《小精灵山丘》，1845 年
the Elfin hill, 1845
几只大蜥蜴在一棵老树的裂缝里敏捷地跑来跑去；它们彼此能很好地交流，因为它们说的是蜥蜴语。
A few large lizards were running nimbly about in the clefts of an old tree; they could understand one another very well, for they spoke the lizard language.
“小精灵山丘那边嗡嗡响、轰隆隆的，可真吵啊，” 其中一只蜥蜴说，“就因为这噪音，我已经两夜没能合眼了；我还不如牙疼呢，因为牙疼也总是让我睡不着觉。”
“what a buzzing and a rumbling there is in the elfin hill,” said one of the lizards; “I have not been able to close my eyes for two nights on account of the noise; I might just as well have had the toothache, for that always keeps me awake.”
“山丘里面肯定在搞什么名堂，” 另一只蜥蜴说，“他们用四根红柱子把山顶撑起来，一直撑到今天早上公鸡打鸣，这样里面就彻底通了风，小精灵姑娘们也学了新舞蹈；肯定有什么事儿。”
“there is something going on within there,” said the other lizard; “they propped up the top of the hill with four red posts, till cock-crow this morning, so that it is thoroughly aired, and the elfin girls have learnt new dances; there is something.”
“我跟我认识的一条蚯蚓说起过这事，” 第三只蜥蜴说，“那条蚯蚓刚从小精灵山丘来，他在那儿的土里日夜摸索。他听到了很多事；虽然他看不见，可怜的家伙，但他很清楚怎么扭动着身子、偷偷摸摸地四处活动。小精灵山丘在等客人，还是很重要的客人呢；但客人是谁，蚯蚓不肯说，或者，也许他真的不知道。所有的鬼火都接到命令要到那儿去跳火炬舞，就是那种舞。山丘里大量的金银财宝都要擦拭干净，摆到月光下。”
“I spoke about it to an earth-worm of my acquaintance,” said a third lizard; “the earth-worm had just e from the elfin hill, where he has been groping about in the earth day and night. he has heard a great deal; although he cannot see, poor miserable creature, yet he understands very well how to wriggle and lurk about. they expect friends in the elfin hill, grand pany, too; but who they are the earth-worm would not say, or, perhaps, he really did not know. All the will-o’-the-wisps are ordered to be there to hold a torch dance, as it is called. the silver and gold which is plentiful in the hill will be polished and placed out in the moonlight.”
“这些陌生人会是谁呢？” 蜥蜴们问道，“到底是怎么回事呢？ 听，那嗡嗡声、哼哼声多响啊！”
“who can the strangers be?” asked the lizards; “what can the matter be? hark, what a buzzing and humming there is!”
就在这时，小精灵山丘打开了，一位后背凹陷的老精灵少女轻快地走了出来；她是老精灵王的管家，也是这个家族的远亲；因此她在额头正中央戴着一颗琥珀色的心形饰物。
Just at this moment the elfin hill opened, and an old elfin maiden, hollow behind, came tripping out; she was the old elf king’s housekeeper, and a distant relative of the family; therefore she wore an amber heart on the middle of her forehead.
她的脚步移动得很快，“嗒嗒，嗒嗒”；天哪，她能一路轻快地走到海边去找夜鸦。
her feet moved very fast, “trip, trip;” good gracious, how she could trip right down to the sea to the night-raven.
“今晚你被邀请到小精灵山丘来，” 她说，“但你能帮我个大忙，负责送请帖吗？你应该做点事，因为你不像我有管家的活儿要忙。我们要来一些非常重要的人物，魔法师们，他们总是有话要说；因此老精灵王想好好炫耀一番。”
“You are invited to the elf hill for this evening,” said she; “but will you do me a great favor and undertake the invitations? you ought to do something, for you have no housekeeping to attend to as I have. we are going to have some very grand people, conjurors, who have always something to say; and therefore the old elf king wishes to make a great display.”
“要邀请谁呢？” 夜鸦问道。
“who is to be invited?” asked the raven.
