The Quarrel of the Monkey and the Crab

Long, long ago, one bright autumn day in Japan, it happened, that a pink-faced monkey and a yellow crab were playing together along the bank of a river. As they were running about, the crab found a rice-dumpling and the monkey a persimmon-seed.

很久很久以前，在日本一个秋高气爽的日子里，一只粉脸猴子和一只黄壳螃蟹正在河岸边一起玩耍。他们跑来跑去的时候，螃蟹捡到了一个饭团，猴子捡到了一颗柿子核。

The crab picked up the rice-dumpling and showed it to the monkey, saying:

螃蟹拾起那个饭团，给猴子看，说道：

“Look what a nice thing I have found!”

"瞧我捡到了什么好东西！"

Then the monkey held up his persimmon-seed and said:

猴子便举起他的柿子核，说道：

“I also have found something good! Look!”

"我也捡到了好东西！你瞧！"

Now though the monkey is always very fond of persimmon fruit, he had no use for the seed he had just found. The persimmon-seed is as hard and uneatable as a stone. He, therefore, in his greedy nature, felt very envious of the crab’s nice dumpling, and he proposed an exchange. The crab naturally did not see why he should give up his prize for a hard stone-like seed, and would not consent to the monkey’s proposition.

猴子虽然向来极爱吃柿子，可他刚捡到的这颗核，对他却毫无用处。柿子核硬得跟石头一样，根本没法吃。于是他生性贪婪，看着螃蟹那个好吃的饭团，不禁十分眼馋，便提议交换。螃蟹自然想不明白，自己为何要拿这么好的东西去换一颗硬得跟石头似的核，便不肯答应猴子的提议。

Then the cunning monkey began to persuade the crab, saying:

于是这只狡猾的猴子便开始劝说螃蟹，说道：

“How unwise you are not to think of the future! Your rice-dumpling can be eaten now, and is certainly much bigger than my seed; but if you sow this seed in the ground it will soon grow and become a great tree in a few years, and bear an abundance of fine ripe persimmons year after year. If only I could show it to you then with the yellow fruit hanging on its branches! Of course, if you don’t believe me I shall sow it myself; though I am sure, later on, you will be very sorry that you did not take my advice.”

"你怎么这么不明智，也不想想将来的事！你那饭团现在就能吃，个头当然也比我这颗核大得多；可你要是把这颗核种进土里，用不了几年，它就会长成一棵大树，年年都会结出大把成熟可口的柿子。要是我此刻就能让你瞧瞧那时候满树挂着黄澄澄柿子的模样就好了！你要是不信我的话，我自己种也一样；不过我敢肯定，往后你会十分后悔当初没听我的劝告。"

The simple-minded crab could not resist the monkey’s clever persuasion. He at last gave in and consented to the monkey’s proposal, and the exchange was made. The greedy monkey soon gobbled up the dumpling, and with great reluctance gave up the persimmon-seed to the crab. He would have liked to keep that too, but he was afraid of making the crab angry and of being pinched by his sharp scissor-like claws. They then separated, the monkey going home to his forest trees and the crab to his stones along the river-side. As soon as the crab reached home he put the persimmon-seed in the ground as the monkey had told him.

这只头脑简单的螃蟹终究抵不过猴子这番巧言令色的劝说。他最终让了步，答应了猴子的提议，双方便交换了东西。这只贪心的猴子很快就把饭团狼吞虎咽地吃了下去，才极不情愿地把柿子核让给了螃蟹。他其实也想把柿子核也留下来，只是怕惹恼了螃蟹，被他那剪刀似的锋利钳子夹上一口。于是两人便分了手，猴子回他林中的树上去了，螃蟹则回到河边他的石头堆里。螃蟹一到家，便照猴子教他的那样，把柿子核种进了土里。

In the following spring the crab was delighted to see the shoot of a young tree push its way up through the ground. Each year it grew bigger, till at last it blossomed one spring, and in the following autumn bore some fine large persimmons. Among the broad smooth green leaves the fruit hung like golden balls, and as they ripened they mellowed to a deep orange. It was the little crab’s pleasure to go out day by day and sit in the sun and put out his long eyes in the same way as a snail puts out its horn, and watch the persimmons ripening to perfection.

