King Alfred and the Cakes

Many years ago there lived in England a wise and good king whose name was Alfred. No other man ever did so much for his country as he; and people now, all over the world, speak of him as Alfred the Great.

许多年前，英格兰有一位睿智善良的国王，名叫阿尔弗雷德。从来没有哪个人为自己的国家做过这么多事；如今全世界的人都称他为“阿尔弗雷德大帝”。

In those days a king did not have a very easy life. There was war almost all the time, and no one else could lead his army into battle so well as he. And so, between ruling and fighting, he had a busy time of it indeed.

在那个年代，做国王可不是件轻松的事。战争几乎连年不断，除了他之外，没有别人能如此出色地率领军队作战。因此，在治理国家和征战沙场之间，他实在是忙碌不堪。

A fierce, rude people, called the Danes, had come from over the sea, and were fighting the English. There were so many of them, and they were so bold and strong, that for a long time they gained every battle. If they kept on, they would soon be the masters of the whole country.

一群凶悍粗野的人，被称为丹麦人，从海的那一边而来，与英格兰人交战。他们人数众多，又勇猛顽强，因此在很长一段时间里，他们战无不胜。若是照这样下去，他们很快就会成为整个国家的主人。

At last, after a great battle, the English army was broken up and scattered. Every man had to save himself in the best way he could. King Alfred fled alone, in great haste, through the woods and swamps.

终于，在一场大战之后，英格兰军队溃败四散。每个人都得想尽办法自保。阿尔弗雷德国王独自一人，仓皇逃入树林与沼泽之中。

Late in the day the king came to the hut of a woodcutter. He was very tired and hungry, and he begged the woodcutter's wife to give him something to eat and a place to sleep in her hut.

那天很晚的时候，国王来到一个樵夫的小屋前。他又累又饿，恳求樵夫的妻子给他一些吃的，让他在她的小屋里过夜。

The woman was baking some cakes upon the hearth, and she looked with pity upon the poor, ragged fellow who seemed so hungry. She had no thought that he was the king.

那女人正在炉火上烤饼，她怜悯地看着这个衣衫褴褛、看上去饥肠辘辘的可怜人。她万万没想到他就是国王。

"Yes," she said, "I will give you some supper if you will watch these cakes. I want to go out and milk the cow; and you must see that they do not burn while I am gone."

“好吧，”她说，“如果你替我看着这些饼，我就给你一些晚饭吃。我要出去挤牛奶；你得看着点，别让饼烤糊了。”

King Alfred was very willing to watch the cakes, but he had far greater things to think about. How was he going to get his army together again? And how was he going to drive the fierce Danes out of the land? He forgot his hunger; he forgot the cakes; he forgot that he was in the woodcutter's hut. His mind was busy making plans for tomorrow.

阿尔弗雷德国王很乐意替她看饼，可他心里想的却是更重大的事情。他要如何重新集结他的军队？他要如何把凶残的丹麦人赶出这片土地？他忘了自己的饥饿；他忘了那些饼；他忘了自己身在樵夫的小屋里。他满脑子都在为明天谋划。

In a little while the woman came back. The cakes were smoking on the hearth. They were burned to a crisp. Ah, how angry she was!

过了一会儿，那女人回来了。炉火上的饼正冒着烟。它们全都烤焦了。哎呀，她气坏了！

"You lazy fellow!" she cried. "See what you have done! You want something to eat, but you do not want to work!"

“你这个懒家伙！”她喊道，“瞧瞧你干的好事！你想要吃的，却不想干活！”

I have been told that she even struck the king with a stick; but I can hardly believe that she was so ill-natured.

有人告诉我，说她甚至用棍子打了国王；但我几乎不敢相信她会这般刻薄。

The king must have laughed to himself at the thought of being scolded in this way; and he was so hungry that he did not mind the woman's angry words half so much as the loss of the cakes.

国王想到自己竟被这样责骂，心里一定觉得好笑；他实在太饿了，比起饼被烤糊，她的怒骂他倒并不怎么放在心上。

I do not know whether he had anything to eat that night, or whether he had to go to bed without his supper. But it was not many days until he had gathered his men together again, and had beaten the Danes in a great battle.

我不知道那天晚上他有没有吃到东西，还是不得不饿着肚子上床。但没过多少天，他就重新集结了他的部下，并在一场大战中打败了丹麦人。