“全世界的人都可以来参加这场盛大的舞会，甚至人类，如果他们能在睡梦中说话，或者能像我们一样做点什么事的话。但对于宴会，宾客必须精心挑选；我们只能接纳地位高贵的人；我自己就和精灵王争论过，因为他认为我们不能接纳鬼魂。首先必须邀请人鱼和他的女儿，虽然让他们在陆地上待那么久可能不太乐意，但会给他们准备一块潮湿的石头让他们坐，或者也许会有更好的安排；所以我觉得他们这次不会拒绝的。”
“All the world may e to the great ball, even human beings, if they can only talk in their sleep, or do something after our fashion. but for the feast the pany must be carefully selected; we can only admit persons of high rank; I have had a dispute myself with the elf king, as he thought we could not admit ghosts. the merman and his daughter must be invited first, although it may not be agreeable to them to remain so long on dry land, but they shall have a feel wet stone to sit on, or perhaps something better; so I think they will not refuse this time.
我们必须邀请所有一流的老恶魔，长着尾巴的那种，还有小妖精和小鬼；然后我觉得我们不该漏掉死神之马，或者坟场之猪，甚至连教堂小矮人也不能落下，虽然他们隶属于神职人员，不算在我们族类里；但那只是他们的职务，他们和我们关系很近，还经常来拜访我们呢。”
we must have all the old demons of the first class, with tails, and the hobgoblins and imps; and then I think we ought not to leave out the death-horse, or the grave-pig, or even the church dwarf, although they do belong to the clergy, and are not reckoned among our people; but that is merely their office, they are nearly related to us, and visit us very frequently.”
“呱，” 夜鸦叫了一声，就带着请柬飞走了。
“croak,” said the night-raven as he flew away with the invitations.
小精灵少女们已经在小精灵山丘上跳舞了，她们披着用月光和薄雾织成的披肩跳舞，对于喜欢这类东西的人来说，看上去非常漂亮。
the elfin maidens we’re already dancing on the elf hill, and they danced in shawls woven from moonshine and mist, which look very pretty to those who like such things.
小精灵山丘内的大厅装饰得富丽堂皇；地面是用月光洗过的，墙壁是用魔法药膏擦拭过的，所以在灯光下它们像郁金香花瓣一样闪闪发光。
the large hall within the elf hill was splendidly decorated; the floor had been washed with moonshine, and the walls had been rubbed with magic ointment, so that they glowed like tulip-leaves in the light.
厨房里，青蛙正在烤肉叉上烤着，用蜗牛壳做的菜肴正在准备当中，里面还有小孩子的手指头，有蘑菇籽、毒芹做的沙拉，老鼠的鼻子和骨髓，有来自沼泽女人酿酒厂的啤酒，还有从墓穴地窖里取出的冒着泡的硝石酒。
In the kitchen were frogs roasting on the spit, and dishes preparing of snail skins, with children’s fingers in them, salad of mushroom seed, hemlock, noses and marrow of mice, beer from the marsh woman’s brewery, and sparkling salt-petre wine from the grave cellars.
这些可都是实实在在的食物。
these were all substantial food.
生锈的钉子和教堂窗户玻璃成了甜点。
Rusty nails and church-window glass formed the dessert.
老精灵王让人用粉状的石板铅笔把他的金王冠擦得锃亮；那是一年级学生用的那种，对一个精灵王来说很难弄到。
the old elf king had his gold crown polished up with powdered slate-pencil; it was like that used by the first form, and very difficult for an elf king to obtain.
在卧室里，窗帘挂了起来，用蜗牛的黏液系着；确实，到处都是嗡嗡声和哼哼声。
In the bedrooms, curtains were hung up and fastened with the slime of snails; there was, indeed, a buzzing and humming everywhere.
“现在我们得用烧焦的马毛和猪鬃来熏一下这个地方，然后我想我的活儿就干完了。” 小精灵男仆说。
“Now we must fumigate the place with burnt horse-hair and pig’s bristles, and then I think I shall have at done my part,” said the elf man-servant.
“亲爱的爸爸，” 最小的女儿说，“我现在能知道我们那些高贵的客人都是谁吗？”
“Father, dear,” said the youngest daughter, “may I now hear who our high-born visitors are?”