到了第二年春天，螃蟹欣喜地看见一株嫩芽破土而出。这树年年都长得更大一些，终于有一年春天开了花，到了那年秋天，便结出了几个又大又好的柿子。在那些宽大光滑的绿叶间，果实像一个个金球似的挂在枝头，随着渐渐成熟，也慢慢变成了深橙色。这只小螃蟹每天都乐得出门坐在阳光下，像蜗牛伸出触角那样伸长他的眼睛，看着那些柿子一天天成熟到最好的模样。

“How delicious they will be to eat!” he said to himself.

"这些柿子吃起来该有多美味啊！"他自言自语道。

At last, one day, he knew the persimmons must be quite ripe and he wanted very much to taste one. He made several attempts to climb the tree, in the vain hope of reaching one of the beautiful persimmons hanging above him; but he failed each time, for a crab’s legs are not made for climbing trees but only for running along the ground and over stones, both of which he can do most cleverly. In his dilemma he thought of his old playmate the monkey, who, he knew, could climb trees better than any one else in the world. He determined to ask the monkey to help him, and set out to find him.

终于有一天，他知道那些柿子必定已经十分成熟了，他十分想尝上一个。他试了好几次想爬上树去，徒劳地希望能够到挂在头顶上那些漂亮的柿子；可每次都失败了，因为螃蟹的腿并不是用来爬树的，只适合在地面和石头上灵巧地跑动。陷入这样的窘境，他便想起了自己老早的玩伴猴子，据他所知，猴子爬树的本事天下无双。他决定去请猴子来帮忙，便动身去找他。

Running crab-fashion up the stony river bank, over the pathways into the shadowy forest, the crab at last found the monkey taking an afternoon nap in his favorite pine-tree, with his tail curled tight around a branch to prevent him from falling off in his dreams. He was soon wide awake, however, when he heard himself called, and eagerly listening to what the crab told him. When he heard that the seed which he had long ago exchanged for a rice-dumpling had grown into a tree and was now bearing good fruit, he was delighted, for he at once devised a cunning plan which would give him all the persimmons for himself.

螃蟹用他那横行的方式，沿着满是石头的河岸一路跑去，穿过小径，进了那片幽暗的树林，终于找到了猴子，他正在自己最喜欢的那棵松树上打午盹，尾巴紧紧地卷在一根树枝上，免得在梦里摔下去。可他一听见有人叫他，便立刻清醒过来，急切地听螃蟹跟他说的话。当他听说自己当年用来换饭团的那颗核，如今已经长成了一棵树，还结出了好果子，他心中大喜，当即想出了一条狡猾的计策，好让自己把所有的柿子都独吞了。

He consented to go with the crab to pick the fruit for him. When they both reached the spot, the monkey was astonished to see what a fine tree had sprung from the seed, and with what a number of ripe persimmons the branches were loaded.

他答应跟螃蟹一起去帮他摘果子。等他们俩到了那儿，猴子看见这颗种子居然长成了一棵这么好的树，枝头挂满了那么多成熟的柿子，不禁大为惊讶。

He quickly climbed the tree and began to pluck and eat, as fast as he could, one persimmon after another. Each time he chose the best and ripest he could find, and went on eating till he could eat no more. Not one would he give to the poor hungry crab waiting below, and when he had finished there was little but the hard, unripe fruit left.

他很快爬上了树，开始一个接一个地摘着吃，速度飞快。他每次都专挑最好、最熟的柿子，一路吃个不停，直到再也吃不下为止。他一个也没给还在树下苦苦等着的可怜的螃蟹，等他吃完，树上就只剩下些又硬又生的果子了。

You can imagine the feelings of the poor crab after waiting patiently, for so long as he had done, for the tree to grow and the fruit to ripen, when he saw the monkey devouring all the good persimmons. He was so disappointed that he ran round and round the tree calling to the monkey to remember his promise. The monkey at first took no notice of the crab’s complaints, but at last he picked out the hardest, greenest persimmon he could find and aimed it at the crab’s head.

你可以想象，那可怜的螃蟹耐心地等了这么久，等着树长大、果子成熟，如今却眼看着猴子把所有好柿子都吃个精光，心里是什么滋味。他失望极了，绕着树跑来跑去，一边喊叫着叫猴子记住他的承诺。猴子起初对螃蟹的抱怨毫不理会，最后却挑了一个他能找到的最硬、最青的柿子，朝螃蟹的脑袋扔了过去。

The persimmon is as hard as stone when it is unripe. The monkey’s missile struck home and the crab was sorely hurt by the blow. Again and again, as fast as he could pick them, the monkey pulled off the hard persimmons and threw them at the defenseless crab till he dropped dead, covered with wounds all over his body. There he lay a pitiful sight at the foot of the tree he had himself planted.

柿子没熟的时候硬得跟石头一样。猴子扔出去的这一击正中要害，把螃蟹狠狠伤了一下。猴子一次又一次地摘下那些硬柿子，尽可能快地朝这只毫无还手之力的螃蟹扔去，直到他浑身伤痕累累，倒地身亡。他就那样凄惨地倒在自己亲手种下的那棵树脚下。

When the wicked monkey saw that he had killed the crab he ran away from the spot as fast as he could, in fear and trembling, like a coward as he was.

这只坏心眼的猴子看见自己已经杀死了螃蟹，便像个懦夫一样，吓得浑身发抖，飞快地逃离了这个地方。

Now the crab had a son who had been playing with a friend not far from the spot where this sad work had taken place. On the way home he came across his father dead, in a most dreadful condition—his head was smashed and his shell broken in several places, and around his body lay the unripe persimmons which had done their deadly work. At this dreadful sight the poor young crab sat down and wept.

这只螃蟹有个儿子，当时正在离出事地点不远的地方跟朋友玩耍。回家的路上，他撞见了自己的父亲已经死了，模样惨不忍睹——脑袋被砸碎了，壳也在好几处裂开了，尸体周围散落着那些酿成这场杀身之祸的生柿子。眼前这惨状让这只可怜的小螃蟹一屁股坐了下来，放声大哭。

But when he had wept for some time he told himself that this crying would do no good; it was his duty to avenge his father’s murder, and this he determined to do. He looked about for some clue which would lead him to discover the murderer. Looking up at the tree he noticed that the best fruit had gone, and that all around lay bits of peel and numerous seeds strewn on the ground as well as the unripe persimmons which had evidently been thrown at his father.

可他哭了一阵之后，便告诉自己，光哭是没用的；他有责任为父亲的死报仇，他也下定决心要这样做。他四处查看，想找出什么线索，好揪出凶手。他抬头望向那棵树，注意到最好的果子都不见了，四周还散落着一些果皮和许多柿子核，地上也散落着几个显然是朝他父亲扔去的生柿子。

Then he understood that the monkey was the murderer, for he now remembered that his father had once told him the story of the rice-dumpling and the persimmon-seed. The young crab knew that monkeys liked persimmons above all other fruit, and he felt sure that his greed for the coveted fruit had been the cause of the old crab’s death. Alas!

于是他明白了，凶手正是那只猴子，因为他此刻想起父亲曾跟他讲过那个饭团换柿子核的故事。这只小螃蟹知道猴子最爱吃柿子，胜过其他一切果子，他确信正是猴子对这渴望已久的果子的贪婪，才害死了老螃蟹。唉！

He at first thought of going to attack the monkey at once, for he burned with rage. Second thoughts, however, told him that this was useless, for the monkey was an old and cunning animal and would be hard to overcome. He must meet cunning with cunning and ask some of his friends to help him, for he knew it would be quite out of his power to kill him alone.

他起初想立刻冲去袭击那只猴子，因为他心中燃烧着怒火。可转念一想，他明白这样做毫无用处，因为猴子是只年老而狡猾的动物，很难对付。他必须以智取智，请几个朋友来帮忙，因为他知道单凭自己一个人的力量，是绝无可能杀死猴子的。

The young crab set out at once to call on the mortar, his father’s old friend, and told him of all that had happened. He besought the mortar with tears to help him avenge his father’s death. The mortar was very sorry when he heard the woful tale and promised at once to help the young crab punish the monkey to death. He warned him that he must be very careful in what he did, for the monkey was a strong and cunning enemy.

这只小螃蟹立刻动身去拜访石臼，他父亲生前的老朋友，把发生的一切都告诉了他。他含泪恳求石臼帮他为父亲报仇。石臼听了这段悲惨的遭遇，十分伤心，当即答应帮这只小螃蟹惩治猴子，让他偿命。他警告小螃蟹，行事必须十分小心，因为猴子是个又强壮又狡猾的敌人。

The mortar now sent to fetch the bee and the chestnut (also the crab’s old friends) to consult them about the matter. In a short time the bee and the chestnut arrived. When they were told all the details of the old crab’s death and of the monkey’s wickedness and greed, they both gladly consented to help the young crab in his revenge.

石臼这时便派人去请蜜蜂和栗子（也是螃蟹的老朋友）前来商议此事。不多时，蜜蜂和栗子便都到了。他们听说了老螃蟹惨死的种种细节，以及猴子的邪恶和贪婪之后，都欣然答应帮这只小螃蟹报仇。

After talking for a long time as to the ways and means of carrying out their plans they separated, and Mr. Mortar went home with the young crab to help him bury his poor father.

他们商量了好一阵子该如何实施计划、采取什么手段，随后便各自散去，石臼先生则跟着这只小螃蟹回家，帮他安葬了他可怜的父亲。

While all this was taking place the monkey was congratulating himself (as the wicked often do before their punishment comes upon them) on all he had done so neatly. He thought it quite a fine thing that he had robbed his friend of all his ripe persimmons and then that he had killed him. Still, smile as hard as he might, he could not banish altogether the fear of the consequences should his evil deeds be discovered.

就在这一切发生的同时，那只猴子却正为自己做得如此干净利落而暗自庆幸（恶人在遭报应之前，往往正是如此）。他觉得自己抢走朋友所有成熟的柿子，然后又把他杀了，这实在是件挺漂亮的事。可无论他怎样强装笑脸，也终究没法完全摆脱一个念头：万一自己的恶行败露，后果将会如何。

If he were found out (and he told himself that this could not be for he had escaped unseen) the crab’s family would be sure to bear him hatred and seek to take revenge on him. So he would not go out, and kept himself at home for several days. He found this kind of life, however, extremely dull, accustomed as he was to the free life of the woods, and at last he said:

倘若他被人发现（他告诉自己这是不可能的，因为他逃跑时并没被人看见），螃蟹一家肯定会对他恨之入骨，伺机报复。所以他不敢出门，一连好几天都待在家里。可他一向习惯了树林里自由自在的生活，觉得这样的日子实在乏味透顶，最后终于说道：

“No one knows that it was I who killed the crab! I am sure that the old thing breathed his last before I left him. Dead crabs have no mouths! Who is there to tell that I am the murderer? Since no one knows, what is the use of shutting myself up and brooding over the matter? What is done cannot be undone!”

"没有人知道杀死螃蟹的是我！我敢肯定，那老家伙在我离开之前就已经咽气了。死螃蟹又没有嘴巴能说话！还有谁能揭发我是凶手呢？既然没人知道，我又何必把自己关在家里为这件事闷闷不乐呢？做都做了，还能收回不成！"

With this he wandered out into the crab settlement and crept about as slyly as possible near the crab’s house and tried to hear the neighbors’ gossip round about. He wanted to find out what the crabs were saving about their chief’s death, for the old crab had been the chief of the tribe. But he heard nothing and said to himself:

想到这里，他便溜出门去，来到螃蟹的聚居地，尽可能鬼鬼祟祟地爬到螃蟹家附近，想偷听邻居们的闲话。他想弄清楚，螃蟹们对他们首领的死都在说些什么，因为那只老螃蟹正是这个族群的首领。可他什么也没听到，便自言自语道：

“They are all such fools that they don’t know and don’t care who murdered their chief!”

"他们全都是些傻瓜，根本不知道也不在乎是谁杀了他们的首领！"

Little did he know in his so-called “monkey’s wisdom” that this seeming unconcern was part of the young crab’s plan. He purposely pretended not to know who killed his father, and also to believe that he had met his death through his own fault. By this means he could the better keep secret the revenge on the monkey, which he was meditating.

他哪里知道，凭他那所谓的"猴子的小聪明"，这种表面上的漠不关心，正是小螃蟹计划的一部分。他故意装出不知道是谁杀了自己父亲的样子，还假装相信父亲的死是他自己咎由自取。这样一来，他便能更好地把自己正在盘算对猴子的报复，保守得滴水不漏。

So the monkey returned home from his walk quite content. He told himself he had nothing now to fear.

于是猴子散步回家，心满意足。他告诉自己，如今再没什么可担心的了。

One fine day, when the monkey was sitting at home, he was surprised by the appearance of a messenger from the young crab. While he was wondering what this might mean, the messenger bowed before him and said:

一个风和日丽的日子，猴子正坐在家里，忽然见小螃蟹派来的一名信使登门造访，他大吃一惊。他正纳闷这是什么意思，信使便在他面前鞠了一躬，说道：

“I have been sent by my master to inform you that his father died the other day in falling from a persimmon tree while trying to climb the tree after fruit. This, being the seventh day, is the first anniversary after his death, and my master has prepared a little festival in his father’s honor, and bids you come to participate in it as you were one of his best friends. My master hopes you will honor his house with your kind visit.”

"我家主人派我来通知您，前几天他的父亲想爬到柿子树上摘果子，不幸失足坠亡。今天是第七天，正是他父亲去世后的头七祭日，我家主人为悼念父亲，准备了一场小小的祭礼，还请您光临参加，因为您曾是他生前最好的朋友之一。我家主人恳请您能屈尊光临寒舍。"

When the monkey heard these words he rejoiced in his inmost heart, for all his fears of being suspected were now at rest. He could not guess that a plot had just been set in motion against him. He pretended to be very surprised at the news of the crab’s death, and said:

猴子听了这番话，心底暗暗欢喜，因为他所有担心遭人怀疑的顾虑，如今都放下了。他万万没想到，一个对付他的阴谋正在悄悄展开。他假装对螃蟹的死讯十分惊讶，说道：

“I am, indeed, very sorry to hear of your chief’s death. We were great friends as you know. I remember that we once exchanged a rice-dumpling for a persimmon-seed. It grieves me much to think that that seed was in the end the cause of his death. I accept your kind invitation with many thanks. I shall be delighted to do honor to my poor old friend!” And he screwed some false tears from his eyes.

"听闻您家首领去世，我实在感到十分难过。你也知道，我们曾是很要好的朋友。我还记得我们当年拿一个饭团换过一颗柿子核。想到那颗核最终竟成了他丧命的祸根，实在让我痛心不已。承蒙盛情相邀，我十分感激，一定欣然前往，好向我这位可怜的老朋友致以敬意！"说着，他还硬是从眼里挤出几滴假泪来。

The messenger laughed inwardly and thought, “The wicked monkey is now dropping false tears, but within a short time he shall shed real ones.” But aloud he thanked the monkey politely and went home.

信使心里暗自好笑，心想："这只坏心眼的猴子如今流的是假泪，可用不了多久，他就要流真泪了。"可他嘴上却客客气气地谢过猴子，便回去了。

When he had gone, the wicked monkey laughed aloud at what he thought was the young crab’s innocence, and without the least feeling began to look forward to the feast to be held that day in honor of the dead crab, to which he had been invited. He changed his dress and set out solemnly to visit the young crab.

信使走后，这只坏心眼的猴子放声大笑，暗自觉得小螃蟹实在天真，丝毫没有起半点戒心，便开始盼望着那天为悼念亡故的螃蟹而举办的宴会，他自己也在受邀之列。他换了身衣服，一本正经地动身前去拜访小螃蟹。

He found all the members of the crab’s family and his relatives waiting to receive and welcome him. As soon as the bows of meeting were over they led him to a hall. Here the young chief mourner came to receive him. Expressions of condolence and thanks were exchanged between them, and then they all sat down to a luxurious feast and entertained the monkey as the guest of honor.

他见到螃蟹一家老小以及亲戚们都已在等着迎接他。相互见礼寒暄之后，他们便把他领进了一间大厅。这时那位年轻的孝子上前迎接他。双方互致哀悼与谢意，随后大家便一起坐下来，享用一顿丰盛的宴席，把猴子奉为座上贵宾，殷勤款待。

The feast over, he was next invited to the tea-ceremony room to drink a cup of tea. When the young crab had conducted the monkey to the tearoom he left him and retired. Time passed and still he did not return. At last the monkey became impatient. He said to himself:

宴席结束之后，他又被请到茶室去喝一杯茶。小螃蟹把猴子领到茶室之后，便离开了，退了下去。时间一分一秒过去，可他还是没有回来。猴子终于开始不耐烦起来。他心里想道：

“This tea ceremony is always a very slow affair. I am tired of waiting so long. I am very thirsty after drinking so much sake at the dinner!”

"这茶道向来都这么慢腾腾的。等得我都烦了。宴席上喝了这么多清酒，我现在渴得很呢！"

He then approached the charcoal fire-place and began to pour out some hot water from the kettle boiling there, when something burst out from the ashes with a great pop and hit the monkey right in the neck. It was the chestnut, one of the crab’s friends, who had hidden himself in the fireplace. The monkey, taken by surprise, jumped backward, and then started to run out of the room.

于是他走近炭火盆，开始从那正烧着的水壶里倒些热水出来，忽然间灰烬里"啪"地一声爆开什么东西，正好打在猴子的脖子上。原来是那颗栗子，螃蟹的朋友之一，早已藏身在火盆里了。猴子猝不及防，向后一跳，随即便想冲出房间。

The bee, who was hiding outside the screens, now flew out and stung him on the cheek. The monkey was in great pain, his neck was burned by the chestnut and his face badly stung by the bee, but he ran on screaming and chattering with rage.

那只藏在屏风外面的蜜蜂，这时飞了出来，在他脸颊上狠狠螫了一口。猴子疼得厉害，脖子被栗子烫伤了，脸也被蜜蜂螫得肿了起来，可他仍是一路尖叫着、气得直咬牙，往外跑去。

Now the stone mortar had hidden himself with several other stones on the top of the crab’s gate, and as the monkey ran underneath, the mortar and all fell down on the top of the monkey’s head. Was it possible for the monkey to bear the weight of the mortar falling on him from the top of the gate? He lay crushed and in great pain, quite unable to get up. As he lay there helpless the young crab came up, and, holding his great claw scissors over the monkey, he said:

这时，那块石臼早已带着几块石头，藏在螃蟹家大门顶上，猴子跑到门下的时候，石臼连同那些石头便一齐砸落在猴子的头顶上。猴子哪里承受得住那石臼从门顶上砸下来的重量？他被压得倒在地上，痛得动弹不得，根本没法起身。他就这样无助地躺在那儿，小螃蟹走上前来，把那两只大螯举在猴子头顶上方，说道：

“Do you now remember that you murdered my father?”

"你现在可还记得，是你杀了我的父亲？"

“Then you—are—my—enemy?” gasped the monkey brokenly.

"这么说……你是……我的……仇人了？"猴子上气不接下气地喘息道。

“Of course,” said the young crab.

"当然，"小螃蟹说道。

“It—was—your—father’s—fault—not—mine!” gasped the unrepentant monkey.

"那……是你……父亲……自己的……过错……不是我的！"这只毫无悔意的猴子还在喘息着说道。

“Can you still lie? I will soon put an end to your breath!” and with that he cut off the monkey’s head with his pitcher claws. Thus the wicked monkey met his well-merited punishment, and the young crab avenged his father’s death.

"你到这个地步还敢撒谎？我这就送你上路！"说罢，他便用他那铁桶般的大螯，斩下了猴子的脑袋。就这样，这只邪恶的猴子终于得到了他罪有应得的惩罚，小螃蟹也为父亲报了仇。

This is the end of the story of the monkey, the crab, and the persimmon-seed.

这便是猴子、螃蟹和柿子核的故事的结局。