “‘You do not know me,’ said Tortoise. ‘I am a changed man. I am not the mischievous man you once knew. On the contrary, I am thoughtful and well-meaning. I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making trouble for himself. Rest assured, I promise I will not cause you any trouble.’

    “‘你们还是不了解我，’陆龟说。‘我已经改过自新了。我已不再是你们过去所知的那个热衷于调皮捣蛋的人了。相反，我现在遇事沉着，还充满善意。我已认识到：如果一个人与他人为难，就是跟自己过不去。请放心，我发誓我不会再给你们制造任何麻烦了。”

    “Tortoise had a sweet tongue, and within a short time all the birds agreed that he was a changed man, and they all gave him a feather, with which he made two wings splendidly colorful wings.

    “陆龟巧舌如簧，不一会儿，所有的鸟儿一致认为他已洗心革面了；而且，每个鸟儿都给他一根羽毛，这样他就拥有一对绚丽多彩的翅膀了。”

    “At last the great day came and Tortoise was the first to arrive at the meeting place. When all the birds had gathered together, they all set off together. Tortoise was very happy as he flew among the birds, and he was soon chosen as the man to speak for the party because he was a great orator.

    “向往已久的日子终于来临，陆龟第一个到达聚集地。所有的鸟儿都到齐后，他们就出发前往了。飞在鸟儿中间，陆龟非常高兴；因为是一个很了不起的演说家，他不久就被公推为他们一行的代言人。”

    “‘There is one important thing which we must not forget,’ he said as they flew on their way. ‘When people are invited to a great feast like this, they take new names for the occasion. Our hosts in the sky will expect us to honor this age-old custom.’

    “‘有一件重要的事我们不应忘记，’陆龟在飞行途中说。‘被邀请参加一个如此盛大的宴会的人们都会为这样的场合起个新的名字。我们天上的主人也将期待着我们能遵守这个老风俗。’”

    “None of the birds had heard of this custom but they knew that Tortoise, in spite of his failings in other areas, was a widely traveled man who knew the customs of different peoples. And so they each took a new name. When they had all taken a new name, Tortoise also took one. He was to be called All of you.

    “虽然鸟儿中谁也没听说过这种风俗，但是他们知道，除了在其他方面的缺点，陆龟是还是一个行走江湖、见识极广的人；他了解不同民族的风俗，因此，他们都分别起了一个新的名字。鸟儿们都有了新的名字后，陆龟也起了一个；他被称作‘你们大家’。”

    “At last the party arrived in the sky and their hosts were very happy to see them. Tortoise stood up in his many-colored plumage and thanked them for their invitation. His speech was so eloquent that all the birds were glad they had brought him, and nodded their heads in approval of all he said. Their hosts took him as the kings of the birds, especially as he looked somewhat different from the others.

    “最后，他们到达了目的地；天上的主人也为他们的光临倍感荣幸。陆龟一身盛装地站着，并对他们的邀请表达了谢意。他的言谈举止如此得体，众鸟儿都为把他带来了而感到由衷的高兴，并点头以示他所言不谬。他们的主人也就顺理成章地把他当作众鸟之主，尤其是，他看起来是那样的与众不同。”

    “After a selection of nuts had been presented and eaten, the people of the sky set before their guests the most delectable dishes Tortoise had ever seen or dreamed of. The soup was brought out hot from the fire and in the very pot in which it had been cooked. It was full of meat with palm oil and fresh fish. There were also pots of palm wine. When everything had been set before the guests, one of the people of the sky came forward and tasted a little from each pot. He then invited the birds to eat. But Tortoise jumped to his feet and asked: ‘For whom have you prepared this feast?’

    “在各种精挑细捡的果品呈上来又被吃掉之后，天上的招待就把最美味的饭菜放在了他们的客人面前，而这些都是陆龟曾经见过或者梦寐以求的。刚从火上煮过的、热气腾腾的、布满了鱼和肉的汤也被原封不动地端了上来。陆龟开始用力地去嗅。随着摆上来的还有捣碎的山药和伴着棕榈油和鲜鱼肉的山药汤，成壶的棕榈酒。一切准备就绪之后，其中的一位招待走上前去，并逐个品尝了一番。接着他就邀请众鸟儿用餐。但是，此时的陆龟却一跃而起，问道：‘这盛宴是为谁准备的？’”

    “‘For all of you,’ replied the man.