“嗯，我想我现在得告诉你们了。” 他回答道，“我的两个女儿得准备好出嫁了，因为这婚事肯定是要办的。来自挪威的老妖怪，他住在古老的多夫勒山脉，拥有许多用岩石和砂石建造的城堡，除此之外，还有一座金矿，大家都觉得那金矿比什么都好。他带着他的两个儿子要来，那两个儿子都在找媳妇。老妖怪是个心地善良、诚实的挪威老头儿；性格开朗又直率。我以前就认识他，那时候我们常常一起喝酒，为我们的友谊干杯呢。他曾经来这儿娶过他的妻子，她现在已经去世了。她是默恩白垩山国王的女儿。
人们说他娶了个白垩山的妻子；我很期待能再见到他。据说那两个儿子没什么教养，是些冒失的小伙子，但也许这话不太准确，等他们长大了可能会变好的。让我看看你们知道怎么教他们懂礼貌。”
“well, I suppose I must tell you now,” he replied; “two of my daughters must prepare themselves to be married, for the marriages certainly will take place. the old goblin from Norway, who lives in the ancient dovre mountains, and who possesses many castles built of rock and freestone, besides a gold mine, which is better than all, so it is thought, is ing with his two sons, who are both seeking a wife. the old goblin is a true-hearted, honest, old Norwegian graybeard; cheerful and straightforward. I knew him formerly, when we used to drink together to our good fellowship: he came here once to fetch his wife, she is dead now. She was the daughter of the king of the chalk-hills at moen. they say he took his wife from chalk; I shall be delighted to see him again. It is said that the boys are ill-bred, forward lads, but perhaps that is not quite correct, and they will bee better as they grow older. Let me see that you know how to teach them good manners.”
“他们什么时候来呀？” 女儿问道。
“And when are they ing?” asked the daughter.
“那要看风向和天气了。” 精灵王说，“他们出行很节省。只要有船可搭，他们就会来。我本想让他们来瑞典，但老头儿不愿意听我的建议。他跟不上时代步伐，这我可不喜欢。”
“that depends upon wind and weather,” said the elf king; “they travel economically. they will e when there is the chance of a ship. I wanted them to e over to Sweden, but the old man was not inclined to take my advice. he does not go forward with the times, and that I do not like.”
两只鬼火蹦蹦跳跳地进来了，一只比另一只快，所以当然是一只先到了。
two will-o’-the-wisps came jumping in, one quicker than the other, so of course, one arrived first. “they are ing! they are ing!” he cried.
“把我的王冠给我，” 精灵王说，“让我站到月光下。”
the daughters drew on their shawls and bowed down to the ground.
来自多夫勒山脉的老妖怪站在那儿，戴着用坚硬的冰和打磨过的冷杉球果做成的王冠。
there stood the old goblin from the dovre mountains, with his crown of hardened ice and polished fir-cones.
除此之外，他还披着一张熊皮，穿着又大又暖和的靴子，而他的儿子们则光着脖子，也没系背带，因为他们都是强壮的男子汉。
besides this, he wore a bear-skin, and great, warm boots, while his sons went with their throats bare and wore no braces, for they were strong men.
“那是座小山吗？”其中一个最小的男孩指着小精灵山丘说，“在挪威我们会把它叫做一个洞。”
“Is that a hill?” said the youngest of the boys, pointing to the elf hill, “we should call it a hole in Norway.”
“孩子们，” 老头儿说，“洞是凹进去的，山是凸出来的；你们脑袋里没长眼睛吗？”
“boys,” said the old man, “a hole goes in, and a hill stands out; have you no eyes in your heads?”
另一件让他们感到惊奇的事是，他们毫不费力就能听懂这里的语言。
Another thing they wondered at was, that they were able without trouble to understand the language.
“小心点，” 老头儿说，“不然别人会以为你们没受过良好的教养。”
“take care,” said the old man, “or people will think you have not been well brought up.”
然后他们走进了小精灵山丘，那些精选出来的尊贵宾客都已经聚集在那儿了，他们出现得如此之快，就好像是被一阵风给吹到一起的。
then they entered the elfin hill, where the select and grand pany were assembled, and so quickly had they appeared that they seemed to have been blown together.
但对于每一位宾客，都已经做好了最整洁、最舒适的安排。
but for each guest the neatest and pleasantest arrangement had been made.
海族人坐在大水缸做成的桌子旁，他们说这感觉就像在家里一样。
the sea folks sat at table in great water-tubs, and they said it was just like being at home.
除了那两个年轻的北方小妖怪，其他人都举止得体。他们把腿跷到桌子上，还觉得自己没做错。
All behaved themselves properly excepting the two young northern goblins; they put their legs on the table and thought they were all right.
“把脚从桌布上拿下来！” 老妖怪说。
“Feet off the table-cloth!” said the old goblin.
他们服从了，但不是马上就照做。
they obeyed, but not immediately.
然后他们用口袋里装着的冷杉球果去挠那些在餐桌旁伺候的女士们痒痒。
then they tickled the ladies who waited at table, with the fir-cones, which they carried in their pocket.
他们脱掉靴子，这样能更自在些，还把靴子递给女士们拿着。
they took off their boots, that they might be more at ease, and gave them to the ladies to hold.
但他们的父亲，那位老妖怪，可就大不一样了。他兴高采烈地谈论着挪威雄伟的岩石，还讲述了那些瀑布的精彩故事，瀑布奔腾而下，发出如雷鸣或风琴般的轰鸣声，白色的泡沫向四面八方飞溅。
but their father, the old goblin, was very different; he talked pleasantly about the stately Norwegian rocks, and told fine tales of the waterfalls which dashed over them with a clattering noise like thunder or the sound of an organ, spreading their white foam on every side.
他讲到在湍急的水流中跳跃的鲑鱼，还有水神在弹奏他的金竖琴。
he told of the salmon that leaps in the rushing waters, while the water-god plays on his golden harp.
他说起明亮的冬夜，那时雪橇的铃铛响个不停，男孩子们举着燃烧的火把在光滑的冰面上奔跑，冰面如此透明，他们能看到鱼儿在脚下穿梭。
he spoke of the bright winter nights, when the sledge bells are ringing, and the boys run with burning torches across the smooth ice, which is so transparent that they can see the fishes dart forward beneath their feet.
他把一切都描述得如此清晰，以至于听的人仿佛都能亲眼看到；他们能看到锯木厂在运转，男仆和女仆们在唱歌，还在跳着欢快的舞蹈 —— 突然，老妖怪给了那位老精灵少女一个吻，一个非常热烈的吻，而他们俩几乎还算不上熟人呢。
he described everything so clearly, that those who listened could see it all; they could see the saw-mills going, the men-servants and the maidens singing songs, and dancing a rattling dance, — when all at once the old goblin gave the old elfin maiden a kiss, such a tremendous kiss, and yet they were almost strangers to each other.
接着小精灵姑娘们得跳舞了，先是按常规方式跳，然后是跺脚舞，她们跳得非常好；随后是艺术独舞。
then the elfin girls had to dance, first in the usual way, and then with stamping feet, which they performed very well; then followed the artistic and solo dance.
天哪，她们的腿甩得可真带劲！没人能说清这舞是从哪儿开始，又到哪儿结束的，甚至也分不清哪是腿哪是胳膊，因为它们全都一起飞舞着，就像锯木坑里的刨花一样！然后她们转得那么快，连死神之马和坟场之猪都觉得头晕恶心，不得不离开餐桌。
dear me, how they did throw their legs about! No one could tell where the dance begun, or where it ended, nor indeed which were legs and which were arms, for they were all flying about together, like the shavings in a saw-pit! And then they spun round so quickly that the death-horse and the grave-pig became sick and giddy, and were obliged to leave the table.
“停！” 老妖怪喊道，“这就是她们唯一会干的家务活吗？除了跳舞、甩腿和制造旋风，她们还会干别的吗？”
“Stop!” cried the old goblin, “is that the only house-keeping they can perform? can they do anything more than dance and throw about their legs, and make a whirlwind?”
