枫丹动物寓言集 Fables de Fontaine

枫丹动物寓言集·卷一 Fables de Fontaine (I)

收集了各类短篇寓言的故事书，作者为枫丹的玛丽·埃里卡特。其中的故事大多并非作者自编，而是来自如今已经失佚的古代诗篇。

A storybook containing various lore and tales authored by Marie Hericart de La Fontaine, most of which were not written by the author but are compiled from ancient poems which have since been lost.

少女和太阳

The Maiden and the Sun

狐狸的养女到了出嫁的年龄，容颜如美泉一般温润，

The adopted daughter of the fox grew to be of marriageable age, her face as gentle as a beautiful spring.

娇艳绝俗，任谁都要说，她胜过世间一切绝色佳人。

Delicate and polite was she, and none could name a lady better.

于是，狐狸对自己的女儿说：

Therefore, the fox said to her daughter,

「女儿呀，女儿呀，我已经垂垂老矣，今后恐怕不能再像从前那样照顾你，

"My girl, little girl, I am standing in my grave. I may soon no longer be able to care for you as I once did."

希望你可以为自己挑选一位丈夫，人们都渴望有这种荣幸，成为你的夫婿。」

"Please, choose a husband for yourself. All would be honored to be the one."

少女回答自己的母亲说：

The daughter replied,

「既然如此，我的母亲，就请你将我嫁给凡世之物中最有力量的那一位吧。」

"If it shall be so, Mother, please have me wed to the most powerful being in this world."

「啊，那便是太阳，」狐狸说，「高悬在天穹的太阳啊，你便是我的女婿啦。」

"Ah, and that would be the sun," the fox said. "My son-in-law you shall be, O sun shining in the sky."

「不，」太阳推辞说，「这些云朵远比我更有力量，因为它能遮住我的光芒。」

"No," the sun refused. "These clouds are more powerful, for they block my radiance."

「那么，流云啊，能够遮蔽太阳光芒的流云啊，就让我的女儿和你成亲吧。」

"So it is, then. Flowing clouds, those who block the sun's radiance, please marry my daughter."

「唉，不行呀！因为风可以轻而易举地吹散我，你还是将她托付给风儿吧！」

"Oh, that won't do! The wind blows me away so easily. You're better off entrusting her to the wind!"

可风却被群山挡住，于是狐狸又找到了山。

But the wind was stopped by a mountain, and so the fox went to it.

山则推辞说，自己曾经与老鼠发生过争闹，

And the mountain demurred, citing conflicts with a mouse.

老鼠大怒，竟然在山中打穿出了一条隧道，

That mouse, when enraged, could bore a tunnel through the mountains,

由此可见，老鼠远比连绵的群山更有力量。

Thus, it was mightier by far than the mountains, was it not?

老鼠推辞给猫，猫推辞给狗，狗推辞给狼，

The mouse suggested the cat, the cat the dog, and the dog, the wolf.

如此循环往复，最终竟又一次回到了太阳，

After having gone through the entire cycle, the Fox found herself facing the sun once more.

于是这位年轻的美人，便也与太阳成亲了。

As thus did the young beauty marry the sun.

这个故事是说，人们应当遵循命定的安排，而非百般推脱。

The story tells the truth that one should accept their destiny, instead of making excuses and trying to evade to the end.

任你如何至诚，如何机智，终究无法逃离理应担负的职责。

No matter how honest, or how cunning, one can never escape the duty one ought to shoulder.

枫丹动物寓言集·卷二 Fables de Fontaine (II)

收集了各类短篇寓言的故事书，作者为枫丹的玛丽·埃里卡特。其中的故事大多并非作者自编，而是来自如今已经失佚的古代诗篇。

A storybook containing various lore and tales authored by Marie Hericart de La Fontaine, most of which were not written by the author but are compiled from ancient poems which have since been lost.

乌鸦和狐狸

The Crow and the Fox

一天，乌鸦衔着偷来的奶酪，站在树上。

Once upon a time, a crow perched on a tree, a piece of stolen cheese in its beak.

住在树下的狐狸见状，便仰头对乌鸦说：

Seeing the crow, the fox living under the tree looked up and said,

「老兄，

"Listen, my friend."

你衔在口中之物可不是什么诱人的美餐，

"The thing in your mouth is no enticing feast,"

而是有见识的人都避之唯恐不及的麻烦。

"But a source of misfortune that anyone sane would avoid like the plague."

你的喉管如此狭窄，而奶酪却厚重非凡，

"Look at your throat and then back at the cheese. Are they matched in size?"

倘若直接吞下，只恐老兄你要命丧黄泉。

"Swallow it, and you might just lose your life."

城中那些制酪的匠人，正是知晓这一点，

"The cheesemakers of the city have only let you go,"

才会放任你偷走奶酪，而不是妥善保管。」

"Because they know this — or do you think they've handed it to you for safe-keeping?"

乌鸦丝毫不在意，依然咬住奶酪不松口。

The crow cared little for such words, and continued holding onto the cheese.

见乌鸦并没有放弃的意思，狐狸便又说：

Seeing that the crow did not intend to give up yet, the fox spoke up once more:

「老兄，

"My friend,"

这奶酪原本就不是什么值得品尝的珍馐，

"This cheese is not some valuable delicacy!"

