（仅作个人翻译练习娱乐之用 原作者安徒生）
The Nightingale 夜莺

Chapter 1 第一章

It is common knowledge that in China the Emperor is a Chinese, and that everyone about him is Chinese.
众所周知，中国的皇帝是个中国人，他身边的人也都是中国人。（这点强调个什么？如果皇帝身边有个丹麦人的话，他们就不会那么愚蠢了？）
This story took place a great number of years back, so it is well to put it down in writing now before it goes completely out of men’s minds.
这个故事发生在很多年以前，最好现在就把它写下来，要不人们都快忘记了。
The Emperor’s house was the most beautiful on earth.
这位皇帝拥有曾经世界上最漂亮的皇宫。
It was made completely of porcelain and was of great value, but so delicate and readily broken that it had to be touched with the greatest care.
皇宫完全是用瓷器制作的，超级珍贵，一碰就会碎。所以大家都格外爱护。（瓷器就是中国的代名词，那在我们看来丹麦国王的城堡可能是用童话盖的吧 ；）
In the garden there were the strangest flowers, with beautiful silver bells fixed to them, which made a pleasing sound, so that everybody who went by was made to give attention to the flowers.
花园里有最奇异的花朵，花上系着漂亮的银色铃铛，发出清脆悦耳的声音，所有路过的人都会被她们吸引。
In fact, everything in the Emperor’s garden was very surprising, and the size of it was so great that the gardener himself was not certain where it came to an end.
实际上，皇宫花园里的每样奇珍都让人惊叹，而且面积超级大，连园丁自己都不确定自己到没到过尽头。（这句话写的超有趣呢）
Those who went outside its limits made the discovery that there was a great wood, with high trees, sloping down to the deep blue sea, and the great sailing-ships went by under the shade of its branches.
那些走到过尽头的人发现那里有很多高大的树，倾斜的生长在深蓝色海水边的峭壁上，大帆船都能从他们枝干的阴影下驶过。
In one of these trees there was a nightingale whose song was so beautiful that even the poor fishermen, who had such a number of other things to do, would put a stop to their work when the chance came of hearing it.
其中的一棵树上，有一只夜莺，唱着美丽的歌，即使有繁重任务的穷渔夫，听到这歌声时也会情不自禁的停下手中的活儿。
Sometimes, when they went at night to put out their nets, her song would come to their ears, and they would say, “Oh, is not that beautiful?”
But when they went back to their fishing, they would not give another thought to the bird till night-time.
有时候，渔夫们在傍晚撒出渔网时，夜莺的歌声飘到了他们的耳朵里，他们会说：“太美了！对吧！” 但是当他们继续投入工作中时，直到深夜他们才会再次想起这只鸟。
Then the song would be started again, and they would say “Oh, how beautiful is the nightingale’s song!”
然后歌声会再度响起，他们继续赞叹：“天！多美的夜莺之歌啊！”
Men from every country on earth came to the Emperor’s town, which seemed to them very beautiful, as did the house and garden;
世界各地的人们慕名来到这里，在他们看来这里的城镇实在是太美丽了，皇宫和花园无不如此。
but on hearing the nightingale’s song, they all said it was the best of all.
但是等他们听到夜莺歌声的时候，他们都说这歌声是所有景色里最美的。
And these men, when they went back to their countries, gave an account of what they had seen; and wise men put into books long accounts of the town, the Emperor’s house, and the garden; and they all said something about the nightingale, which was truly the most interesting thing of all.
当这些人回到他们国家后都讲述了他们曾经所看到的。有些智慧的人还把皇帝的城镇，皇宫，花园都写进他们的书里，并做了大段的描述，在提及夜莺时他们都认为这的确是所有见闻里最有趣的。
And those who were able to put their thoughts into verse made beautiful verses about the nightingale living in a wood near the deep sea.
甚至那些会写诗的人还把这些住在海边树林里的夜莺写进了他们美丽的诗句里。
The books went all over the earth, and some of them came into the hands of the Emperor; and while he was reading them, seated in his gold seat, he gave frequent signs of approval , because it was a pleasure to him to see such a beautiful account of his town, his house, and his garden.
这些书流传到了世界各地，有一些甚至辗转到了皇帝手上，当他坐在龙椅上翻阅这些书时，不时的在上面写下心满意足的批注，皇帝看到有人这样描写他的城镇 皇宫 花园，感到很开心。
But when he came to the words “the nightingale is the most beautiful of all,” he gave a cry,
“What is this? I have no knowledge of any nightingale.
Is there such a bird in my Empire, and even in my garden?
Nobody has ever said anything about it to me.
It seems that it is possible to get some knowledge from books.”
但当他看到了这些文字 “ 夜莺是所有东西里最美丽的，”他大叫一声
：“这他妈是什么？朕他妈怎么不知道什么夜莺？
朕的国里竟然还有这样一只奇鸟！还他妈在朕的花园里！
真他妈的书中自有颜如玉呀！”
Then he sent for one of his great men who had had such a good education that when anybody less important than himself said anything to him, or put a question to him, he gave the answer “Pooh!” which has no sense.
