The White Hare and the Crocodiles

Long, long ago, when all the animals could talk, there lived in the province of Inaba in Japan, a little white hare. His home was on the island of Oki, and just across the sea was the mainland of Inaba.

很久很久以前，那时所有的动物都会说话，日本因幡国住着一只小白兔。它的家在隐岐岛上，隔着大海对面，就是因幡的本土。

Now the hare wanted very much to cross over to Inaba. Day after day he would go out and sit on the shore and look longingly over the water in the direction of Inaba, and day after day he hoped to find some way of getting across.

这只兔子非常想渡海到因幡去。它一天又一天地跑到岸边坐下，满怀渴望地望着朝因幡方向延伸的海面，一天又一天地盼望着能找到一个渡海的办法。

One day as usual, the hare was standing on the beach, looking towards the mainland across the water, when he saw a great crocodile swimming near the island.

有一天，兔子照旧站在海滩上，望着对岸的本土，忽然看见一条大鳄鱼正在岛边游动。

“This is very lucky!” thought the hare. “Now I shall be able to get my wish. I will ask the crocodile to carry me across the sea!”

“这可太走运了！”兔子心想。“这下我就能如愿以偿了。我要请这条鳄鱼把我驮过海去！”

But he was doubtful whether the crocodile would consent to do what wanted. So he thought instead of asking a favor he would try to get what he wanted by a trick.

可它又拿不准鳄鱼会不会答应它的请求。于是它转念一想，与其开口求人帮忙，不如设个计谋来达到目的。

So with a loud voice he called to the crocodile, and said:

于是它便大声朝鳄鱼喊道：

“Oh, Mr. Crocodile, isn’t it a lovely day?”

“哎呀，鳄鱼先生，今天天气真好啊，是不是？”

The crocodile, who had come out all by itself that day to enjoy the bright sunshine, was just beginning to feel a bit lonely when the hare’s cheerful greeting broke the silence. The crocodile swam nearer the shore, very pleased to hear some one speak.

那条鳄鱼那天独自出来晒晒太阳，正开始觉得有点孤单，忽然被兔子这声欢快的招呼打破了寂静。鳄鱼便游近了岸边，听见有人跟自己搭话，心里十分高兴。

“I wonder who it was that spoke to me just now! Was it you, Mr. Hare? You must be very lonely all by yourself!”

“我倒想知道，方才是谁跟我说话来着！是你吗，兔子先生？你一个人待着，一定很寂寞吧！”

“Oh, no, I am not at all lonely,” said the hare, “but as it was such a fine day I came out here to enjoy myself. Won’t you stop and play with me a little while?”

“哦，不，我一点也不寂寞，”兔子说，“只是今天天气这么好，我便出来乐一乐。你要不要停下来陪我玩一会儿？”

The crocodile came out of the sea and sat on the shore, and the two played together for some time. Then the hare said:

鳄鱼便从海里爬上岸，坐在沙滩上，两个便一起玩了起来。过了一会儿，兔子说道：

“Mr. Crocodile, you live in the sea and I live on this island, and we do not often meet, so I know very little about you. Tell me, do you think the number of your company is greater than mine?”

“鳄鱼先生，你住在海里，我住在这座岛上，咱们难得碰面，所以我对你们的事知道得很少。你倒说说看，你觉得你们那边的数目比我们多吗？”

“Of course, there are more crocodiles than hares,” answered the crocodile. “Can you not see that for yourself? You live on this small island, while I live in the sea, which spreads through all parts of the world, so if I call together all the crocodiles who dwell in the sea you hares will be as nothing compared to us!” The crocodile was very conceited.

“那当然了，鳄鱼的数目肯定比兔子多，”鳄鱼答道。“这个你自己不是也能看出来吗？你住在这么小的一座岛上，我却住在大海里，而大海遍布世界各地，我要是把住在海里的鳄鱼都召集起来，你们兔子跟我们一比，简直不算什么！”鳄鱼这话说得十分自负。

The hare, who meant to play a trick on the crocodile, said:

兔子早就打算耍鳄鱼一把，便说道：

“Do you think it possible for you to call up enough crocodiles to form a line from this island across the sea to Inaba?”

