火山大王与缝影针 The Volcano Lord and the Shadow Pins

描绘着英杰陶奥鲁传说的织物，深受纳茨卡延的孩子们喜爱。

A woven scroll that depicts the legend of the hero Traore, a favorite among the children of the Nanatzcayan.

这是火山的大王和各个部族的人民争斗的故事的一部分。

This is one part of the story of the Volcano Lord's struggle against the people of the tribes.

如果要从开头开始讲述的话，恐怕叙事人要在篝火边整整待满十七个日夜才能讲完，到后面，孩子们都会因太过漫长的话语沉入梦乡，那就再也没有人能够听到结尾最精彩的部分啦。

If we were to start from the beginning, the storyteller might have to spend seventeen days and seventeen nights by the bonfire to finish, and by the end, the children might have fallen into dreamland on account of the lengthy tale — no one would hear the best part of the ending.

所以，我们直接跳过前面那些…至少对听故事的人来说不太紧要的内容。

As such, let us skip some of the... Let's just call them "the parts less important to the listeners."

我们来说说，火山大王的影子，和那根悬在硫晶支脉上的「缝影针」的故事：

Instead, let us speak of the Volcano Lord and the Shadow Pin that hangs above the Sulfurous Veins:

这故事发生在伟大的巨兽们从这片土地隐匿了身形，而空荡的图兰大火山被黑漆漆的火山大王占据了的时代。

Our story unfolds in a time when great beasts withdrew from this land, and when the empty Great Volcano of Tollan was occupied by the dark Volcano Lord.

图兰大火山原本是一度伟大的龙的居所，这点自不用多说，可是在龙自火中遁去之后，他们的居所就被狡猾的火山大王占据了。

The Great Volcano was once the dwelling of great dragons, and on this matter little further need be said. But when they fled amidst the flames, their dwelling was seized by the devious Volcano Lord.

火山大王，现在已经没人知道它长什么样子，可是部族里见过它的老人都说，它是一只黑色与紫色相间的，身子如同蝾螈一样的巨大怪物。在古老的时候，也有人将蝾螈与龙混为一谈，但时至今日大家都知道，蝾螈只是蝾螈。

No one now knows what said Lord looked like, but the tribal elders who saw it all say it was a black-and-purple giant with a salamander's form. In ancient times, some conflated salamanders with dragons, but nowadays everyone knows that a salamander is just that.

总之，火山大王在纳塔的大地上作威作福，干了数不清的坏事，它去地中之海的泉眼里洗澡，弄得「流泉之众」乌烟瘴气，还将带火星的风吹向「悬木人」的部族。最过分的时候，它吞下了整个「沃陆之邦」，如果不是突角龙与勇士们一起，趁它在夜里睡觉时撞破它的肚子，逃了出来，事情就会变得相当麻烦了。

Anyway, the Volcano Lord dominated the lands of Natlan, committing countless vile acts. It bathed in the springs of the middle sea, causing the People of the Springs to be filled with smog, and it blew a wind filled with sparks to the Scions of the Canopy. At its worst, it even swallowed the entire Collective of Plenty! That would have been trouble indeed, had the Tatankasaurs and the tribe's warriors not breached its stomach while it slept and escaped.

总而言之，火山大王做尽了坏事，让纳塔各个部族的人们苦不堪言。

All in all, this being did every wicked thing you could imagine, causing untold suffering to the tribes.

而这一天，它躺在火山里，看着自己黑漆漆的身躯，又动起了坏念头。

And on this particular day, it lay within the volcano, gazing at its dark form... and a new, wicked thought came to it.

「火山的底下实在是太黑了，比没有月光的深邃夜晚还要黑，就连我自己都看不到我自己的身子。」

"Bah, it's just so dark down here under the volcano, even darker than a moonless night! I can't even see my own body."

「听说东边，『回声之子』的峡谷里有数不清的宝石，如果我能够吞下所有的亮晶晶的石头，那我的肚子即使在最黑的地方，也能像是盛夏夜晚的星空那样闪闪发亮。」

"I've heard that the valleys of the Children of Echoes to the east are home to countless gems. If I could swallow all those shiny stones, then my stomach shall shine brightly like the starry night sky even in the darkest of places."

它说完，翻过了身子，就决定要这么干。

So saying, it turned about, having decided to do just that.

