Ricky of the Tuft (A. E. Johnson translation)

Once upon a time there was a queen who bore a son so ugly and misshapen that for some time it was doubtful if he would have human form at all. But a fairy who was present at his birth promised that he should have plenty of brains, and added that by virtue of the gift which she had just bestowed upon him he would be able to impart to the person whom he should love best the same degree of intelligence which he possessed himself.

从前有一位王后，生下一个儿子，模样丑陋，身形畸形，一时间人们甚至怀疑他是否还算得上是个人形。不过，在他出生时有一位仙女在场，仙女许诺说，这孩子将拥有极高的智慧，并且补充道，凭借她刚刚赐予他的这份天赋，他将来能够把自己所拥有的同等程度的聪慧，传给他日后最爱的那个人。

This somewhat consoled the poor queen, who was greatly disappointed at having brought into the world such a hideous brat. And indeed, no sooner did the child begin to speak than his sayings proved to be full of shrewdness, while all that he did was somehow so clever that he charmed every one.

这多少安慰了这位可怜的王后，她本来对生下这样一个丑陋的孩子大失所望。而事实上，这孩子刚一开口说话，说出来的话便处处透着机敏，他做的一切事情也都显得那么聪明，人人都被他迷住了。

I forgot to mention that when he was born he had a little tuft of hair upon his head. For this reason he was called Ricky of the Tuft, Ricky being his family name.

我忘了提一句，他出生时头上就长着一小撮头发，因此人们叫他“簇发里基”，“里基”是他的姓氏。

Some seven or eight years later the queen of a neighbouring kingdom gave birth to twin daughters. The first one to come into the world was more beautiful than the dawn, and the queen was so overjoyed that it was feared her great excitement might do her some harm. The same fairy who had assisted at the birth of Ricky of the Tuft was present, and, in order to moderate the transports of the queen she declared that this little princess would have no sense at all, and would be as stupid as she was beautiful.

大约七八年后，邻国的王后生下了一对孪生女儿。先出生的那个女孩，美得胜过朝霞，王后欣喜若狂，人们甚至担心她会因过度兴奋而伤了身子。当年在“簇发里基”出生时在场的那位仙女，这次也在场；为了让王后的情绪平复一些，她宣告说，这位小公主将毫无头脑，而且会像她美丽一样地愚蠢。

The queen was deeply mortified, and a moment or two later her chagrin became greater still, for the second daughter proved to be extremely ugly.

王后听了大为难堪，可没过多久，她的懊恼更甚，因为第二个女儿竟生得极为丑陋。

'Do not be distressed, Madam,' said the fairy; 'your daughter shall be recompensed in another way. She shall have so much good sense that her lack of beauty will scarcely be noticed.'

“夫人，不必伤心”，仙女说；“您这个女儿会以另一种方式得到补偿。她将拥有极好的智慧，以至于人们几乎注意不到她容貌的欠缺。”

'May Heaven grant it!' said the queen; 'but is there no means by which the elder, who is so beautiful, can be endowed with some intelligence?'

“但愿上天成全！”王后说；“可有没有什么办法，能让那个如此美丽的姐姐也获得一些智慧呢？”

'In the matter of brains I can do nothing for her, Madam,' said the fairy, 'but as regards beauty I can do a great deal. As there is nothing I would not do to please you, I will bestow upon her the power of making beautiful any person who shall greatly please her.'

“在才智这件事上，我实在无能为力，夫人”，仙女说，“不过在美貌方面，我却能做不少事。既然我没有什么是不愿为您做的，我便赐予她这样一种能力：凡是能让她心生欢喜的人，她都能使其变得容貌俊美。”

As the two princesses grew up their perfections increased, and everywhere the beauty of the elder and the wit of the younger were the subject of common talk.

随着两位公主渐渐长大，她们各自的优点也日益显著，无论走到哪里，人人都在谈论姐姐的美貌与妹妹的机智。

It is equally true that their defects also increased as they became older. The younger grew uglier every minute, and the elder daily became more stupid. Either she answered nothing at all when spoken to, or replied with some idiotic remark. At the same time she was so awkward that she could not set four china vases on the mantelpiece without breaking one of them, nor drink a glass of water without spilling half of it over her clothes.