“你觉得你能召集来足够多的鳄鱼，从这座岛一直排到因幡，排成一条线吗？”

The crocodile thought for a moment and then answered:

鳄鱼想了一想，答道：

“Of course, it is possible.”

“那当然，这是办得到的。”

“Then do try,” said the artful hare, “and I will count the number from here!”

“那就试试看吧，”这只狡猾的兔子说，“我就在这儿数你们的数目！”

The crocodile, who was very simple-minded, and who hadn’t the least idea that the hare intended to play a trick on him, agreed to do what the hare asked, and said:

鳄鱼生性单纯，压根没想到兔子是要耍它，便一口答应了兔子的请求，说道：

“Wait a little while I go back into the sea and call my company together!”

“稍等一下，我先回海里去，把我的同伴们召集起来！”

The crocodile plunged into the sea and was gone for some time. The hare, meanwhile, waited patiently on the shore. At last the crocodile appeared, bringing with him a large number of other crocodiles.

鳄鱼一头扎进海里，去了好一阵子。这段时间里，兔子便耐心地在岸边等候。终于，鳄鱼出现了，还带来了一大群其他的鳄鱼。

“Look, Mr. Hare!” said the crocodile, “it is nothing for my friends to form a line between here and Inaba. There are enough crocodiles to stretch from here even as far as China or India. Did you ever see so many crocodiles?”

“瞧，兔子先生！”鳄鱼说，“要我这些朋友从这儿排到因幡，那算不上什么难事。这么多鳄鱼，就算从这儿一直排到中国或者印度，也绰绰有余。你可曾见过这么多鳄鱼？”

Then the whole company of crocodiles arranged themselves in the water so as to form a bridge between the Island of Oki and the mainland of Inaba. When the hare saw the bridge of crocodiles, he said:

于是这一大群鳄鱼便在海面上排开阵势，在隐岐岛和因幡本土之间搭起了一座桥。兔子见了这座鳄鱼桥，便说：

“How splendid! I did not believe this was possible. Now let me count you all! To do this, however, with your permission, I must walk over on your backs to the other side, so please be so good as not to move, or else I shall fall into the sea and be drowned!”

“太壮观了！我原本还不信这是办得到的呢。现在让我来数数你们的数目吧！不过，得请你们允许，我得踩着你们的背走到对岸去数，所以还请你们千万别动，不然我可就要掉进海里淹死了！”

So the hare hopped off the island on to the strange bridge of crocodiles, counting as he jumped from one crocodile’s back to the other:

于是兔子便从岛上一跃而起，跳上这座奇特的鳄鱼桥，一边从一条鳄鱼的背上跳到另一条的背上，一边数道：

“Please keep quite still, or I shall not be able to count. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine—”

“请务必一动不动，不然我可就数不清了。一，二，三，四，五，六，七，八，九——”

Thus the cunning hare walked right across to the mainland of Inaba. Not content with getting his wish, he began to jeer at the crocodiles instead of thanking them, and said, as he leapt off the last one’s back:

就这样，这只狡猾的兔子径直走到了因幡的本土。它不但如愿以偿，还不知感恩，反倒开始嘲弄起这些鳄鱼来，从最后一条鳄鱼的背上跳下时，说道：

“Oh! you stupid crocodiles, now I have done with you!”