但是火山大王实在是太大了，甚至没注意到，它说的这些话都被小小的飞鼯听去了。

But the Volcano Lord was far too large, and it missed his notice that a little Flying Squirrel had heard his words.

小小的飞鼯赶紧将这件事告诉了会飞的燃素蜜虫，燃素蜜虫飞到高处，将这件事告诉了正在啃食树叶的长颈角犀，长颈角犀告诉了与它关系最好的嵴锋龙，而这只嵴锋龙，正是「回声之子」的长老陶奥鲁的龙伙伴。

The little Flying Squirrel hurried to tell the story to a flying Phlogiston Aphid. The Aphid flew on high and told all it knew to a grazing Long-Necked Rhino, who then told a Tepetlisaurus with whom it was best friends. This Tepetlisaurus, in turn, was none other than the Saurian companion of the Children of Echoes elder, Traore.

于是长老陶奥鲁从自己的伙伴那里，知晓了火山大王要来抢夺宝石的事。

And thus did Elder Traore hear of the Volcano Lord's plot to seize the gems from his companion.

这对「回声之子」来说真是糟糕的时间，因为部族最强的战士，首领松伽塔与他的伙伴跟随英雄特诺切，去极西的岛屿阻止漆黑巨兽的脚步，没有办法和火山大王作战。

This was terrible timing for the Children. Their strongest warrior, their Chief Sundjatta, and his companions had followed the hero Tenoch to the island in the far west to halt the giant dark beast, and could not do battle against the Volcano Lord.

于是陶奥鲁和守卫部族的勇士们向部族的「大灵」寻求帮助，部族里的人都知道，「大灵」是一切智慧和了不起的灵魂的象征。

And so Traore and the warriors guarding the tribe sought aid from their tribe's Wayob, for all within the tribe knew that the Wayob symbolized all wisdom and the greatest of souls.

在「大灵」的启示下，陶奥鲁想出了对抗火山大王的办法，于是他和战士们做好了准备，势必要让火山大王吃上一亏。

Under the Wayob's guidance, Traore came up with a way to resist the Volcano Lord, so he and the soldiers made ready, sure to inflict a crushing defeat on him.

火山大王令火山喷出了浓烟，它自己则藏在浓烟的影子里，大张旗鼓地到了「回声之子」的峡谷附近。

The Volcano Lord caused the volcano to belch thick smoke, hiding himself within the smog. It was with such fanfare that he drew near to the valley of the Children of Echoes.

走到了硫晶支脉的时候，它发现有个小小的部族人站在那里，似乎已经等待它许久了。那个部族人就是陶奥鲁。

When he reached the Sulfurous Veins, he saw a tiny tribesperson standing there, as if long having awaited his arrival. This was Traore.

陶奥鲁说，「火山大王，火山大王啊，我们早就听说您动身的消息。我们早就觉得，您的身姿雄伟，正应该由我们最好的宝石缀饰。所以我们在特地打造的石室之中，放进了所有的宝石。」

Traore said, "O Lord, O Volcano Lord, long have we heard of your departure. Long have we believed that your majestic form should by right be adorned with our finest gemstones. For this, we have specially built a stone chamber, and placed all our gems within."

火山大王心想，这些小小的人儿怎么知道自己是要来抢走所有的宝石呢？

Now, the Volcano Lord thought, how did these puny people know that he had come to take their gems?

不过它是伟大的火山大王，所以并不在意这件事，于是它开开心心地跟着陶奥鲁，到了石室前面，可是看到了那个石室，让火山大王感到疑惑不已。

Nonetheless, he was a mighty overlord! What need had he to concern himself with such matters? Thus did he gladly follow Traore to the stone chamber, only to pause in confusion once he laid eyes upon the chamber.

因为那个石室的门只有人类的大小，对巨大的黑色蝾螈来说实在太小了。

For the gate to the chamber was only human-sized, far too small for giant black salamander!

「这就是你们准备的石室吗？」火山大王鼻子中喷出不快的热气，「这怎么让本王进去？」

"Is this the chamber?" The Volcano Lord expelled hot air in displeasure. "How am I to enter it?"

