英國語文第四冊(雙語):寓言(3)

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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 axe into the water, when it immediately sank to the bottom.

一位樵夫在河岸邊伐木，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 distress for his loss, he sat down by the side of the stream, and lamented bitterly.

他因為斧子的掉落感到很難過，坐在河邊唉聲嘆氣。

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

掌管這條河的河神墨丘利看到了，很同情他，在他面前現(xiàn)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.

墨丘利聽到樵夫訴說難過的原因后，潛入河底，取出一把金斧子，問樵夫這把是不是他的。

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

樵夫說不是后，墨丘利再次潛入河底，帶上來一把銀斧子。

Again the man denied that it was his.

樵夫還是說不是。

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

墨丘利第三次潛入水中后，拿出樵夫掉落的那把斧子。

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

樵夫說到：“這把斧子是我的！”他很開心又找回了自己的斧子；

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

墨丘利因為此人的真誠與誠實深感欣喜，于是立刻把其他兩把斧子一并贈予他。

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

樵夫的同伴們聽聞這個故事，其中一人決意想試試他是否有可能有這樣的好運氣。

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

于是他來到同一個地方，假裝為了伐木的緣由，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.

然后坐在岸邊大聲地哭泣。

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

墨丘利依舊現(xiàn)身了，聽聞他說是因為丟了斧子而傷心哭泣，

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

于是墨丘利潛入水中，拿出一把金斧子，問他這把斧子是否是他丟的那把。

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

“嗯，當(dāng)然是這把！”此人急切地說道；他剛想要抓住金斧子這個財寶。

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

這時，墨丘利為了懲罰他的厚顏無恥和謊話連篇，不僅沒把金斧子給他，

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

連那人自己掉進河里的斧子也沒有再歸還給他。

Honesty is the best policy.

誠實是最好的策略。