“哈！你们这些笨鳄鱼，我可跟你们没关系啦！”

And he was just about to run away as fast as he could. But he did not escape so easily, for so soon as the crocodiles understood that this was a trick played upon them by the hare so as to enable him to cross the sea, and that the hare was now laughing at them for their stupidity, they became furiously angry and made up their minds to take revenge. So some of them ran after the hare and caught him. Then they all surrounded the poor little animal and pulled out all his fur. He cried out loudly and entreated them to spare him, but with each tuft of fur they pulled out they said:

说完便打算撒腿就跑。可它没能这么轻易脱身，因为鳄鱼们一旦明白过来，这是兔子耍的花招，好让自己渡过海去，而如今这兔子竟还嘲笑它们愚蠢，个个都气得暴跳如雷，下定决心要报这个仇。于是有几条鳄鱼便追上去，把兔子抓住了。接着它们一齐围住这只可怜的小动物，把它身上的毛统统拔了下来。它痛得大声哭喊，苦苦哀求它们饶了自己，可它们每拔下一撮毛，便说道：

“Serve you right!”

“活该！”

When the crocodiles had pulled out the last bit of fur, they threw the poor hare on the beach, and all swam away laughing at what they had done.

等鳄鱼们把最后一撮毛也拔光了，便把这只可怜的兔子扔在海滩上，一齐笑着游走了，对自己干的事十分得意。

The hare was now in a pitiful plight, all his beautiful white fur had been pulled out, and his bare little body was quivering with pain and bleeding all over. He could hardly move, and all he could do was to lie on the beach quite helpless and weep over the misfortune that had befallen him. Notwithstanding that it was his own fault that had brought all this misery and suffering upon the white hare of Inaba, any one seeing the poor little creature could not help feeling sorry for him in his sad condition, for the crocodiles had been very cruel in their revenge.

这时兔子的处境十分凄惨，它一身漂亮的白毛已被拔得精光，光秃秃的小身子疼得直发抖，浑身上下都在流血。它几乎动弹不得，只能瘫在海滩上，无助地躺着，为自己遭遇的这场不幸哭泣。虽说这场苦难和痛苦完全是这只因幡白兔咎由自取，可任谁见了这只可怜小动物这般凄惨的模样，都会不由自主地心生怜悯，因为那些鳄鱼报复起来实在太过残忍了。

Just at this time a number of men, who looked like King’s sons, happened to pass by, and seeing the hare lying on the beach crying, stopped and asked what was the matter.

正在这时，恰好有几位模样像是王子的男子经过，见兔子躺在海滩上哭泣，便停下脚步，问它出了什么事。

The hare lifted up his head from between his paws, and answered them, saying:

兔子从自己的爪子间抬起头来，答道：

“I had a fight with some crocodiles, but I was beaten, and they pulled out all my fur and left me to suffer here—that is why I am crying.”

“我跟几条鳄鱼打了一架，可我打输了，它们把我身上的毛都拔光了，扔下我在这儿受苦——这就是我哭的原因。”

Now one of these young men had a bad and spiteful disposition. But he feigned kindness, and said to the hare:

这几位年轻人中有一位生性恶毒刻薄。可他却假装出一副好心的样子，对兔子说：

“I feel very sorry for you. If you will only try it, I know of a remedy which will cure your sore body. Go and bathe yourself in the sea, and then come and sit in the wind. This will make your fur grow again, and you will be just as you were before.”

“我真替你难过。只要你肯照着做，我倒是知道一个法子，能治好你这一身伤。你去海水里好好洗个澡，然后来这儿坐着，让风吹一吹。这样你的毛就能重新长出来，你就会跟从前一模一样了。”

Then all the young men passed on. The hare was very pleased, thinking that he had found a cure. He went and bathed in the sea and then came out and sat where the wind could blow upon him.

说完，这几位年轻人便都继续赶路了。兔子十分高兴，以为自己找到了治病的法子。它便去海里洗了个澡，然后爬上岸，坐在能被风吹到的地方。

But as the wind blew and dried him, his skin became drawn and hardened, and the salt increased the pain so much that he rolled on the sand in his agony and cried aloud.

