Knave1 and Fool　無賴和傻子

向紅選譯

A fool named Fool and a knave named Knave once set up house together2. It shows what fool the Fool is. Fool thinks it is lucky to meet Knave.

一個傻子叫福爾，一個無賴叫克萊夫，兩人要把房子建到一起，這就顯得傻子到底有多傻。而福爾卻還在想，能遇到克萊夫是他的幸運。

As they dont like work， the Knave says that they should live upon their savings3 and they should use Fools share4 then Knaves. Just when Fools share is end， Knave comes to Fool and saiys， “My bag has been taken up by some thief5.”

因為他們兩個人都不喜歡工作，克萊夫就提議，他們應該依靠積蓄生活，可以先用福爾的，再用克萊夫的。就在福爾的積蓄用完的時候，克萊夫跑過來哭著跟福爾說：“我的包被小偷偷走了?！?/p>

Fool said， “We have shared good luck together， and now we will share poor. I think we must find work.”

福爾說：“我們有福同享，有難同當。我覺得我們得去找份工作了?！?/p>

Knave says： “Since we dont like finding work， we can travel till work finds us.”

克萊夫說：“既然我們不喜歡找工作，我們可以一起去游玩，直到工作找到我們。”

They go on till they come to the foot of a hill. A businessman6 is standing by his wagon7. It is broken down.

于是他們一直走，直到有一天來到一個山腳下，有一個商人站在他壞掉的貨車旁。

“You seem two strong men. If you will carry this chest8 to the top of the hill where there is a hotel， I will give you two gold pieces for your trouble，” the businessman says.

“你們兩個人看著很強壯，如果你們能幫我把這個箱子從山腳搬到山頂?shù)穆灭^，我會給你們兩塊金子來解決你們的困難?！鄙倘苏f。

Knave says to Fool， “I will lead the up one， which is the hardest， and you shall go the other side， the easy one.”

克萊夫?qū)Ω栒f：“那我來抬上面這頭，因為這是最重的，你去抬下面那頭，比較容易?！?/p>

Fool doesnt know that the lower end of their burden9 is heavier. When they get， they are here till their money is spent up.

福爾不知道下面那頭才是更重的。當他們完成任務得到酬勞之后，決定一直留在這里，直到他們把錢花完為止。

A few days later， it is a long time for them without work or food. They come upon a man who sits by the roadside breaking stones10， with a bowl of porridge11 and a spoon. The man says， “If you will break up this stone， you shall have the porridge for dinner.”

幾天之后，他們又有好一段時間沒有工作和吃的了。這時，他們在路上遇到一個人坐在路邊敲碎石頭，旁邊放著一碗粥和一把勺子。這個人說：“如果你們愿意把這堆石頭碎完，我可以把這碗粥送給你們當做晚餐?！?/p>

“If we eat first， we shall have strength12 for our work，” said Knave. “There is only one spoon， so we must eat by turns.”

“我們要先吃飯，然后才有力氣干活?！笨巳R夫說，“現(xiàn)在只有一個勺子，所以我們必須輪流吃。”

Knave begins to eat， and goes on till he has eaten a third of the porridge. Fool takes his turn. Thus， Knave has twice as much as Fool.

克萊夫先吃，他吃了三分之一的粥。然后福爾再吃，這樣一來，克萊夫吃的就是福爾的兩倍。

They then start to work. “As there is only one hammer13，” says Knave， “we must work by turns. As I begin last time， you shall begin this.” By this means， Fool does twice as much work as Knave.

吃完他們便開始干活了?！耙驗橹挥幸话彦N子，所以我們也要輪流工作。剛才是我先吃的，所以這次你先來?！笨巳R夫說。這樣下來，福爾做的工作就是克萊夫的兩倍。

After a while， they meet with a farmer. He offers to give them dinner and a nights room， if they would drive the birds away from a field of corn for him till sunset14. But when Fool claps15 and shouts16 till he is tired， Knave goes to the other place and lies down.

