林中睡美人

林中睡美人

The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood

从前有一位国王和一位王后，他们因为膝下无子而万分难过，那份悲伤简直无法言表。他们走遍了世间所有的温泉圣水；许愿、朝圣，用尽了一切办法，却全都徒劳无功。

There were formerly a King and a Queen, who were so sorry that they had no children, so sorry that it cannot be expressed. They went to all the waters in the world; vows, pilgrimages, all ways were tried and all to no purpose.

然而，王后终于怀上了身孕，并分娩生下了一个女儿。

At last, however, the Queen proved with child, and was brought to bed of a daughter.

洗礼仪式办得极为隆重；公主请来了他们在举国上下所能寻得的所有仙女来做教母（他们一共找到了七位），以便每一位仙女都能赠予她一份礼物，这正是当年仙女们的习俗，如此一来公主便能集一切想象得到的完美特质于一身。

There was a very fine christening; and the Princess had for her godmothers all the Fairies they could find in the whole kingdom (they found seven), that every one of them might give her a gift, as was the custom of Fairies in those days, and that by this means the Princess might have all the perfections imaginable.

洗礼仪式结束后，全体宾客返回王宫，宫中已为仙女们备下了一场盛宴。

After the ceremonies of the christening were over, all the company returned to the King’s palace, where was prepared a great feast for the Fairies.

每位仙女面前都摆放着一套华贵的餐具，配有一个纯金匣子，里面放着勺子、小刀和叉子，全由纯金铸造，并镶嵌着钻石与红宝石。

There was placed before every one of them a magnificent cover with a case of massive gold, wherein were a spoon, knife and fork, all of pure gold set with diamonds and rubies.

然而，正当众人依次落座于餐桌前时，只见大厅里走进一位年迈至极的仙女，他们并未邀请她，因为她已有五十多年未曾离开某座塔楼，大家都以为她要么已不在人世，要么中了魔法。

But as they were all sitting down at table, they saw come into the hall a very old Fairy whom they had not invited, because it was above fifty years since she had been out of a certain tower, and she was believed to be either dead or inchanted.

国王命人给她摆上一套餐具，却无法像对待其余仙女那样呈上金匣，因为他们当初仅为那七位仙女打造了七套。老仙女自以为受到了怠慢，嘴里咬牙切齿地喃喃吐出几句诅咒威胁。

The King ordered her a cover, but could not furnish her with a case of gold as the others, because they had seven only made for the seven Fairies. The old Fairy fancied she was slighted, and muttered some threat between her teeth.

坐在她身旁的一位年轻仙女无意间听到了她的抱怨；料想她可能会赠予小公主某种不祥之物，便在众人离席后立即前去藏在挂毯后面，以便自己能最后一个发言，并竭尽所能去挽回那老仙女可能包藏的祸心。

One of the young Fairies, who sat by her, overheard how she grumbled; and judging that she might give the little Princess some unlucky gift, went, as soon as they rose from the table, and hid herself behind the hangings, that she might speak last, and repair, as much as possible she could, the evil which the old Fairy might intend.

与此同时，仙女们开始向公主赠送礼物。

In the mean while all the Fairies began to give their gifts to the Princess.

最年轻的仙女赠予她的礼物是：她将成为世间最美丽的女子；次一位赠予的是：她将拥有天使般的聪慧灵性；第三位赠予的是：她一举一动皆有绝妙的优雅风度；第四位赠予的是：她舞姿绝伦；第五位赠予的是：她歌喉宛若夜莺；第六位赠予的是：她能将各种乐器演奏得出神入化。

The youngest gave her for gift, that she should be the most beautiful person in the world; the next, that she should have the wit of an angel; the third, that she should have a wonderful grace in every thing she did; the fourth, that she should dance perfectly well; the fifth, that she should sing like a nightingale; and the sixth, that she should play upon all kinds of music to the utmost perfection.

轮到那老仙女时，她的脑袋晃动着，因怨毒而摇晃得比因年迈还要厉害，她说道，公主的手必将被纺锤刺穿，并因伤毙命。

The old Fairy’s turn coming next, with a head shaking more with spite than age, she said, that the Princess should have her hand pierced with a spindle, and die of the wound.

这可怕的馈赠让全场宾客不寒而栗，人人都失声痛哭起来。

This terrible gift made the whole company tremble, and every body fell a-crying.

就在这时，年轻仙女从挂毯后面走出来，高声说出这番话：

At this very instant the young Fairy came out from behind the hangings, and spake these words aloud: