The Sleeping Beauty | 睡美人
upon a time long ago—so long, indeed, that even the very oldest people now alive could not remember it—there lived a King and Queen in a beautiful palace, a great white marble palace, with wide halls and high towers, and a golden roof that flashed in the sun.
很久很久以前，就算現在活得最年長的人也不記得了，有一位國王和王后住在一座美麗的宮殿裡，一座巨大的白色大理石宮殿，有寬闊的大廳和高塔，金色的屋頂在陽光下閃閃發光。
And all round the palace, for miles and miles, there were lovely gardens and pleasure-grounds, with terraces and green lawns, and ancient trees where the birds would sit and sing all day and all night long, and more flowers than you could ever think of if you were to think a whole summer through. There were peacocks and birds of paradise on the broad lawns, and pretty slender brown deer in the shady glades, and gold and silver fishes in the ponds and fountains, and great red and yellow fruits ripened in the orchards.
宮殿四周，綿延數英里，有美麗的花園和遊樂場，有露臺和綠色的草坪，有古老的樹木，鳥兒在那裡整日整夜地坐著唱歌，還有就算你數一個夏天也數不完的鮮花。在寬闊的草坪上有孔雀和天堂鳥，在陰涼的沼澤地裡有漂亮纖細的棕色鹿，在池塘和噴泉裡有金銀魚，在果園裡有成熟的大紅色和黃色果實。
There was everything there that heart could wish—except just one, and that was the one thing in all the world that this King and Queen wanted to make them perfectly happy. For there was no little child to run and play about the sunny gardens and pick the flowers, and pet the birds and beasts that wandered there. And this would often make them very sad.
在那裡，除了一件事之外，一切都是心隨所願的，而這件事始終是國王和王后夢寐以求而求之不得的。在陽光明媚的花園裡卻沒有小孩子跑來跑去玩耍，採花，撫摸在那裡遊走的飛禽走獸。這常常會讓他們很傷心。
But at last, after many years, they had their wish, and a little baby daughter was born to them—a tiny child with a face like a blush rosebud, eyes like violets, and a little red mouth like the pimpernel flowers that grow in the cornfields and by the wayside in summer-time.
但多年後，他們終於如願以償，生下了一個小女兒——一個臉蛋像玫瑰般紅的小女孩，眼睛像紫羅蘭，嘴巴像夏天在玉米地裡和路邊生長的黑胡椒花。
Now, you can easily think how glad this King and Queen were, and what great rejoicings were made over all the country.
現在，你可以很容易地想到這位國王和王后是多麼的高興，以及全國人民是多麼的歡欣鼓舞。
Bonfires as big as haystacks were kept burning all night, fat oxen were roasted whole in the market-place of every town, the church-bells were rung and rung again until the ringers were out of breath and their arms were aching, and every little child in the kingdom was given a beautiful present for the baby Princess’s sake.
像乾草堆一樣大的篝火整夜都在燃燒，肥牛在每個城鎮的集市上都被烤得焦頭爛額，教堂的鐘聲一遍又一遍地敲響，直到響鈴的人上氣不接下氣，手臂疼痛，因為小公主的降臨，王國裡的每個孩子都得到了一份漂亮的禮物。
In the palace, of course, all was bustle and hurry to make ready for the christening-feast; the maids were busy putting flowers all about the halls and chambers, and sprinkling the shining floors with sweet-smelling leaves and petals.
於是，皇宮裡所有的人都忙著為洗禮的盛宴做準備；女僕們忙著把鮮花放在大廳和房間的四周，並用芳香的葉子和花瓣灑在閃閃發光的地板上。
For the most important guests invited to this christening were seven very powerful fairies, and you know, I am sure, how particular fairies are about what they eat and drink. Not that they are greedy; but they are used to such delicate food that even the very best of ours seems strange to them. So the Queen was very anxious that they should be pleased; for they had been asked to be godmothers to the baby Princess, and she wanted them to be in a good humor so that they should be kind to her little one.