同样真实的是，随着年岁渐长，她们各自的缺陷也日益加重。妹妹一天比一天丑，姐姐则一天比一天蠢。别人跟她说话，她要么一言不发，要么答非所问、蠢话连篇。她还笨拙得很，摆四只瓷花瓶在壁炉架上，总要打碎一只；喝一杯水，也总要洒掉半杯在衣服上。

Now although the elder girl possessed the great advantage which beauty always confers upon youth, she was nevertheless outshone in almost all company by her younger sister. At first every one gathered round the beauty to see and admire her, but very soon they were all attracted by the graceful and easy conversation of the clever one. In a very short time the elder girl would be left entirely alone, while everybody clustered round her sister.

尽管姐姐拥有美貌赋予青春的巨大优势，但在几乎所有的场合，她都被妹妹的光芒所掩盖。起初，众人总会围拢过来欣赏这位美人，可很快，大家便都被那位聪慧姑娘优雅从容的谈吐所吸引。用不了多久，姐姐便会被完全冷落在一旁，而众人则簇拥在妹妹身边。

The elder princess was not so stupid that she was not aware of this, and she would willingly have surrendered all her beauty for half her sister's cleverness. Sometimes she was ready to die of grief, for the queen, though a sensible woman, could not refrain from occasionally reproaching her with her stupidity.

姐姐并不笨到觉察不出这一点，她甚至愿意用自己全部的美貌，去换取妹妹一半的聪慧。有时她伤心得几乎要死去，因为王后虽然是个通情达理的女人，却也难免时不时地拿她的愚蠢来责备她。

The princess had retired one day to a wood to bemoan her misfortune, when she saw approaching her an ugly little man, of very disagreeable appearance, but clad in magnificent attire.

有一天，公主躲进一片树林里独自哀叹自己的不幸，这时她看见一个相貌丑陋的矮小男子朝她走来，模样十分不讨人喜欢，但穿着却华丽非凡。

This was the young prince Ricky of the Tuft. He had fallen in love with her portrait, which was everywhere to be seen, and had left his father's kingdom in order to have the pleasure of seeing and talking to her.

这人正是年轻的王子“簇发里基”。他早已爱上了她那随处可见的画像，为了能亲眼见她、与她交谈，特意离开了父王的国土。

Delighted to meet her thus alone, he approached with every mark of respect and politeness. But while he paid her the usual compliments he noticed that she was plunged in melancholy.

能这样单独遇见她，他心中欢喜，便带着十足的敬意与礼貌上前搭话。可就在他向她道出寻常的赞美之词时，他注意到她正满心忧郁。

'I cannot understand, madam,' he said, 'how any one with your beauty can be so sad as you appear. I can boast of having seen many fair ladies, and I declare that none of them could compare in beauty with you.'

“夫人，我实在不明白”，他说，“像您这样美丽的人，怎么会显得如此忧伤。我自诩见过许多佳丽，却敢说没有一个能在美貌上与您相比。”

'It is very kind of you to say so, sir,' answered the princess; and stopped there, at a loss what to say further.

“先生这么说真是太客气了”，公主答道；说到这里便再无话可说了。

'Beauty,' said Ricky, 'is of such great advantage that everything else can be disregarded; and I do not see that the possessor of it can have anything much to grieve about.'

“美貌，”里基说，“具有如此大的好处，以至于其余的一切都可以不必计较；我实在看不出，一个拥有美貌的人，还能有什么值得悲伤的。”

To this the princess replied:

对此，公主答道：

'I would rather be as plain as you are and have some sense, than be as beautiful as I am and at the same time stupid.'

“我宁愿像你一样相貌平平却有些见识，也不愿像现在这样美丽却又愚蠢。”

'Nothing more clearly displays good sense, madam, than a belief that one is not possessed of it. It follows, therefore, that the more one has, the more one fears it to be wanting.'

“夫人，再没有什么比一个人相信自己没有见识，更能说明她其实颇有见识的了。由此可见，一个人见识越多，就越是担心自己有所欠缺。”

'I am not sure about that,' said the princess; 'but I know only too well that I am very stupid, and this is the reason of the misery which is nearly killing me.'

“这一点我倒不敢肯定”，公主说；“但我太清楚自己非常愚蠢了，正是这一点，几乎要把我折磨死。”

'If that is all that troubles you, madam, I can easily put an end to your suffering.'

“夫人，若这就是困扰您的全部，我倒能轻而易举地替您解除这份苦楚。”

'How will you manage that?' said the princess.

“你打算怎么做到呢？”公主问道。

'I am able, madam,' said Ricky of the Tuft, 'to bestow as much good sense as it is possible to possess on the person whom I love the most. You are that person, and it therefore rests with you to decide whether you will acquire so much intelligence. The only condition is that you shall consent to marry me.'