想当初，你无思无虑徘翔山林间的时候，

"Think! When you glided between mountain and forest, free of heed or care,"

又何曾听说过，这世上还有奶酪的名头？

"Did you then hear of something called cheese?"

要我说，这东西压根就不该归咱们享有，

"If you would listen, I would say that such a thing was never meant for us to enjoy."

任它腐烂在群山之间，被狂风卷入海流，

"Let it rot in the mountains. Let the wind carry it into the sea,"

千不该万不该，成了束缚老兄你的羁诱。」

"Better that than to let it become a shackle that binds you."

乌鸦抖了抖羽毛，依然咬住奶酪不松口。

The crow fluffed its feathers, but kept its hold on the cheese.

见乌鸦依然不愿意放弃，狐狸叹了叹气：

Seeing that the crow still would not give up, the fox sighed.

「老兄，

"Come on, my friend,"

要是你真的打算就这样品尝奶酪的滋味，

"If you truly must savor the taste of cheese,"

我一只局外之狐，自然也不会擅作阻违。

"I, a mere fox and bystander, shall not stop you."

不过老兄恐怕还不清楚奶酪该如何烹煮；

"But surely, you must not know how cheese is best consumed."

若是就这么稀里糊涂地将它囫囵吞下肚，

"If you were to simply swallow it willy-nilly,"

只恐浪费了这么一块珍贵而罕有的什物。

"It would be a terrible waste of such a rare treasure!"

唉，也可惜了我从别处学到的无数食谱！」

"Alas, and such a waste it would be, too, of all the recipes I have spent time gleaning from the lands around the world!"

乌鸦听了心发痒，不由自主便开了口。

Suddenly curious, the crow could not help but open its mouth.

「你说的食谱，能否将它们向我传授？」

"And could you teach me such recipes?"

这一开口，衔着的奶酪便也掉落在地，

Even as it did so, the cheese fell to the ground,

狐狸叼起奶酪，转身就钻回了巢穴里。

And the fox snatched it up, before turning tail and burrowing into its nest.

这个故事是说，那些妄图探知不应通晓的机妙之人，

This story tells us how those who seek to discover mysteries that they should not know,

最终只会连自己原本便已经拥有的一切也全部失损。

Shall lose all, even that which they already had.

枫丹动物寓言集·卷三 Fables de Fontaine (III)

收集了各类短篇寓言的故事书，作者为枫丹的玛丽·埃里卡特。其中的故事大多并非作者自编，而是来自如今已经失佚的古代诗篇。

A storybook containing various lore and tales authored by Marie Hericart de La Fontaine, most of which were not written by the author but are compiled from ancient poems which have since been lost.

驴子的故事

The Tale of the Donkey

庸人无论如何伪装，也不会让人觉得风流倜傥。

Even when dressed to the nines, a Plain Jane will rarely be mistaken for a socialite.

世上每个人，都有自己独一无二的优势与缺项。

Everyone in this world has strengths and weaknesses that are theirs and theirs alone.

对于这一点，只能虚心接受，正视自己的不足，

Thus, the only way forward is to know oneself and face one's own flaws.

切不可像故事里的驴子，弄巧成拙、惹人笑僇。

Don't be like the donkey of this tale, and make an ass of oneself.

听说狐狸夺取奶酪之事，驴子不免也蠢蠢欲动：

Having learned how the fox seized the cheese, the donkey sought to emulate the crafty fox.

「为什么呢？

"Why is the world like this?"

狐狸也不是什么聪明的动物，却总能被人吹捧；

"The fox is no genius. Why do others always toot her horn?"

而我驴子每天辛勤劳作，却无人对我笑脸相迎。

"Do I, the donkey, not labor every day? Yet, no one cares to even greet me with a smile."

既然如此，那我也该像狐狸大姐那样把事来行；

"Since this is the case, I shall learn from the fox and do the same as she."

这是很容易办到的，因为那不过是一些小聪明。」

"Her little tricks, surely, shall be mine in no time."

于是，驴子便躲藏在树丛中，等待有他人通行。

Thus, the donkey hid among the trees, and waited for its target to come by.

制酪人的女儿恰好赶车路过，驴子便跳了出来，

As the daughter of the cheesemaker passed by, the donkey bounded over,

模仿狐狸的姿态，抬起一只蹄子，自作聪明道：

And imitating the fox, raised a hoof and said with a smug voice,

「哈！依我看，阁下是真的不懂得赶车的技法，

"Ha! Listen to me! You know nothing about swift travel."

将那些奶酪丢下，更轻的车岂不是能更快抵达？」

"Just throw all your cheese away. Shall your cart not arrive sooner that way?"

少女见状大惊，连忙说：

The young lady was shocked, and she immediately replied,

「哎呀！你一头驴子，也敢在人们面前耍花招？

"Oh, you silly donkey! You dare to try to pull my leg?"

快拿我的棍子来，我要将这个家伙赶回磨坊里！」

"Get me my stick! I'm driving this beast back to the mill!"

看到向自己挥舞的棍子，驴子立刻就不出声了。

Seeing the stick being waved at it, the donkey ceased speaking at once.

这个故事是说，打算模仿别人来刻意掩盖本性，

This tale explains how trying to be someone else and smothering your own identity,

到头来不仅徒劳无益，反而会为自己招致害盈。

Is by no means beneficial. Indeed, it only leads to more suffering.