因為受邀參加這次洗禮的最重要的嘉賓是七位非常有權勢的仙女，你知道，我敢肯定，仙女們在吃喝方面是多麼的講究。不是因為他們貪婪，而是因為他們習慣於吃精緻的食物，以至於我們最好的食物對他們來說都是普通的。女王非常希望他們能感到滿意，因為他們將成為小公主的教母，她希望他們能有一個好心情，以便他們對她的小女兒好一些。
It was a beautiful summer afternoon, and the roses on the palace terrace were nodding their heads sleepily in the warm breeze, when the fairies’ chariots came into sight, sailing through the blue sky like a flight of bright-winged butterflies.
那是一個美麗的夏日午後，宮殿露臺上的玫瑰在暖風中昏昏欲睡地點頭，這時，仙女們的馬車映入眼簾，像一隻翅膀明亮的蝴蝶在藍天上飛舞。
They were all good fairies, and had known the King and Queen all their lives long, and as they had not seen them for some time there was a great deal to talk about and much news to tell. And, dear me! how pleased they were with the baby! They all agreed that she was the prettiest little darling they had ever seen—almost as pretty as a real fairy baby—and that was a compliment indeed, I can tell you.
他們都是善良的仙女，並且和國王和王后相識了一輩子，由於有一段時間沒有見到他們，所以有很多話要談，有很多事要討論。還有，哎呀！他們對孩子多滿意啊！他們都認為她是他們見過的最漂亮的小寶貝，幾乎和一個真正的仙女寶寶一樣漂亮，我可以告訴你，這的確是一種真心實意的讚美。
And when they went in to the great banqueting-hall and sat down to table, they were even more delighted than at first. For each one of them there was a set of six golden dinner things—knife, spoon, fork, cup, dish, and plate—made on purpose as a present for each, and all different. One was set with pearls, another with diamonds, the third with rubies, the fourth with opals, the fifth with amethysts, the sixth with emeralds, the seventh with sapphires; and nobody could tell which was the most beautiful.
當他們走進大宴會廳，坐到桌邊時，他們比剛來的時候更高興了。他們每人都有一套六件金餐具，刀、匙、叉、杯、碟、盤，都是專門為每人做的禮物，而且各不相同。一個鑲著珍珠，一個鑲著鑽石，第三個鑲著紅寶石，第四個鑲著蛋白石，第五個鑲著紫水晶，第六個鑲著綠寶石，第七個鑲著藍寶石，誰也說不出哪個是最美的。
They were just going to begin, and everybody was as happy as happy could be, when, all of a sudden, there was a clashing of brazen claws and a rushing of wings, and something like a black cloud seemed to pass before the tall windows and darken all the room, so that the guests could hardly see their plates. Then the great doors burst open with a terrible bang, and an old fairy in a long trailing black gown, with her face almost hidden in a black hood, jumped out of a black chariot drawn by fierce griffins, and stalked up to the table.
宴會即將開始了，大家都高興得不得了，突然之間，伴隨著撲騰而來的黃銅色爪子和扇動著的翅膀，一片烏雲似的東西從高窗前掠過，把整個房間都遮住了，客人幾乎看不到他們的盤子。接著，大門砰的一聲關上了，一個穿著黑色長袍的老仙女從一輛被兇猛的獅鷲拉著的黑色戰車裡跳了出來，朝桌子走去。
The King turned pale, and the Queen nearly fainted away, for this was the spiteful fairy Tormentilla, who lived all alone, an immense distance away from everywhere and everyone, in a dismal black stone castle in the middle of a desert. The poor Queen had been so happy and so busy that she had forgotten all about her, and never sent her an invitation.
國王臉色蒼白，王后幾乎昏厥過去，因為這就是可惡的托爾門蒂拉仙女，她獨自一人住在沙漠中央一座陰暗的黑石城堡裡，離群索居。原來是可憐的女王因為太過快樂和忙碌，以至於她忘記了給她發邀請。
However, they all tried to make the best of it, and another chair was brought, and another place laid for Tormentilla; and both the King and Queen told her over and over again how very, very sorry they were not to have asked her.