可风一吹，把它的身子吹干了，它的皮肤却变得紧绷、僵硬起来，海水里的盐分更是让疼痛加剧，痛得它在沙地上翻滚哀号起来。

Just then another King’s son passed by, carrying a great bag on his back. He saw the hare, and stopped and asked why he was crying so loudly.

就在这时，又有一位王子经过，背上背着一个大口袋。他看见兔子，便停下脚步，问它为什么哭得这么厉害。

But the poor hare, remembering that he had been deceived by one very like the man who now spoke to him, did not answer, but continued to cry.

可这只可怜的兔子，想起自己曾被一个和眼前这人长得很像的人骗过，便没有回答，只顾继续哭泣。

But this man had a kind heart, and looked at the hare very pityingly, and said:

不过这个人心地善良，怜悯地望着兔子，说道：

“You poor thing! I see that your fur is all pulled out and that your skin is quite bare. Who can have treated you so cruelly?”

“你这可怜的东西！我看你身上的毛全被拔光了，皮肤都光秃秃的。是谁待你这样狠心？”

When the hare heard these kind words he felt very grateful to the man, and encouraged by his gentle manner the hare told him all that had befallen him. The little animal hid nothing from his friend, but told him frankly how he had played a trick on the crocodiles and how he had come across the bridge they had made, thinking that he wished to count their number: how he had jeered at them for their stupidity, and then how the crocodiles had revenged themselves on him.

兔子听了这番亲切的话语，心里对这人充满了感激，又受了他和蔼态度的鼓励，便把自己遭遇的一切都告诉了他。这只小动物对这位朋友毫无隐瞒，坦诚地讲述了自己是怎样耍计谋捉弄鳄鱼，又是怎样借口要数它们的数目，踩着它们搭成的桥走过海去的：又讲了自己是怎样嘲笑它们的愚蠢，鳄鱼们又是怎样对它进行报复的。

Then he went on to say how he had been deceived by a party of men who looked very like his kind friend: and the hare ended his long tale of woe by begging the man to give him some medicine that would cure him and make his fur grow again.

接着它又说起，自己是怎样被一群模样和这位善良朋友十分相像的人给骗了：兔子讲完这一长串悲惨的遭遇，最后恳求这个人给它一些药，好治好它的伤，让它的毛重新长出来。

When the hare had finished his story, the man was full of pity towards him, and said:

兔子讲完自己的故事后，这个人满心怜悯，说道：

“I am very sorry for all you have suffered, but remember, it was only the consequence of the deceit you practiced on the crocodiles.”

“你受的这些苦，我十分同情，可你要记住，这不过是你耍弄鳄鱼那番诡计所招致的后果罢了。”

“I know,” answered the sorrowful hare, “but I have repented and made up my mind never to use deceit again, so I beg you to show me how I may cure my sore body and make the fur grow again.”

“我知道，”兔子伤心地答道，“可我已经后悔了，也下定决心再也不耍诡计了，所以求你告诉我，该怎样才能治好我这一身伤，让毛重新长出来。”

“Then I will tell you of a good remedy,” said the man. “First go and bathe well in that pond over there and try to wash all the salt from your body. Then pick some of those kaba flowers that are growing near the edge of the water, spread them on the ground and roll yourself on them. If you do this the pollen will cause your fur to grow again, and you will be quite well in a little while.”

“那我就告诉你一个好法子，”这个人说。“你先去那边那个池塘里好好洗个澡，尽量把身上的盐分都洗掉。然后去摘些长在水边的蒲黄花，铺在地上，在上面打个滚。这样一来，花粉就能让你的毛重新长出来，用不了多久，你就会完全好起来的。”

The hare was very glad to be told what to do, so kindly. He crawled to the pond pointed out to him, bathed well in it, and then picked the kaba flowers growing near the water, and rolled himself on them.

兔子听了这般亲切的指点，十分欣喜。它爬到这人指给它看的那个池塘边，好好洗了个澡，然后又摘了些长在水边的蒲黄花，在上面打起滚来。

To his amazement, even while he was doing this, he saw his nice white fur growing again, the pain ceased, and he felt just as he had done before all his misfortunes.