那之后，他們又遇見一個農(nóng)民。農(nóng)民說，要是他們愿意在日落前幫他把鳥從玉米地里趕走，就為他們提供晚餐和住宿。但是當福爾盡力驅(qū)趕鳥兒的時候，克萊夫卻在另一個地方躺下睡著了。

Fool says， “I think that we ask the farmer to have sheep and dogs. All this shouting and clapping is saved17.”

福爾說：“我覺得我們應該讓農(nóng)民放羊、養(yǎng)狗，這樣就不用叫喊和拍掌了。”

This day， Knave and Fool lie down. Thus， they sleep till evening. When the sun is down， they find that the sheep has all run away， and the dog after them.

這天，福爾和克萊夫都躺下睡覺了。結(jié)果一直睡到傍晚，太陽落山的時候，他們才發(fā)現(xiàn)羊都跑了，狗追在后面跑了。

“The only plan for us is to go different ways to find the sheep，” said Knave. “Only let us meet here again.” Fool goes on， but Knave goes back to his place， and lies down as before. When Fool is back， the farmer sees the dog brings the sheep back. So they get the reward18.

克萊夫說：“現(xiàn)在唯一的辦法就是分頭去把羊找回來，最后我們在這里匯合。”福爾出發(fā)了，但是克萊夫卻回到原來的地方，像以前一樣躺下睡覺。福爾回來的時候，農(nóng)民看見狗把羊都帶回來了，所以他們也得到了應有的報酬。

Fool says， “The work is not so easy. Could we not find a better one？”

福爾說：“這份工作也不容易，我們不能再找一個更好的嗎？”

“Can you beg19？” says Knave. Nothing is needed but walking and talking.

“你會乞討嗎？”克萊夫說：“除了走路和說話，其他的什么都不用?！?/p>

Kind people give Fool a penny or two from time to time. Meanwhile， Knave goes to the back yard. He picked up some meat or anything there.

善良的人時不時會給福爾一兩個便士。這時，克萊夫則跑到后院偷拿一些肉或者其他的東西。

Next day， they exchange20. Fool went to the back door. But the mistress21 of the farm sends him away. Knave， from the front， has watched her leave， and then he takes a ham and bread from the table.

第二天，他們交換，福爾去后門。但是農(nóng)場的女主人卻把他趕走了。在前門的克萊夫看著女主人離開后，便拿走了桌子上的火腿和面包。

At the next place， Fool goes to the front door as before. Knave takes a fat goose and some apples. Fool comes back with nothing， but Knave just gives him some apples.

換下一個地方的時候，福爾還是和以前一樣在前門乞討，克萊夫卻跑到后院牽走了一只肥鵝，還拿了幾個蘋果。福爾回來的時候兩手空空，但是克萊夫卻只給了他蘋果。

After a while， but Knave finds the loss22 of the goose is known. He puts it into Fools arms and says， “I will go to the next farm， and see if I can beg a bottle of wine for the dinner.”

不久之后，克萊夫發(fā)現(xiàn)好像有人知道了鵝被偷的事，于是他把鵝推到福爾懷里，說：“我得去別的農(nóng)場，看看能不能為晚餐討到一瓶酒?！?/p>

At this time， the farmer and his men come up， and find Fool eating the apples， with the goose on the grass beside him. The poor Fool is hit and put in the stocks23.

這時，農(nóng)民和伙計們趕到了，看到福爾吃著蘋果，鵝就在他身邊的草地上。可憐的福爾被打了一頓，還被戴上了足枷。

Next day， Knave comes and says， “I am going at once to pawn24 my own clothes to give some money， and you？”

第二天，克萊夫來了，他說道：“我準備馬上把我的衣物拿去典當，換點錢。你呢？”

The poor Fool begs his friend to draw off25 his shoes， and to take his hat and coat as well. But Knave does not come back.

可憐的福爾求著他的朋友幫他脫掉鞋子、帽子還有大衣?？墒牵巳R夫走了就再也沒有回來。

（英語原文選自：classicreader.com）