不過，他們馬上就做了補救，除了搬來了一把椅子，還為托爾門蒂拉安排了另一個地方就坐；國王和王后一遍又一遍地向她表達歉意。
It was all in vain. Nothing could please her; she would eat and drink nothing, and she sat, scowling and looking angrily at the other fairies’ jeweled cups and dishes, until the feast was over, and it was time to give the presents.
然而一切都是徒勞的。沒有什麼能取悅她，她什麼也不吃，什麼也不喝，她坐在那裡，滿臉愁容，憤怒地看著其他仙女的珠寶杯子和盤子，直到宴會結束，這時大家都準備給小公主送禮物。
Then they all went into the great tapestried room where the tiny Princess lay sleeping in her mother-o’-pearl cradle, and the seven fairies began to say what they would each give her.
然後大家都進了那間鋪著掛毯的大房間，小公主躺在她珍珠母的搖籃裡睡覺，七個仙女開始說她們各自會給她什麼。
The first stepped forward and said: “She shall always be as good as gold”; the second: “She shall be the cleverest Princess in the world”; the third: “She shall be the most beautiful”; the fourth: “She shall be the happiest”; the fifth: “She shall have the sweetest voice that was ever heard”; the sixth: “Everyone shall love her.” And then the wicked old cross fairy strode over to the cradle with long quick steps, and said, shaking her black crooked stick at the King and Queen: “And I say that she shall prick her hand with a spindle and die of the wound!”
第一個走上前說：“她將永遠像金子一樣美好”；第二個說：“她將是世界上最聰明的公主”；第三個說：“她將是最美麗的公主”；第四個說：“她將是最幸福的公主”；第五個說：“她將擁有有史以來最甜美的聲音”；第六句：“每個人都會愛她。”然後邪惡的十字架老仙女邁著快速的長步大步走到搖籃前，對國王和王后搖著她那根黑色彎曲的棍子說：“我說她會用紡錘刺她的手，然後死於傷口！”
At this the Queen fell on her knees and begged and prayed Tormentilla to call back her cruel words; but suddenly the seventh fairy, the youngest of all, who knew Tormentilla well, and had hidden herself behind the curtains for fear that some such thing might happen, came out and said:
這時，王后跪下來，懇求並祈禱托爾門蒂拉收回她那殘忍的話；但是突然，第七位仙女，最小的仙女，很瞭解托爾門蒂拉，因為害怕會發生這樣的事情，她走出來說：
“Do not cry so, dear Queen; I cannot quite undo my cousin’s wicked enchantment, but I can promise you that your daughter shall not die, but only fall asleep for a hundred years. And, when these are past and gone, a Prince shall come and awaken her with a kiss.”
“親愛的王后，不要哭，我不能完全解除我姐姐的邪惡魔法，但我可以向你保證，你的女兒不會死，只會睡上一百年。當這些都過去了，一個王子會來，用一個吻喚醒她。”
So the King and Queen dried their tears and thanked the kind fairy Heartsease for her goodness; and all the fairies went back to their homes, and things went on much as usual in the palace. But you can imagine how careful the Queen was of her little girl; and the King made a law that every spindle in the country must be destroyed, and that no more should be made, and that anyone who had a spindle should be heavily punished if not executed at once.
於是國王和王后擦乾了眼淚，感謝善良的仙女的善良；所有的仙女都回到了家裡，宮殿裡的一切照常進行。但你可以想象女王對她的小女兒是多麼的小心；國王制定了一項法律，規定全國所有的紡錘都必須銷燬，不應再製造，任何擁有紡錘的人如果不立即這行這項法令，都會受到重罰。
Well, the years went by happily enough until the Princess Miranda was almost eighteen years old, and all that the six fairies had promised came true, for she was the best and the prettiest and the cleverest Princess in all the world, and everybody loved her. And, indeed, by this time Tormentilla’s spiteful words were almost forgotten.
