第6章 丑小鸭 The Ugly Duckling（1/2）

《丑小鸭》，1844 年

the Ugly dug, 1844

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在过去的一个半世纪里，丑小鸭一直备受青睐，它在布拉姆?斯托克（bra Stoker）的《德古拉》（dracu）中被提及，在谢尔盖?普罗科菲耶夫（Sergei prokofiev）的音乐中被颂扬，而且不出所料地，在华特?迪士尼（walt disney）的电影中被采用。

the ugly dug has led a chard existence over the past tury and a half, alded tobra Stoker’s dracu, celebratedSergei prokofiev’s id, less surprisgly, taken upwalt disney’s fils.

这只可怜、被人鄙视的鸟儿的故事在许多文化中广为流传，成为我们最喜爱 —— 也是最令人安心的 —— 童年故事之一。

the story of the abject, despised bird has taken holdany cultures, beg one of our ost beloved—and ost reassurg—childhood tales.

它向我们所有人，无论是孩子还是成年人，承诺我们有能力让自己变得更好。

It proises all of , children and adults, that we have the capacity to transfor ourselves for the better.

像许多童话角色一样，丑小鸭温顺又矮小，是一窝幼崽中最小的。

Like any a fairy - tale character, the ugly dug is ek and sall, the youthe brood.

它在谷仓场院、荒野和家庭环境中都格格不入，无法与其他生物建立联系。

A isfit out of p the barnyard,the wilderness, andthe dostic arena, he is uo fd a bond with other creatures.

但是，就像安徒生自己年轻时一样，它富有冒险精神且意志坚定，决心走向 “广阔世界”。

but, like Andersen hiself as a youth, he is adventuro aered, resolvg to go out to “the wide world.”

它变成一只美丽的天鹅，世世代代以来一直被唤起，成为那些遭受社会孤立和个人不足感的人的一种慰藉。

his taorphosis to a beautiful swan has been evoked feions as a source of fort to those sufferg fro feelgs of social isotion and personal adequacy.

孩子弱小无力，常常被轻视对待，他们可能会认同安徒生笔下的这个 “丑陋” 的生物，它可能没有什么前途，但最终却超越了那些看似有前途的。

Sall, powerless, and ofteed disissively, children are likely to identify with Andersen’s “hideo” creature, who ay be unproisg but who also,ti, surpasses the proisg.

正如布鲁诺?贝特尔海姆（bruelhei）在《魔法的用途》（the Uses of Entnt）中指出的那样，安徒生笔下的主角不必接受通常强加给童话英雄的考验、任务和磨难。

As bruelhei pots outthe Uses of Entnt, Andersen’s protagonist does not have to subit to the tests, tasks, and trials ually iposed on the heroes of fairy tales.

“《丑小鸭》中没有表达出需要完成任何事情。事情只是命中注定并相应地发展，不管主角是否采取行动”。

“o acplish anythg is expressed‘the Ugly dug.’ thgs are siply fated and unfold aly, whether or not the hero takes so a”.

安徒生暗示丑小鸭的先天优势在于它是不同的品种。

Andersen suggests that the ugly dug’s nate superiority residesthe fact that he is of a different breed.

与其他鸭子不同，它是从天鹅蛋里孵出来的。

Uhe other ducks, he has been hatched fro a swan’s egg.

这种自然界中隐含的等级制度 —— 高贵的天鹅与谷仓里的乌合之众相对 —— 似乎表明尊严和价值，以及审美和道德上的优越性，是由天性而非成就决定的。

this iplied hierarchynature—ajestic swahe barnyard rabble—sees to suggest that dignity and worth, along with aesthetid oral superiority, are detered by nature rather than by acplishnt.

不管一个颂扬弱者胜利的故事有多少乐趣，在这个如今被全世界儿童阅读的故事中，由那种胜利所引发的一系列伦理和美学问题都值得深思。

whatever the pleasures of a story that celebrates the triuph of the underdog, it is worth p the full range of ethical ahetic issues raised by that victorya story that is read today by children the world over.

《丑小鸭》与其他三个故事一起发表在名为《新童话集》（New Fairy tales）的合集中。

“the Ugly dug” ublished with three other talesa lle called New Fairy tales.

它几乎立刻就售罄了，安徒生在 1843 年 12 月 18 日的一封信中自豪地写到了它的成功：

It sold out alost idiately, and Andersen wrote with pride about its suessa letter of deceber 18, 1843:

“这本书卖得非常快！所有的报纸都在赞扬它，每个人都在读它！我的书没有哪本像这些童话一样受到赞赏！”

“the book is sellg like hot cakes! All the papers are praisg it, everyone is readg it! No books of e are appreciatedthe way that these fairy tales are!”

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乡下正值可爱的夏季天气，金色的玉米、绿色的燕麦，还有堆放在草地上的干草堆看起来都很美。

It was lovely sur weatherthe try, and the golden , the green oats, and the haystacks piled upthe adows looked beautiful.

那只迈着它红色长腿四处走动的鹳用它从母亲那里学来的埃及语叽叽喳喳地叫着。

the stork walkg about on his long red legs chatteredthe Egyptian nguage, which he had learnt fro his other.

玉米地和草地被大片森林环绕着，森林中间有深水池。

the- fields and adows were surrounded by rge forests,the idst of which were deep pools.

在乡下散步确实很惬意。

It was, deed, delightful to walk aboutthe try.

在一个阳光充足的地方，有一座宜人的老农舍靠近一条深河，从房子到河边长着巨大的牛蒡叶，长得非常高，在最高的叶子

In a sunny spot stood a pleasant old far - hoe close by a deep river, and fro the hoe down to the water side grew great burdock leaves, so high, that uhe tallest of the a little child uld stand upright.

这个地方像茂密树林的中心一样荒凉。

the spot was as wild as the tre of a thick wood.

在这个舒适的隐蔽处，一只母鸭坐在它的窝里，等待着它的幼雏孵出；

In this snug retreat sat a du her , watg for her young brood to hatch;

她开始对自己的任务感到厌烦了，因为小鸭子们从蛋壳里出来花费的时间太长了，而且她很少有访客。

she was begng to get tired of her task, for the little ones were a long ti g out of their shells, and she seldo had any visitors.

其他鸭子更喜欢在河里游来游去，而不是爬上滑溜溜的河岸，坐在牛蒡叶下和她闲聊。

the other ducks liked uch better to swi aboutthe river than to clib the slippery banks, and sit under a burdock leaf, to have a gossip with her.

最后，一个蛋壳裂开了，接着又一个，从每个蛋里都钻出一个小生命，它抬起头叫道：“叽叽，叽叽。”

At length one shell cracked, and then another, and fro each egg ca a livg creature that lifted its head and cried, “peep, peep.”

“嘎嘎，嘎嘎。” 母鸭说道，然后它们都尽可能地嘎嘎叫着，并且四处张望着那些大绿叶。

“quack, quack,” said the other, and then they all quacked as well as they uld, and looked about the on every side at the rge green leaves.

它们的妈妈让它们尽情地看，因为绿色对眼睛有好处。

their other allowed the to look as uch as they liked, becae green is good for the eyes.

“世界多大呀，” 小鸭子们说道，当它们发现现在拥有的空间比在蛋壳里的时候大多了的时候。

“he the world is,” said the young ducks, when they found how uch ore roo they now had than while they were ihe egg - shell.

“你们以为这就是整个世界了吗？”

“do you iagihis is the whole world?”

妈妈问道；

asked the other;

“等你们看到花园就知道了；花园一直延伸到牧师的田地那边，但我从来没敢去过那么远的地方。

“wait till you have seen the garden; it stretches far beyond that to the parson’s field, but I have never veo such a distance.

你们都出来了吗？”

Are you all out?”

她边说边站了起来；

she tued, risg;

“不，我敢说，最大的那个蛋还在那儿呢。我想知道这还要持续多久，我都厌烦透了；”

“No, I decre, the rgest egg lies there still. I wonder how long this is to st, I a quite tired of it;”

然后她又在窝里坐了下来。

and she seated herself aga on the .

“嗯，你们过得怎么样？”

“well, how are you gettg on?”

一只来拜访她的老鸭问道。

asked an old duck, who paid her a visit.

“还有一个蛋没孵出来呢，” 母鸭说，“它就是不破。

“one egg is not hatched yet,” said the duck, “it will not break.

不过看看其他的小鸭子，它们难道不是你见过的最可爱的小鸭子吗？

but jt look at all the others, are they not the prettiest little dugs you ever saw?

它们长得和它们那狠心的爸爸一模一样，他从来都不来看一眼。”

they are the iage of their father, who is so unkd, he never es to see.”

“让我看看这个孵不破的蛋，” 老鸭说；

“Letsee the egg that will not break,” said the duck;

“我肯定这是个火鸡蛋。

“I have no doubt it is a turkey’s egg.

我曾经被说服去孵过一些火鸡蛋，我费尽心思照顾那些小火鸡，可它们怕水。

I ersuaded to hate once, and after all y care and trouble with the young ohey were afraid of the water.

我嘎嘎叫，咯咯唤，但都无济于事。

I quacked and ccked, but all to no purpose.

我没法让它们下水。让我看看这个蛋。

I uld not get the to venture ilook at the egg.

是的，这是个火鸡蛋；听我的，别管它了，教其他小鸭子游泳吧。”

Yes, that is a turkey’s egg; take y advice, leave it where it is and teach the other children to swi.”

“我想我还是再在上面坐一会儿吧，” 母鸭说；

“I thk I will sit on it a little while longer,” said the duck;

“既然我已经坐了这么久了，再坐几天也没什么。”

“as I have sat so long already, a few days will be nothg.”

“随你的便吧，” 老鸭说，然后就走了。

“please yourself,” said the old duck, and she went a> 最后，那个大蛋破了，一只小鸭子爬了出来，叫道：“叽叽，叽叽。”

At st the rge egg broke, and a young one crept f, “peep, peep.”

它又大又丑。

It was very rge and ugly.

母鸭盯着它惊叫道：“它好大呀，而且一点也不像其他的小鸭子。

the duck stared at it and excid, “It is very rge and not at all like the others.

我怀疑它是不是真的是只火鸡。不过等我们到水里去就知道了。

I wonder if it really is a turkey. we shall soon fd it out, however when we go to the water.

如果必要的话，我得亲自把它推下去。”

It t go , if I have to ph it yself.”

第二天天气很好，阳光灿烂地照在绿色的牛蒡叶上，于是鸭妈妈带着她的小鸭子们下到水里，扑通一声跳了进去。

on theday the weather was delightful, and the sun shone brightly on the green burdock leaves, so the other duck took her young brood down to the water, and jupedwith a spsh.

“嘎嘎，嘎嘎。” 她叫着，小鸭子们一只接一只地跳进水里。

“quack, quack,” cried she, and oer ahe little dugs juped .

水没过了它们的头顶，但它们立刻又浮了上来，用腿在水下尽可能轻松地划动着，游得非常漂亮，丑小鸭也在水里和它们一起游着。

the water closed over their heads, but they ca up agaan stant, and swa about quite prettily with their legs paddlg uhe as easily as possible, and the ugly dug was also ier swig with the.

“哦，” 鸭妈妈说，“那不是火鸡；

“oh,” said the other, “that is not a turkey;

他的腿用得多好啊，站得多直啊！他是我的亲生孩子，要是你好好看看他，他其实也不是那么丑。

how well he es his legs, and how upright he holds hiself! he is y own child, and he is not sly after all if you look at hi properly.