“你马上就会看到她们还能做什么。” 精灵王说。
“You shall soon see what they can do,” said the elf king.
然后他把他最小的女儿叫到跟前。
And then he called his youngest daughter to him.
她苗条又白皙，像月光一样，是所有姐妹中最优雅的。
She was slender and fair as moonlight, and the most graceful of all the sisters.
她把一片白色的木片含在嘴里，立刻就消失不见了；这就是她的本事。
She took a white chip in her mouth, and vanished instantly; this was her acplishment.
但老妖怪说他可不希望他的妻子有这样的本事，还觉得他的儿子们也会有同样的反对意见。
but the old goblin said he should not like his wife to have such an acplishment, and thought his boys would have the same objection.
另一个女儿能让一个和她一模一样的身影跟着她，就好像她有影子似的，而妖怪一族可从来都没有影子的。
Another daughter could make a figure like herself follow her, as if she had a shadow, which none of the goblin folk ever had.
第三个则完全是另外一种类型；她在沼泽女巫的酿酒坊里学会了如何用萤火虫给小精灵布丁添加装饰。
the third was of quite a different sort; she had learnt in the brew-house of the moor witch how to lard elfin puddings with glow-worms.
“她会是个好主妇。” 老妖怪说，然后用眼神向她致意，而不是为她的健康干杯，因为他不太喝酒。
“She will make a good housewife,” said the old goblin, and then saluted her with his eyes instead of drinking her health; for he did not drink much.
这时第四个女儿来了，拿着一架大竖琴准备弹奏；当她奏响第一个和弦时，每个人都抬起了左腿（因为妖怪们都是左腿发力），奏响第二个和弦时，他们发现自己都得按她的要求去做。
Now came the fourth daughter, with a large harp to play upon; and when she struck the first chord, every one lifted up the left leg (for the goblins are left-legged), and at the second chord they found they must all do just what she wanted.
“这是个危险的女人。” 老妖怪说，然后两个儿子走出了小山丘；他们已经受够了。
“that is a dangerous woman,” said the old goblin; and the two sons walked out of the hill; they had had enough of it.
“下一个女儿会做什么呢？”老妖怪问道。
“And what can the next daughter do?”asked the old goblin.
“我学了所有挪威的东西，” 她说，“而且我绝不嫁人，除非我能去挪威。”
“I have learnt everything that is Norwegian,” said she; “and I will never marry, unless I can go to Norway.”
然后她最小的妹妹悄悄对老妖怪说：“那只是因为她在一首挪威歌曲里听到，当世界毁灭时，挪威的悬崖会像纪念碑一样屹立不倒；她想去那儿，这样她就能安全了；因为她太害怕沉沦了。”
then her youngest sister whispered to the old goblin, “that is only because she has heard, in a Norwegian song, that when the world shall decay, the cliffs of Norway will remain standing like monuments; and she wants to get to Norway, that she may be safe; for she is so afraid of sinking.”
“哦！哦！” 老妖怪说，“她是这个意思呀？嗯，那第七个也是最后一个女儿能做什么呢？”
“ho! ho!” said the old goblin, “is that what she means? well, what can the seventh and last do?”
“第六个应该在第七个之前呀。” 精灵王说，因为他会数数；但第六个女儿不肯上前。
“the sixth es before the seventh,” said the elf king, for he could reckon; but the sixth would not e forward.
“我只能告诉人们真相。” 她说，“没人关心我，也没人为我费心；我光忙着缝我的寿衣就够忙的了。”
“I can only tell people the truth,” said she. “No one cares for me, nor troubles himself about me; and I have enough to do to sew my grave clothes.”
于是第七个也是最后一个女儿来了；她能做什么呢？嗯，她能讲故事，你想听多少就讲多少，什么题材都行。
So the seventh and last came; and what could she do? why, she could tell stories, as many as you liked, on any subject.
“这是我的五根手指，” 老妖怪说，“现在给我每根手指都讲一个故事。”
“So are my five fingers,” said the old goblin; “now tell me a story for each of them.”