日子過得很快，米蘭達公主很快就18歲了，六個仙女所承諾的一切都實現了，因為她是世界上最好、最漂亮、最聰明的公主，每個人都愛她。而且，事實上，此時托爾門蒂拉的惡言幾乎被遺忘了。
“Poor old thing,” the Queen would sometimes say, “she was so angry at having been left out that she did not know what she was saying. Of course, she did not really mean it.”
“可憐的老傢伙，”女王有時會說，“她被冷落了，氣得不知道自己在說什麼。當然，她並不是真心的。”
Now, the King and Queen had to go away for a few days to a great entertainment that one of their richest nobles was giving at his country house; and, as the Princess did not wish to go, they left her behind with her ladies-in-waiting in the beautiful old palace. For the first two days she amused herself very well, but on the third she missed her father and mother so much that, to pass the time till they came back, she began exploring all the old lumber-rooms and out-of-the-way attics in the palace, and laughing at the dusty furniture and queer curiosities she found there.
現在，國王和王后不得不離開幾天，去參加一個他們最富有的貴族在他的鄉間別墅裡舉行的盛大的娛樂活動；公主不想去，他們把她留在了美麗的舊宮殿裡，讓她的侍女們好生伺候著。頭兩天她自得其樂，但第三天她就非常想念她的父母，為了打發時間，她開始探索宮殿裡所有的舊木屋和偏僻的閣樓，並好笑她在那裡發現的都是滿是灰塵的傢俱和奇怪的珍奇寶物。
At last she found herself at the top of a narrow winding stairway in a tall turret that seemed even older than all the rest of the palace. And when she lifted the latch of the door in front of her she saw a little low chamber with curiously painted walls, and there sat a little old, old woman in a high white cap, spinning at a wheel.
最後，她發現自己站在一個高高的塔樓裡一個狹窄彎曲的樓梯頂上，這個塔樓看起來比宮殿裡其他地方都要古老。當她打開門的門閂時，她看到了一個低矮的小房間，牆上畫著奇怪的圖案，坐著一個戴著白色高帽的老婦人，在一個輪子旁轉來轉去。
For some time she stood at the door, watching the old woman curiously; she could not imagine what she was doing, for the Princess had never seen a spinning-wheel in her life before, because, as I told you, the King had ordered them all to be destroyed.
有一段時間，她站在門口，好奇地看著老婦人；她無法想象自己在做什麼，因為公主以前從來沒有見過紡車，因為正如我告訴你的那樣，國王命令把它們全部銷燬。
Now, it happened that the poor old woman who lived in this tower had never heard the King’s command, for she was so deaf that if you shouted until you were hoarse she would never have been able to understand you.
現在，碰巧住在這座塔裡的那個可憐的老婦人從來沒有聽過國王的命令，因為她是那麼的聾，如果你一直喊到嗓子啞，她就永遠聽不懂你的話。
“What pretty work you are doing there, Goody? And why does that wheel go whirr, whirr, whirr?” said the Princess. The old woman neither answered nor looked up, for, of course, she did not hear.
“你在那兒幹什麼，古迪？為什麼輪子會發出嗚嗚聲，嗚嗚聲，嗚嗚聲？”公主說。老婦人既不回答也不抬頭，因為她當然沒有聽見。
So the Princess stepped into the room and laid her hand upon the old woman’s shoulder.
於是公主走進房間，把手放在老婦人的肩上。
Goody started then, looked up, and rubbed her eyes.
古蒂開始了，抬起頭，揉了揉眼睛。
“Deary, deary me!” cried she, in a high, cracked voice. “And who may you be, my pretty darling?”
“親愛的，親愛的我！”她大聲喊道。“你是誰，我親愛的？”
“I’m the Princess Miranda,” screamed the maiden in her ear, but the old woman only shook her head—she could hear nothing.
“我是米蘭達公主，”少女在她耳邊尖叫，但老婦人只是搖搖頭，什麼也聽不見。
Then the Princess pointed to the spindle, and made the old woman understand that she wanted to try if she could work it.
然後公主指著紡錘，讓老婦人明白她想試試，如果她能做的話。
So Goody nodded, and laughed, and got up from her seat, and the Princess sat down and took the spindle in her hand. But no sooner did she touch it than she pricked the palm of her hand with the point, and sank down in a swoon.
於是古蒂點點頭，笑了起來，從座位上站起來，公主坐下來，手裡拿著紡錘。但她一碰它，就用手指戳了一下手掌，昏倒了。
Immediately a deep silence fell on all around. The little bird that only a moment before had been singing so sweetly upon the window-sill hushed his song. The distant hum of voices from the courtyard beneath ceased;
頓時四周一片沉寂。那隻剛才還在窗臺上甜美地歌唱的鳥兒，立馬安靜了下來。遠處院子裡傳來的嗡嗡聲也停止了；
The soldiers and men-at-arms slumbered as they stood. The page-boy fell asleep writh his mouth wide open, and a fly that had just been going to settle on his nose fell asleep too in mid-air.
士兵們和戰士們站著睡覺。書童張大嘴巴睡著了，一隻剛要趴在鼻子上的蒼蠅也在半空中睡著了。
Although the sun had been shining brightly when the Princess took the spindle in her hand, no sooner did she prick herself with the point than deep shadows darkened the sunny rooms and gardens.
儘管當公主拿著紡錘時，太陽一直在明亮地照耀著，但她一用針頭扎自己，陽光明媚的房間和花園就被深深的陰影所籠罩。
It was just as though night had overtaken them, but there was no one in or near the palace to heed whether it were dark or light.
就好像黑夜已經追上了他們，但宮殿裡或宮殿附近沒有人留意黑暗或光明。
This sudden darkness had been caused by a magic wood which had sprung up all around the palace and its grounds. It was at least half a mile thick, and was composed of thorns and prickly plants, through which it seemed impossible for anyone to penetrate. It was so thick and high that it hid even the topmost towers of the enchanted castle, and no one outside could have dreamed that such a castle lay behind it.
這突如其來的黑暗是由一根神奇的木頭引起的，它在宮殿和宮殿周圍的地面上都長了出來。它至少有半英里厚，由荊棘和多刺的植物組成，似乎任何人都無法穿過。它又厚又高，連魔法城堡最頂端的塔樓都藏了起來，外面沒有人能想到它後面會有這樣一座城堡。
Well, and so the years went on, and on, and on, until a hundred years had passed, and the palace and the story of it were all but forgotten. And it happened that a King’s son from a neighboring country came hunting that way with his men, and horses, and dogs. And in the excitement of the chase he rode on and on until he became separated from his servants and attendants, and found himself in a part of the country where he had never been before. In vain he tried to retrace his steps; he only seemed to wander farther away in the wrong direction.
好吧，這麼多年過去了，直到一百年過去了，宮殿和它的故事幾乎都被遺忘了。碰巧有一個鄰國的國王的兒子，帶著他的人、馬、狗來打獵。在追逐的興奮中，他不斷地騎著馬，直到他與僕人和隨從分離，發現自己在一個他從來沒有去過地方。他試圖後退卻徒勞無功；只好朝著錯誤的方向越走越遠。
Presently he came to a woodcutter’s cottage, and dismounted to ask his way. An old, old man lived in this hut, and after he had directed the Prince as to the best way back, the young man pointed to a thick wood ahead, and asked what lay beyond it. Then the old man told him that there was a legend that beyond the wood was an enchanted palace where a beautiful Princess had lain sleeping for a hundred years, and whom a Prince was to awaken with a kiss.
不久，他來到一個樵夫的小屋，下馬問路。有一位老人住在這間小屋裡，他告訴王子最好的歸路後，年輕人指了指前面的一片茂密的樹林，問屋外有什麼。然後老人告訴他，有一個傳說，在樹林的另一邊是一座迷人的宮殿，一位美麗的公主躺在那裡睡了一百年，等著一位王子用吻來喚醒她。
Directly the Prince Florimond heard this, nothing would serve but he must go there and see for himself if the tale were true. So he rode and he rode until he came to the edge of the wood, and there he got off his horse and began to push his way through the thorny thicket. It was hard work indeed, for the briars were so strong and so sharp that you would never believe that anyone could get past them, and they closed up behind him as he went.