“夫人，我能够”，“簇发里基”说，“把尽可能多的见识，赐给我最爱的那个人。您正是那个人，因此是否要获得这样的智慧，全凭您自己决定。唯一的条件是，您得答应嫁给我。”

The princess was dumbfounded, and remained silent.

公主一时目瞪口呆，沉默不语。

'I can see,' pursued Ricky, 'that this suggestion perplexes you, and I am not surprised. But I will give you a whole year to make up your mind to it.'

“我看得出，”里基接着说，“这个提议让您为难，这我并不意外。不过我愿意给您整整一年的时间，让您好好考虑。”

The princess had so little sense, and at the same time desired it so ardently, that she persuaded herself the end of this year would never come. So she accepted the offer which had been made to her. No sooner had she given her word to Ricky that she would marry him within one year from that very day, than she felt a complete change come over her. She found herself able to say all that she wished with the greatest ease, and to say it in an elegant, finished, and natural manner. She at once engaged Ricky in a brilliant and lengthy conversation, holding her own so well that Ricky feared he had given her a larger share of sense than he had retained for himself.

公主本就见识浅薄，同时又极其渴望拥有见识，以至于她说服自己相信这一年永远不会到头。于是她便接受了这个提议。她刚向里基许下诺言，说自己将在一年之内嫁给他，便立刻感觉自己整个人焕然一新。她发现自己能够轻而易举地说出心中所想，而且说得优雅、周全、自然天成。她当即与里基展开了一场精彩而漫长的交谈，应对得如此得体，以至于里基担心自己分给她的见识，比留给自己的还要多。

On her return to the palace amazement reigned throughout the Court at such a sudden and extraordinary change. Whereas formerly they had been accustomed to hear her give vent to silly, pert remarks, they now heard her express herself sensibly and very wittily.

她回到宫中时，整个宫廷都对这突如其来的巨大变化惊叹不已。从前，人们习惯了听她说些愚蠢无礼的话，如今却听她妙语连珠、见识不凡。

The entire Court was overjoyed. The only person not too pleased was the younger sister, for now that she had no longer the advantage over the elder in wit, she seemed nothing but a little fright in comparison.

整个宫廷都欢欣鼓舞。唯一不太高兴的是妹妹，因为如今她在机智上不再占姐姐的上风，相形之下，她似乎只剩下一副丑陋的模样了。

The king himself often took her advice, and several times held his councils in her apartment.

国王本人也常常征求她的意见，还有好几次干脆在她的寝宫里召开御前会议。

The news of this change spread abroad, and the princes of the neighbouring kingdoms made many attempts to captivate her. Almost all asked her in marriage. But she found none with enough sense, and so she listened to all without promising herself to any.

这一变化的消息传扬开来，邻国的王子们纷纷设法博取她的芳心，几乎人人都向她求婚。可她始终找不到一个足够有见识的人，于是她听尽了所有人的表白，却不肯对任何一人许下承诺。

At last came one who was so powerful, so rich, so witty, and so handsome, that she could not help being somewhat attracted by him. Her father noticed this, and told her she could make her own choice of a husband: she had only to declare herself.

终于来了一位王子，他权势显赫、家财万贯、机智过人、相貌堂堂，她不由得对他生出几分倾心。她的父王察觉到了这一点，便告诉她，她可以自己选择丈夫，只需表明心意即可。

Now the more sense one has, the more difficult it is to make up one's mind in an affair of this kind. After thanking her father, therefore, she asked for a little time to think it over.

一个人见识越多，在这类事情上便越难以下定决心。她谢过父王之后，便请求给自己一点时间考虑。

In order to ponder quietly what she had better do she went to walk in a wood—the very one, as it happened, where she encountered Ricky of the Tuft.

为了安安静静地想清楚该怎么办，她便去一片树林中散步——凑巧正是她当初遇见“簇发里基”的那片树林。

While she walked, deep in thought, she heard beneath her feet a thudding sound, as though many people were running busily to and fro. Listening more attentively she heard voices. 'Bring me that boiler,' said one; then another—'Put some wood on that fire!'

她一边散步，一边陷入沉思，忽然听见脚下传来一阵沉闷的响动，仿佛许多人正忙忙碌碌地来回奔走。她再仔细一听，竟听见了说话声。“把那口锅给我拿来”，一个声音说；接着又一个声音——“往那炉火里再添些柴！”

At that moment the ground opened, and she saw below what appeared to be a large kitchen full of cooks and scullions, and all the train of attendants which the preparation of a great banquet involves. A gang of some twenty or thirty spit-turners emerged and took up their positions round a very long table in a path in the wood. They all wore their cook's caps on one side, and with their basting implements in their hands they kept time together as they worked, to the lilt of a melodious song.