嘎嘎，嘎嘎！现在跟我来，我要带你们进入上流社会，把你们介绍到农家院子里，但你们必须紧跟着我，不然可能会被踩到；

quack, quack! e withnow, I will take you to grand society, and troduce you to the faryard, but you t keep close toor you ay be trodden upon;

而且，最重要的是，要小心猫。”

and, above all, beware of the cat.”

当它们到达农家院子时，一阵大乱，两家人正在为一个鳗鱼头争斗，最后鳗鱼头被猫抢走了。

when they reached the faryard, there was a great disturbawo failies were fightg for an eel’s head, which, after all, was carried off by the cat.

“看，孩子们，这就是世道。” 鸭妈妈磨着嘴说道，因为她自己也很想要那个鳗鱼头。

“See, children, that is the way of the world,” said the other duck, whettg her beak, for she would have liked the eel’s head herself.

“来吧，现在，动一动你们的腿，让我看看你们表现得有多好。

“e, now, e ys, asee how well youbehave.

你们必须很有礼貌地向那边的老鸭鞠躬；

You t bow your heads prettily to that old duck yonder;

她是这里出身最高贵的，有西班牙血统，所以她很富有。

she is the highest born of the all, and has Spanish blood, therefore, she is well off.

你们没看到她腿上系着一面红旗吗，这是非常了不起的东西，对一只鸭子来说是极大的荣耀；

don’t you see she has a red fg tied t, which is sothg very grand, and a great honor for a duck;

这表明每个人都很担心失去她，因为人和动物都能认出她来。

it shows that every one is anxio not to lose her, as shebe reized both by an a.

来吧，现在，不要把脚趾向内弯，一只有教养的小鸭子要像他的爸爸妈妈那样把脚张得大大的；

e, now, don’t turn your toes, a well - bred dug spreads his feet wide apart, jt like his father and other,this > 现在弯下你们的脖子，说‘嘎嘎’。”

now bend your neck, and say ‘quack.’”

小鸭子们照吩咐做了，但另一只鸭子盯着它们说：“看，又来了一窝，好像我们已经够多的了！而且其中一个长得多奇怪啊；

the dugs did as they were bid, but the other duck stared, and said, “Look, here es another brood, as if there were not enough ofalready! and what a queer lookg objee of the is;

我们不想让他待在这里，” 然后一只鸭子飞出来咬他的脖子。

we don’t want hi here,” and then one flew out and bit hithe neck.

“别管他，” 鸭妈妈说；

“Let hi alone,” said the other;

“他又没做什么坏事。”

“he is not dog any har.”

“是的，但是他又大又丑，” 那只恶毒的鸭子说，“所以必须把他赶走。”

“Yes, but he is so big and ugly,” said the spiteful duck “and therefore he t be turned out.”

“其他的都是非常可爱的孩子，” 腿上系着破布的老鸭说，“除了那一个；

“the others are very pretty children,” said the old duck, with the rag on her leg, “all but that one;

我希望他妈妈能把他改造得好一点。”

I wish his other uld iprove hi a little.”

“那是不可能的，夫人，” 鸭妈妈回答说；

“that is ipossible, yrace,” replied the other;

“他是不漂亮；但他脾气很好，游泳和其他小鸭子一样好，甚至更好。

“he is not pretty; but he has a very good disposition, and swis as well or eveer thahers.

我想他长大后会变漂亮的，也许还会变小；

I thk he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be saller;

他在蛋里待的时间太长了，所以他的体型没有发育好；”

he has reaioo longthe egg, and therefore his figure is not properly ford;”

然后她抚摸着他的脖子，理顺羽毛，说道：“他是只公鸭，所以没那么重要。

and theroked his ned soothed the feathers, sayg, “It is a drake, and therefore not of so uch sequence.

我想他会茁壮成长，并且能够照顾自己。”

I thk he will grow up strong, and able to take care of hiself.”