令它惊讶的是，就在它打滚的时候，它看见自己那身漂亮的白毛竟又重新长了出来，疼痛也随之消失，它感觉自己又和遭遇这一连串不幸之前一模一样了。

The hare was overjoyed at his quick recovery, and went hopping joyfully towards the young man who had so helped him, and kneeling down at his feet, said:

兔子对自己这般迅速的痊愈欣喜若狂，便欢欢喜喜地一路蹦跳着来到那位曾如此帮助过它的年轻人面前，在他脚边跪下，说道：

“I cannot express my thanks for all you have done for me! It is my earnest wish to do something for you in return. Please tell me who you are?”

“你为我做的这一切，我实在无法用言语表达感激之情！我打心底里希望能为你做点什么作为回报。请告诉我，你究竟是谁？”

“I am no King’s son as you think me. I am a fairy, and my name is Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto,” answered the man, “and those beings who passed here before me are my brothers. They have heard of a beautiful Princess called Yakami who lives in this province of Inaba, and they are on their way to find her and to ask her to marry one of them. But on this expedition I am only an attendant, so I am walking behind them with this great big bag on my back.”

“我并不是你以为的什么王子。我是一位神明，名叫大国主命，”这人答道，“方才从这儿经过的那几位，都是我的兄弟。他们听说因幡这地方有一位名叫八上姬的美丽公主，正在赶路去找她，想请她嫁给他们兄弟中的一个为妻。不过这趟出行，我不过是个随从罢了，所以我才背着这个大口袋，跟在他们后面走。”

The hare humbled himself before this great fairy Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto, whom many in that part of the land worshiped as a god.

兔子在这位大神大国主命面前谦卑地低下了头，这一带的许多人都把他当作神明来敬奉。

“Oh, I did not know that you were Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto. How kind you have been to me! It is impossible to believe that that unkind fellow who sent me to bathe in the sea is one of your brothers. I am quite sure that the Princess, whom your brothers have gone to seek, will refuse to be the bride of any of them, and will prefer you for your goodness of heart. I am quite sure that you will win her heart without intending to do so, and she will ask to be your bride.”

“哦，我竟不知道您就是大国主命。您对我真是太好了！我实在不敢相信，方才那个叫我去海里洗澡的狠心人，竟会是您的兄弟。我十分确信，您的那些兄弟前去求娶的那位公主，一定不肯嫁给他们中的任何一位，反倒会因为您这般善良的心肠而更中意您。我十分确信，您会不知不觉地赢得她的芳心，她自会请求嫁给您为妻。”

Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto took no notice of what the hare said, but bidding the little animal goodby, went on his way quickly and soon overtook his brothers. He found them just entering the Princess’s gate.

大国主命并未在意兔子说的这番话，只向这只小动物道了别，便匆匆赶路，不久便追上了自己的几位兄弟。他见他们正巧走进公主府邸的大门。

Just as the hare had said, the Princess could not be persuaded to become the bride of any of the brothers, but when she looked at the kind brother’s face she went straight up to him and said:

正如兔子所说的那样，公主怎么也不肯答应嫁给那几位兄弟中的任何一位为妻，可她一看见这位心地善良的兄弟的面容，便径直走到他跟前，说道：

“To you I give myself,” and so they were married.

“我愿以身相许，嫁给你。”于是二人便结为夫妻。

This is the end of the story. Okuni-nushi-no-Mikoto is worshiped by the people in some parts of Japan, as a god, and the hare has become famous as “The White Hare of Inaba.” But what became of the crocodiles nobody knows.

故事到这里便结束了。大国主命在日本一些地方被人们奉为神明供奉，而这只兔子也因此声名远扬，被称为“因幡的白兔”。至于那些鳄鱼后来怎样了，就没有人知道了。