于是皇帝召来一位受过最高等教育的公公，公公位高权重，你要是官衔比他低却敢和他说话或者问他问题，他都可以明确的答复你：“滚！”
“There is talk here of a very surprising bird named a nightingale,” said the Emperor.
：“ 书上说这里有一只叫夜莺的奇鸟，”皇帝说。
“They say it is the best thing in my great Empire.
Why has nobody ever said anything about it to me?”
：“他们说那是朕伟大国度里最特别的东西，为什么他妈的没人告诉朕？”
“The name has never come to my ears,” was the great man’s answer.
：“圣上都没听说过，小人自然也是从来没听过呢，”公公答道。
“She has never been before the Emperor’s Circle.”
：“也许她之前从来不敢来圣上附近。”
“It is my pleasure to have her come before me tonight,” said the Emperor.
：“那朕很乐意今晚就看到她，”皇帝说。
“Everybody has a better knowledge of my property than I have myself.”
：“竟然每个人都比朕还了解朕的东西，朕很不开心。”
“The name has never come to my ears,” said the great man; “but I will do my best to get in touch with her.”
：“小人以前从没听过什么夜莺的名字，”公公说；“不过小人尽力去调查一下。”
But where was the nightingale?
The great man went all over the house, through rooms great and small; but not one of the persons he came across had any knowledge of the bird.
但是这只该死的夜莺在哪呢？
公公走遍了皇宫，穿过大大小小的房间，偌大的皇宫一百万个人竟然没一个人知道夜莺的哪怕一丁点消息。
So he went back to the Emperor, and said that it was without doubt an untrue statement, an invention of the writers of the book.
于是他回到皇帝处，告诉皇帝毫无疑问那些都是不实的传言，都是屌丝作者们意淫出来的。
“It is not wise,” he said, “for the Emperor to give belief to everything said in books;
sometimes they are only fiction, or what is named the Black Art.”
：“这太不明智了，”公公说，“圣上不能书里的啥都信呀，大多数时候那些都只是故事而已，或者，外国人怎么说来着，黑色段子。”
“But the book in which I have seen this account,” said the Emperor, “was sent to me by the Ruler of Japan, who is a great man and has much power, and for that reason it is not possible that there is anything untrue in it.
：“但是朕看的这本书，” 皇帝说：“是日本天皇送给朕的，他虽然没朕尊贵，但也是有头有脸的人物，他骗朕没道理的。
It is my desire to have a chance of hearing the song of the nightingale;
朕还是很希望一听夜莺的歌声；
it is necessary for her to be here tonight; she has my highest approval;
朕觉得她还是很有必要今晚就出现在这里；顺便告诉你 这是圣旨；
and if she does not come, all my Circle will be stamped on after tonight’s meal.”
如果朕今晚没有看到她，用完晚膳就把你们全部拖出去斩了。”

• Chapter 2 - 第二章

The great man gave a cry of “Tsing-pe,” and again he went running up and down the steps going from one room to another; and half the Emperor’s Circle went with him, because the idea of being stamped on was not at all pleasing to them.
公公大喊一声：“渣！” 然后他再次上蹿下跳的一间接一间房的去询问夜莺的消息，半个皇宫的人都去帮他的忙，因为全部拖出去斩了实在是太吓人了。
Everyone was putting questions about this strange nightingale, whose existence seemed to be common knowledge to all but the Emperor’s Circle.
每个人都开始调查这只除了皇宫里的人之外人尽皆知的奇异夜莺。
At last they came across a poor little girl who sometimes gave help to the cook, and she said,
“Oh yes, I have frequently seen the nightingale; it is true that her song is beautiful.
终于他们遇到了一个偶尔给厨师帮忙的穷小姑娘，她说：“ 哦 我是经常看到夜莺，她的歌声确实很动听。”
Every night they let me take the bits from the table to my poor mother who is ill;
her house is down by the edge of the sea, and when I come back and am feeling tired I take a seat in the wood to have a rest while hearing the nightingale’s song.
每天晚上厨师们都让我从餐桌上带一点剩下的东西给我生病的母亲；我家的小房子在遥远的海边，我走回去之后很累就坐在树上休息，这时就能听到夜莺的歌声。
Then my eyes become wet and it is as if my mother was kissing me.”
每当我听到夜莺的歌声我都会哭，就像妈妈吻我时一样。
“Little girl,” said the great man, “I will get you regular work with the cook, and you will be given authority to see the Emperor at his meals, if you will take us to the nightingale, because she is requested to come before the Emperor tonight.”
：“小姑娘，”公公说：“皇帝今晚要见夜莺，如果你带我们去找夜莺，我就把你弄到厨师身边做正式工，你甚至可以亲眼看见皇帝吃饭。
So she went into the wood where the nightingale gave her song, and half the Emperor’s Circle came after her.