弗洛裡蒙德王子一聽到這個消息，就想親自去看看這個故事是不是真的。於是他騎著馬，一直騎到樹林的邊緣，在那裡他下了馬，開始在荊棘叢中前進。這的確是一項艱苦的工作，因為荊棘是如此的強壯和鋒利，以至於你永遠不會相信有人能越過它們，當他走的時候，它們就在他身後關上了。
But he was strong and brave, and after a time the way became easier, until at last he came to the palace.
但他很堅強，很勇敢，過了一段時間，這條路變得容易了，最後他來到了宮殿。
There everyone was sleeping—the sentinels and soldiers in the court-yard, the cooks in the kitchen, and pages and lords and ladies-in-waiting in the corridors and chambers; and, in the great throne-room the King and Queen on their golden and ivory thrones.
他看到每個人都睡在院子裡的哨兵和士兵，廚房裡的廚師，走廊和房間裡的書頁、貴族和淑女，還有坐在金色和象牙王座上的國王和王后。
Prince Florimond passed on, wondering more and more, till he came at length to the narrow staircase which led to the little tower in which the Princess had fallen asleep. He mounted this, and then came the greatest wonder of all—the beautiful sleeping lady, in her glistening white robes. She was so beautiful that to see her almost took away his breath; and, falling on his knees, he bent to kiss her cheek. And as he kissed her, she opened her lovely blue eyes and said, smiling: “Oh! Prince, have you come at last? I have had such pleasant dreams.”
弗洛裡蒙德王子越走越疑惑，終於走到通往公主睡著的小塔的狹窄樓梯邊。他登上了這輛車，然後出現了一個美麗的睡美人，她穿著閃閃發光的白色長袍。她是如此美麗，看到她幾乎讓他喘不過氣來；他跪下，彎下腰吻她的臉頰。當他吻她時，她睜開她可愛的藍眼睛，微笑著說：“哦！王子，你終於來了嗎？我好像做了一個奇妙的夢。”
Then she sat up laughing and rubbing her eyes, and gave him her hand, and they went hand in hand together down the stairs and along the corridors, till they came to the throne-room. And there were the King and Queen rubbing their eyes too, and they kissed their daughter and welcomed the Prince most gladly.
然後她笑著坐起來，揉著眼睛，把她的手給了他，他們手拉手一起走下樓梯，沿著走廊，直到他們來到寶座室。國王和王后也揉了揉眼睛，吻了吻女兒，非常高興地歡迎王子的到來。
And, all at the same time, the whole palace was awake. Cocks crowed, dogs barked, the cats began to mew, the spits to turn, the clocks to strike, the soldiers presented arms, the heralds blew their trumpets, the butler went on drinking his half-finished tankard of wine.
與此同時，整個宮殿也醒了。公雞叫了，狗叫了，貓開始喵喵叫了，口水轉了，時鐘敲了，士兵們舉起了武器，傳令官吹響了號角，管家繼續喝著他只喝了一半的酒。
Everything, in short, went on exactly as though the spell had lasted a hundred seconds instead of years. To be sure, Princess Miranda’s pretty white dress was just such a one as Prince Florimond’s great-grandmother might have worn. But that gave them something to laugh at.
總之，一切都進行得恰如其分，彷彿咒語持續了一百秒而不是幾年。可以肯定的是，米蘭達公主那件漂亮的白裙子正是弗洛裡蒙德王子的曾祖母可能穿的那種。他們會心的笑了。
And now my story is done, for I need hardly tell you that the Prince and Princess were married amid great rejoicings, and lived happily ever after; and that the seven fairy godmothers danced at the wedding. So all ended well, and what more could anyone wish?
現在我的故事結束了，因為我幾乎不需要告訴你王子和公主是在巨大的歡樂中結婚的，從此過著幸福的生活；七位仙女教母在婚禮上跳舞。所以一切都結束得很好，還有什麼值得期待呢？
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