就在这时，地面忽然裂开，她看见下面竟是一间宽敞的厨房，挤满了厨师和帮厨的伙计，还有为筹办一场盛大宴席所需的各色仆役。二三十个转烤肉叉的伙计走了出来，在林间小路上一张极长的桌子周围各就各位。他们的厨帽都歪戴在一侧，手里拿着浇油的用具，随着一曲悠扬的歌谣，齐心协力地忙活着。

The princess was astonished by this spectacle, and asked for whom their work was being done.

公主被这番景象惊呆了，便问这些人是在为谁操办这一切。

'For Prince Ricky of the Tuft, madam,' said the foreman of the gang; 'his wedding is to-morrow.'

“是为‘簇发里基’王子操办的，夫人”，这伙人的领班答道；“他明天就要成婚了。”

At this the princess was more surprised than ever. In a flash she remembered that it was a year to the very day since she had promised to marry Prince Ricky of the Tuft, and was taken aback by the recollection. The reason she had forgotten was that when she made the promise she was still without sense, and with the acquisition of that intelligence which the prince had bestowed upon her, all memory of her former stupidities had been blotted out.

听到这话，公主更加惊讶了。她猛然想起，就在整整一年前的今天，她曾许诺要嫁给“簇发里基”王子，一时被这记忆惊得愣住了。她之所以忘了这件事，是因为许下诺言那天，她还全无见识；而自从获得王子赐予她的那份智慧之后，她从前那些愚蠢往事的记忆便都被一并抹去了。

She had not gone another thirty paces when Ricky of the Tuft appeared before her, gallant and resplendent, like a prince upon his wedding day.

她还没再走上三十步，“簇发里基”便出现在她面前，仪表堂堂、光彩照人，宛如新婚当天的王子。

'As you see, madam,' he said, 'I keep my word to the minute. I do not doubt that you have come to keep yours, and by giving me your hand to make me the happiest of men.'

“夫人，如您所见”，他说，“我分毫不差地信守了自己的诺言。我也相信您是来履行您的诺言的，愿意把手交给我，让我成为天下最幸福的人。”

'I will be frank with you,' replied the princess. 'I have not yet made up my mind on the point, and I am afraid I shall never be able to take the decision you desire.'

“我要坦白地告诉你”，公主答道。“在这件事上，我至今还没有拿定主意，恐怕我永远也做不出你所盼望的那个决定。”

'You astonish me, madam,' said Ricky of the Tuft.

“夫人，您真让我吃惊”，“簇发里基”说。

'I can well believe it,' said the princess, 'and undoubtedly, if I had to deal with a clown, or a man who lacked good sense, I should feel myself very awkwardly situated. "A princess must keep her word," he would say, "and you must marry me because you promised to!" But I am speaking to a man of the world, of the greatest good sense, and I am sure that he will listen to reason.

“这我完全相信”，公主说，“毫无疑问，倘若我面对的是个蠢货，或是个毫无见识的人，我处境定会十分尴尬。他大概会说，‘公主必须信守诺言’，‘你既然许下了诺言，就必须嫁给我！’可我如今说话的对象，是个见多识广、极具见识的人，我相信他一定会听得进道理。

As you are aware, I could not make up my mind to marry you even when I was entirely without sense; how can you expect that to-day, possessing the intelligence you bestowed on me, which makes me still more difficult to please than formerly, I should take a decision which I could not take then? If you wished so much to marry me, you were very wrong to relieve me of my stupidity, and to let me see more clearly than I did.'

你也知道，即便当年我全无见识时，尚且下不了决心嫁给你；如今我已拥有你赐予我的这份智慧，反倒使我比从前更难以取悦，你又怎能指望我，在那时都做不出的决定，如今就能做出呢？倘若你当真那么想娶我，你就不该替我解除愚钝，让我看得比从前更清楚才是。”

'If a man who lacked good sense,' replied Ricky of the Tuft, 'would be justified, as you have just said, in reproaching you for breaking your word, why do you expect, madam, that I should act differently where the happiness of my whole life is at stake? Is it reasonable that people who have sense should be treated worse than those who have none? Would you maintain that for a moment—you, who so markedly have sense, and desired so ardently to have it? But, pardon me, let us get to the facts. With the exception of my ugliness, is there anything about me which displeases you? Are you dissatisfied with my breeding, my brains, my disposition, or my manners?'