于是小姑娘带着半个皇宫的人走进夜莺唱歌的森林里。
When they had gone some way, a cow suddenly gave a loud “Moo.”
他们刚走了一段路，一只母牛叫了一声：“哞～”
“Oh,” said one of the young men of high birth, “that is she at last. What surprising power for such a small bird; that song has certainly come to my ears before.”
：“噢～” 一位贵族青年说：“我们终于找到她了！这只小鸟的身体里竟然蕴藏了这样惊人的能量，by the way我以前肯定听过那首歌。”
“No, that is only the noise of a cow,” said the little girl.
：“然而并不是，那只是一只母牛在乱叫，”小姑娘说。
“We are still a long way from the place.”
：“我们离那里还很远呢。”
Then the deep noise of frogs came from the wet lowlands.
这时，潮湿的洼地里又传来了青蛙低沉的声音。
“Beautiful!” said the young man of high birth again. “Now it comes to my ears, making sweet sounds like little church bells.”
：“天籁！” 这位贵族青年又说。：“现在我听到的声音，甜美的就像教堂的钟声一样！”
“No, those are frogs,” said the little girl, “but I am certain that in a short time we will be hearing her song.”
：“然而也不是，那些是青蛙的声音，” 小姑娘又说，“ 不过应该很快我们就能听到她的声音了。”
And two or three minutes after the voice of the nightingale was lifted in song.
两三分钟后，响起了夜莺的歌声。
“Quiet, quiet! There she is, and she is seated on that branch,” said the little girl, pointing to a little gray bird seated on a branch.
小姑娘指着树枝上的一只灰色小鸟说：“安静，安静！她在那儿，那根树枝上的就是她，”
“Is it possible?” said the great man.
“I had no idea it would be a simple, uninteresting, little thing like that.
Seeing all these important persons has certainly had an effect on her color.”
公公说：“怎么可能？怎么可能是这么个灰头土脸的小东西，一定是她看到我们这些大人物吓得失去了光彩。”
“Little nightingale,” said the little girl in a louder voice, “our most kind Emperor has a desire for you to give your song before him.”
小姑娘大声说：“ 小夜莺，我们最仁慈的皇帝希望您能去她面前歌唱。
“With the greatest pleasure!” said the nightingale, and she gave a very beautiful song.
：“那我真是太荣幸了！” 夜莺说着，唱起一首非常美妙的歌曲。
“The sound is like little glass bells,” said the great man, “and see how her little throat is working.
：“这声音就像玻璃铃铛一样，” 公公说，“让我看看她的小嗓子是怎么运作的。
It is surprising that this has never come to our ears before.
我们以前从没听过这么奇异的声音。
She will do very well in the Emperor’s Circle.”
她一定能让皇宫里的人惊讶的。”
“Am I to give another song before the Emperor?” said the nightingale, in the belief that she was present.
：“要我去皇帝面前再唱一首吗？”夜莺说，
“My very good little nightingale,” said the great man, “I have the great pleasure of making you a request to come to the Emperor, where you will get his approval by your pleasing song.”
：“我亲爱的小夜莺，”公公说：“我十分荣幸能邀请你去皇帝面前，在哪里你能通过美妙的嗓音获得他的赞美。”
“The sound of my song is best in the green wood,” said the bird, but she was ready to come because it was the Emperor’s desire.
：“我的歌声是这森林里最美的，”夜莺说，而且我已经准备好了，因为那是皇帝的心愿。
The Emperor’s house was ornamented in very good taste for the event.
皇宫因为这件事被装点的非常华丽。
The walls and floors of porcelain were bright with a thousand lights.
一千盏灯照亮了陶瓷的墙和地板。
In all the rooms there were beautiful flowers on which little bells were fixed, and, with the running about of such a number of persons and the currents of air,
these bells made such a loud noise that nothing of what anybody was saying came to one’s ears.
所有房间里都摆上了系着小铃铛的美丽花朵，铃铛随着大量跑来跑去忙碌的人们叮当作响，这些铃铛发出很大的声音，甚至人们都听不清彼此在说什么。
In the middle of the chief room a rod of gold had been fixed for the nightingale to be seated on.
一根黄金的杆子被摆在房间中央重要的位置上，夜莺已经站在了上面。
All the Emperor’s Circle was there, and the little girl who gave help to the cook had been given authority to take a place by the door.
整个皇宫的人都到齐了，就连给厨师帮忙的那个小姑娘也给她在门旁边安排了一个座位。
She had now become a regular cook to the Emperor’s Circle.
她现在已经是御膳房的正式工了。
All were in full dress, and every eye was turned to the little gray bird when the Emperor gave a sign to her to make a start.
所有人都是盛装出席，皇上示意夜莺可以开始时，大家都把目光投向了这只灰色的小东西。