于是她抓住他的手腕，他笑得差点喘不过气来；当讲到第四根手指时，上面有一枚金戒指，好像它知道要有婚约似的。
So she took him by the wrist, and he laughed till he nearly choked; and when she came to the fourth finger, there was a gold ring on it, as if it knew there was to be a betrothal.
然后老妖怪说：“抓紧你所拥有的：这只手是你的了；因为我要你做我的妻子。”
then the old goblin said, “hold fast what you have: this hand is yours; for I will have you for a wife myself.”
这时小精灵姑娘说，关于无名指和小彼得?普莱曼的故事还没讲呢。
then the elfin girl said that the stories about the ring-finger and little peter playman had not yet been told.
“我们冬天再听那些故事，” 老妖怪说，“还有关于冷杉树和白桦树的故事，以及鬼故事，还有刺骨的寒霜的故事。
“we will hear them in the winter,” said the old goblin, “and also about the fiir and the birch-trees, and the ghost stories, and of the tingling frost.
你来讲故事，因为那边没人能讲得像你这么好；我们会坐在石头房子里，松木块在那里燃烧着，用挪威古代国王的金酒角喝蜂蜜酒。
You shall tell your tales, for no one over there can do it so well; and we will sit in the stone rooms, where the pine logs are burning, and drink mead out of the golden drinking-horn of the old Norwegian kings.
水神给了我两个酒角；当我们坐在那里时，尼克斯会来拜访我们，还会给你唱所有山间牧羊女的歌。
the water-god has given me two; and when we sit there, Nix es to pay us a visit, and will sing you all the songs of the mountain shepherdesses.
我们会多么开心啊！鲑鱼会在瀑布中跳跃，撞击着石壁，但它进不来。
how merry we shall be! the salmon will be leaping in the waterfalls, and dashing against the stone walls, but he will not be able to e in.
住在古老的挪威确实很惬意。
It is indeed very pleasant to live in old Norway.
可那两个小伙子在哪儿呢？”
but where are the lads?”
他们到底在哪儿呢？哦，正在田野里跑来跑去，吹灭那些好心来举着火把的鬼火呢。
where indeed were they? why, running about the fields, and blowing out the will-o’-the-wisps, who so good-naturedly came and brought their torches.
“你们在搞什么鬼把戏？” 老妖怪说。
“what tricks have you been playing?” said the old goblin.
“我给你们找了个妈，现在你们可以从你们的姨妈里挑一个（做媳妇）。”
“I have taken a mother for you, and now you may take one of your aunts.”
但这两个年轻人说他们宁愿发表演讲，为他们的友谊干杯；他们可不想结婚。
but the youngsters said they would rather make a speech and drink to their good fellowship; they had no wish to marry.
然后他们发表演讲，举杯祝酒，还把酒杯倒过来，示意已经喝空了。
then they made speeches and drank toasts, and tipped their glasses, to show that they were empty.
接着他们脱掉外套，躺在桌子上睡觉；因为他们已经完全把这儿当成自己家了。
then they took off their coats, and lay down on the table to sleep; for they made themselves quite at home.
而老妖怪则和他年轻的新娘在房间里跳舞，还和她交换了靴子，这可比交换戒指时髦多了。
but the old goblin danced about the room with his young bride, and exchanged boots with her, which is more fashionable than exchanging rings.
“公鸡打鸣了，” 那位担任管家的老精灵少女说，“现在我们得把百叶窗关上，免得太阳把我们晒伤。”
“the cock is crowing,” said the old elfin maiden who acted as housekeeper; “now we must close the shutters, that the sun may not scorch us.”
然后小山就关上了。
then the hill closed up.
但蜥蜴们还在那棵有裂缝的树上跑来跑去；其中一只对另一只说：“哦，我可太喜欢那个老妖怪了！”
but the lizards continued to run up and down the riven tree; and one said to the other, “oh, how much I was pleased with the old goblin!”
“我更喜欢那俩小伙子，” 蚯蚓说。但可怜的家伙，它什么都看不见。
“the boys pleased me better,” said the earth-worm. but then the poor miserable creature could not see.