“其他小鸭子够优雅的了，” 老鸭说。

“the s are graceful enough,” said the old duck.

“现在就像在自己家一样，如果你们能找到鳗鱼头，可以带给我。”

“Now ake yourself at ho, and if youfd an eel’s head, youbrg it to .”

于是他们就自在起来；但那只最后从蛋壳里爬出来、长得很丑的可怜小鸭子，不仅被鸭子们咬、推搡、取笑，而且还被所有的家禽欺负。

And so they ade theselves fortable; but the p, who had crept out of his shell st of all, and looked so ugly, was bitten and phed and ade fun of, not only by the ducks, but by all the poultry.

“他太大了，” 他们都说，那只生来就长着距的雄火鸡，自认为自己真的是个皇帝，像满帆的船一样鼓起身子，向小鸭子扑来，气得脑袋通红，可怜的小家伙不知道该去哪里，因为自己长得丑又被整个农家院子嘲笑，非常痛苦。

“he is too big,” they all said, and the turkey ck, who had been born to the world with spurs, and fancied hiself really an eperor, puffed hiself out like a vesselfull sail, and flew at the dug, and beca quite redthe head with passion, so that the poor little thg did not know where to go, and was quite iserable becae he was so ugly and ughed at by the whole faryard.

就这样一天天地过去，情况越来越糟。

So it went on fro day to day till it got worse and worse.

这只可怜的小鸭子被所有人赶来赶去；甚至他的兄弟姐妹也对他不好，还会说：“啊，你这个丑东西，我希望猫把你抓走，” 他的妈妈也说她希望他从来没有出生过。

the p was driven about by every one; even his brothers and sisters were unkd to hi, and would say, “Ah, you ugly creature, I wish the cat would get you,” and his other said she wished he had never been born.

鸭子们啄他，小鸡们打他，那个喂养家禽的女孩还用脚踢他。

the ducks pecked hi, the chis beat hi, and the girl who fed the poultry kicked hi with her feet.

所以最后他跑掉了，当他飞过栅栏时，把树篱里的小鸟都吓飞了。

So at st he ran away, frighteng the little birdsthe hedge as he flew over the palgs.

“它们害怕我是因为我长得丑，” 他说。

“they are afraid ofbecae I a ugly,” he said.

于是他闭上眼睛，飞得更远了，一直飞到一片广阔的荒野，那里住着野鸭。

So he closed his eyes, and flew still farther, until he ca out on a rge oor, habited by wild ducks.

他在这里待了一整晚，感到非常疲惫和悲伤。

here he reaihe whole night, feeliired and sorrowful.

早晨，当野鸭们飞到空中时，它们盯着这位新伙伴。

In the , when the wild ducks rosethe air, they stared at their new rade.

“你是哪种鸭子呀？”

“what sort of a duck are you?”

它们都围过来问他。

they all said, g round hi.

他向它们鞠躬，尽可能地有礼貌，但他没有回答它们的问题。

he bowed to the, and olite as he uld be, but he did not reply to their question.

“你丑得要命，” 野鸭们说，“但如果你不想娶我们家族的一员，那也没关系。”

“You are exceedgly ugly,” said the wild ducks, “but that will not atter if you do not want to arry one of our faily.”

可怜的家伙！他根本没想过结婚；他只想要被允许躺在灯芯草丛中，喝点荒野里的水。

p! he had no thoughts e; all he wanted erission to lie aong the rhes, and drk so of the water on the oor.

他在荒野上待了两天后，来了两只野鹅，或者说是小鹅，因为它们刚出壳不久，非常调皮。

After he had been on the oor o days, there ca o wild geese, or rather goslgs, for they had not been out of the egg long, and were very saucy.

“听着，朋友，” 其中一只对小鸭子说，“你这么丑，我们很喜欢你。

“Listen, friend,” said one of the to the dug, “you are so ugly, that we like you very well.

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