美國語文第四冊 第04期：海水為什么是咸的（01）
There were, in very ancient times, two brothers, one of whom was rich, and the other poor.
很久很久以前，有兩個兄弟，其中一個很富有，另外一個很貧窮。
Christmas was approaching, but the poor man had nothing in the house for a Christmas dinner;
圣誕節(jié)即將來臨，窮人家里沒有任何吃的可以做圣誕晚餐，
so he went to his brother and asked him for a trifling gift.
于是他去找他的兄弟，希望能從他那里得到一點微不足道的小禮物。
The rich man was ill-natured, and when he heard his brother's request he looked very surly.
那個富人生性惡毒，當他聽說了他兄弟的請求時，他看起來異常粗暴。
But as Christmas is a time when even the worst people give gifts, he took a fine ham down from the chimney,
但是由于在圣誕節(jié)時連最壞的人都要送出禮物，他便從煙囪里取下一塊正在熏制的上好火腿，
where it was hanging to smoke, threw it at his brother, and bade him begone and never to let him see his face again.
扔給了他的兄弟，并命令他趕快滾開，再也不要讓他看見。
The poor man thanked his brother for the ham, put it under his arm, and went his way.
窮人將火腿夾在胳膊下就上路了。
He had to pass through a great forest on his way home.
回家路上需要穿過一大片森林，
When he had reached the thickest part of it, he saw an old man, with a long, white beard, hewing timber.
當他到達森林最深處時，看到了一位留著長長白胡須的老人正在伐木。
"Good evening," said he to him.
“晚上好，”他對老人說。
"Good evening," returned the old man, raising himself up from his work, and looking at him. "That is a fine ham you are carrying."
老人從勞作中直起腰，看著他回答道：“晚上好。”“你拿的這塊火腿看起來很不錯。”
On this, the poor man told him all about it.
于是，窮人把有關(guān)火腿的事源源本本地告訴了老人。
"It is lucky for you," said the old man, "that you have met with me.
老人說：“遇到我是你運氣好。”
If you will take that ham into the land of the dwarfs, the entrance to which lies just under the roots of this tree,
如果你帶著火腿去矮人國，去那里的入口就在這棵樹的樹根下面。
you can make a capital bargain with it; for the dwarfs are very fond of ham, and rarely get any.
你可以用這個跟他們大大地討價還價一番，因為他們非常喜歡火腿，可是很難弄到。
But mind what I say: you must not sell it for money, but demand for it the old hand mill which stands behind the door.
但是請記住我的話：你一定不能為了錢去賣火腿，而是要交換門后面那臺老舊的手工磨粉機。
When you come back, I'll show you how to use it.
等你回來后，我會告訴你如何使用它。
The poor man thanked his new friend, who showed him the door under a stone below the roots of the tree, and by this door he entered into the land of the dwarfs.
老人指給他看樹根下的大石頭，石頭下面就是通向矮人國的大門，窮人謝過了他的新朋友，順著這個門走了進去。
No sooner had he set his foot in it, than the dwarfs swarmed about him, attracted by the smell of the ham.
當他的雙腳剛剛踏上矮人國的地盤，火腿的味道把矮人們?nèi)嘉诉^來，他們蜂擁而至，把他團團圍住。
They offered him queer, old-fashioned money and gold and silver ore for it;
他們想用很多奇異的古老錢幣以及金銀寶石來交換火腿，
but he refused all their tempting offers, and said that he would sell it only for the old hand mill behind the door.
但他拒絕一切誘人的條件，說他只想用火腿換門后的那臺老式手工磨粉機。
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