    “‘为你们大家’，那人答道。”

    “Tortoise turned to the birds and said: ‘You remember that my name is All of you. The custom here is to serve the spokesman first and the others later. They will serve you when I have eaten.’

    “于是，陆龟就转向众鸟儿，说道：‘你们都记得，我的名字是‘你们大家’。而这里的风俗就是先招呼发言人，然后再招呼其他人等。等我用完餐，他们就会招待你们了。’”

    “He began to eat and the birds grumbled angrily among themselves. The people of the sky thought it must be their custom to leave all the food for their king. And so Tortoise ate the best part of the food and then drank two pots of palm wine, so that he was full of food and drink and his body grew fat enough to fill out his shell.

    “他开始用餐，而此时愤怒的众鸟儿中间却怨成了一片。天上的招待心想，让首领先吃一定是鸟类的风俗。因此陆龟就吃了饭菜中最好的部分，接着又喝了两壶棕榈酒；他海吃海喝，把乌龟壳都填满了。”

    “The birds gathered round to eat what was left and to peck at the bones he had thrown on the floor. Some of them were too angry to eat. They chose to fly home on an empty stomach. But before they left each took back the feather he had lent to Tortoise. And there he stood in his hard shell full of food and wine but without any wings to fly home. He asked the birds to take a message for his wife, but they all refused. In the end Parrot, who had felt angrier than the others, suddenly changed his mind and agreed to take the message.

    “众鸟儿聚拢来去吃剩下的饭菜，去啄陆龟扔在地上的骨头。其中一些鸟儿因气愤异常而不能食，只好空腹而归。但是，在他们离开之前，每个鸟儿都取回了他们曾经借给陆龟的羽毛。结果陆龟原形毕露，坚硬的龟壳里尽是酒菜；因为没了翅膀，也就无法飞回。他就请求鸟儿们给自己的妻子捎信，但是却被拒绝了。最后，鹦鹉，鸟类中最感气愤的一个，突然改变了主意，同意捎信。”

    “‘Tell my wife,’ said Tortoise, ‘ to bring out all the soft things in my house and cover the ground with them so that I can jump down from the sky without hurting myself.’

    “‘请告诉我妻子，’陆龟说道。‘拿出我家里所有柔软的东西铺到地上，这样我就能够从天上跳下而不致受到伤害。’”

    “Parrot promised faithfully to deliver the message, and then flew away smiling to himself. However when he reached Tortoise’s house he told his wife to bring out all the hard and sharp things in the house. And so Tortoise’s wife dutifully brought out her husband’s hoes, knives, spears, guns, and even his cannon. Tortoise looked down from the sky and saw his wife bringing things out, but it was too far to see what they were. When all seemed ready he let himself go. He fell and fell and fell until he began to fear that he would never stop falling. And then like the sound of his cannon crashed to the ground.”

    “鹦鹉信誓旦旦，接着就对他微笑着飞走了。然而，鹦鹉到了陆龟的家后，却告诉他的妻子取出家里所有坚硬、锋利的东西。因此，陆龟的妻子就恭顺地拿出了丈夫的锄头、刀子、矛头、手枪、甚至他的大炮。陆龟从天上向下张望，看到他妻子把东西拿了出来；但是，却因太远而看不清它们的样子。等一切似乎都已准备就绪之后，他就跳了下去。他一直降啊、降啊降，直到开始恐惧自己将会如此降个不停。后来，就像他的大炮发出的声音一样，他便轰的一声栽到了地上。”

    “Did he die?” asked Ezinma.

    “他死了吗？”爱金玛问道。

    “No,” replied Ekwefi. “His shell broke into hundreds of pieces. But there was a great medicine man in the neighborhood. Tortoise’s wife sent for him and he gathered all the bits of shell and stuck them together. That is why the Tortoise’s shell is not smooth.”

    “没有，”爱克蔚菲回答道。“只是他的壳却碎成了几百片。但是，邻近有一位医术高明的人。陆龟的妻子就把他请来。他把所有的碎片收集在一块，然后粘在一起。这就是为什么陆龟的壳是粗糙的原因了。”（选自新编大学英语第三册）