“倘若一个毫无见识的人，”“簇发里基”答道，“照您刚才所说，尚且有理由责怪您背弃诺言，那么夫人，您又何以指望，在关乎我一生幸福的这件事上，我会有所不同呢？难道有见识的人，反倒该比毫无见识的人受到更差的对待，这合乎情理吗？您自己见识如此出众，又曾如此热切地渴望拥有见识，此刻又怎会这样认为？不过，请恕我直言，让我们说回实际情况。除了我的丑陋之外，我身上还有什么让您不满意的地方吗？您对我的教养、我的头脑、我的性情或我的举止，有什么不满吗？”

'In no way,' replied the princess; 'I like exceedingly all that you have displayed of the qualities you mention.'

“毫无不满”，公主答道；“你方才提到的那些品质，凡是你所展现出来的，我都十分喜欢。”

'In that case,' said Ricky of the Tuft, 'happiness will be mine, for it lies in your power to make me the most attractive of men.'

“既然如此，”“簇发里基”说，“那我便是天下最幸福的人了，因为能不能让我成为最有魅力的男子，全在您的一念之间。”

'How can that be done?' asked the princess.

“这该如何做到呢？”公主问道。

'It will happen of itself,' replied Ricky of the Tuft, 'if you love me well enough to wish that it be so. To remove your doubts, madam, let me tell you that the same fairy who on the day of my birth bestowed upon me the power of endowing with intelligence the woman of my choice, gave to you also the power of endowing with beauty the man whom you should love, and on whom you should wish to confer this favour.'

“这会自然而然地发生”，“簇发里基”答道，“只要您对我的爱足以让您希望它成真。为了打消您的疑虑，夫人，我不妨告诉您，当年在我出生那天，赐予我把智慧赋予我所选之人这份能力的，正是那位仙女；她也同样赐予了您这样一种能力：能把美貌赋予您所爱、并愿意施予这份恩惠的那个男子。”

'If that is so,' said the princess, 'I wish with all my heart that you may become the handsomest and most attractive prince in the world, and I give you without reserve the boon which it is mine to bestow.'

“既然如此，”公主说，“我便由衷地愿你成为天下最英俊、最有魅力的王子；我心甘情愿地把这份能给予的恩惠，毫无保留地献给你。”

No sooner had the princess uttered these words than Ricky of the Tuft appeared before her eyes as the handsomest, most graceful and attractive man that she had ever set eyes on.

公主话音刚落，“簇发里基”便已在她眼前，化作她生平所见过的最英俊、最优雅、最有魅力的男子。

Some people assert that this was not the work of fairy enchantment, but that love alone brought about the transformation. They say that the princess, as she mused upon her lover's constancy, upon his good sense, and his many admirable qualities of heart and head, grew blind to the deformity of his body and the ugliness of his face; that his hump back seemed no more than was natural in a man who could make the courtliest of bows, and that the dreadful limp which had formerly distressed her now betokened nothing more than a certain diffidence and charming deference of manner.

有人说，这并非仙法的作用，而纯粹是爱情促成了这场蜕变。他们说，公主一心想着她这位情人的忠贞、他的见识，以及他心智上诸多可敬的品质，便对他身形的畸形与容貌的丑陋视而不见；他那驼背，在她眼中不过是一个能行出最有礼数之礼的男子身上自然而然的样子；他那从前令她黯然神伤的可怕跛足，如今在她看来，也不过透着几分谦逊与惹人怜爱的谦恭之态。

They say further that she found his eyes shine all the brighter for their squint, and that this defect in them was to her but a sign of passionate love; while his great red nose she found nought but martial and heroic.

他们还说，她觉得他那双斜视的眼睛，反倒因这点斜视而显得格外明亮，这点小瑕疵在她眼中，恰恰是他一片痴情的标记；而他那又大又红的鼻子，她也只觉得英武豪迈。

However that may be, the princess promised to marry him on the spot, provided only that he could obtain the consent of her royal father.

不管事实究竟如何，公主当场便应允嫁给他，唯一的条件是他须先获得她父王的应允。

The king knew Ricky of the Tuft to be a prince both wise and witty, and on learning of his daughter's regard for him, he accepted him with pleasure as a son-in-law.

国王早知“簇发里基”是个既聪慧又机智的王子，得知女儿对他心生爱慕后，便欣然接纳他为自己的女婿。

The wedding took place upon the morrow, just as Ricky of the Tuft had foreseen, and in accordance with the arrangements he had long ago put in train.

婚礼于次日举行，一如“簇发里基”早已预见、并且老早便安排妥当的那样。