「唉，主要还是准备得太过仓促了，我们只是小小的人，没有办法开辟宫殿，以容纳您伟大的身躯，但您完全可以将手伸进去，宝石就在其中。」陶奥鲁说。

"Alas, Lord, but our hasty preparation is to blame. For we are but puny humans, unable to construct great palaces to contain your magnificent form. But you may still reach your hand into it — the treasures are there for the taking," Traore said.

「可我根本看不清里面有什么，狡猾的小人，你居然要在火山大王面前卖弄你们的诡计，里面肯定有伤害我手臂的机关…」

"But I cannot see what is within, you sly little human. Looking to play tricks on your overlord, are you? Hah! Think you that I do not see how must have hidden a mechanism within that shall do hurt to my arm?"

「这点请您不用担心，」陶奥鲁说，「我会先进入石室，您再将手伸进，这样一来，真有伤害到您的陷阱，也势必会将我杀死。我们的部族喜爱宝石，贪生怕死，绝不愿意作出这样的牺牲。」

"Please do not worry, Lord," Traore said. "See! I shall enter the stone chamber first, and then you can stretch your hand in after me. Should there be a trap to hurt you, will it not slay me first? Our tribe fears death and loves life almost as much as we love our gems — we'd never make such a sacrifice."

这倒也是，火山大王想，小小的部族人总是珍惜自己的性命，不然也不会在自己到来之前，就先准备着将宝石献上。

True, that, the Volcano Lord thought. These puny little tribespeople always prized their lives, did they not? Why else would they have prepared a tribute of gems even before he had even arrived?

于是陶奥鲁手拿着金哨进入石室，而火山大王也将手臂伸了进去。

And thus did Traore enter the stone chamber, golden whistle in hand, and the Volcano Lord extended his arm after him.

里面确实堆满了宝石，陶奥鲁将宝石和晶矿倾倒在火山大王的手中，于是火山大王握着的拳头变得越来越大，越来越大，甚至超过了石室的门的大小！

And lo, there were indeed piles of gems inside. Traore poured jewels and ores into the Volcano Lord's hand, and the fist the Lord balled around the stones grew larger and larger... until it was larger even than the chamber gate!

就是这个时候！

And it was at that moment—!

陶奥鲁吹响了金哨。

Traore blew his golden whistle.

埋伏在石室边上的部族勇士们进行祈祷，让「大灵」的力量得以显现，回声之子的「大灵」向部族的人借来了三短一长，一共四根缝衣针，向着火山大王吹去。

The tribal warriors, lying in ambush by the stone chamber, prayed that their Wayob would unveil its power there and then. And the Wayob, borrowing four sewing pins — three short and one long — from the tribespeople, blew them toward the Volcano Lord.

那四根缝衣针在空中吸取了「大灵」和部族人们的血肉之力，迎风见长，变成了四根巨大的燃素钉柱。

The four pins absorbed the power of both the tribespeople's flesh and blood and the Wayob, and so they grew as they flew, turning into four titanic phlogiston nails.

火山大王这才知道自己中了计，心中暗骂部族人们真是阴险至极，可是，塞满了宝石的手，已经没有办法松开，根本无法从石室中抽出。

Only then did the overlord realize that he had fallen into a trap, and cursed in his heart the cunning tribespeople. But his hand, so filled with gems, could no longer be opened. There was no retracting it from the stone chamber.

一根！两根！三根！

One pin! Two pins! Three pins!

三根小的石柱将它黑黝黝的手臂钉死在了硫晶支脉。

The three smaller stone pillars pinned its jet-black arm to the Sulfurous Veins.

在最后最长的那根石柱落下之前，火山大王咬着牙，折断了自己的手臂，逃之夭夭。

But before the last and largest stone pillar could fall, the Volcano Lord, gritting its teeth, severed its own arm and fled.

黑黝黝的手臂就像影子一样，被钉在了地底，这也是硫晶支脉的晶石长柱被称为「缝影针」的缘故。

That black arm was left pinned to the ground like a shadow, which is why the long crystalline pillars of the Sulfurous Veins are known as Shadow Pins.

而最长也最大的那根「缝影针」没有完全落下，是因为在那之前，火山大王已经折臂逃离。不过，只要那根最大的「缝影针」仍然悬挂在硫晶支脉，火山大王就再也不敢靠近「回声之子」一步。

As for the longest, largest Shadow Pin, it did not completely fall to the earth, for the Volcano Lord had already fled before then. However, so long as that Shadow Pin remains suspended over the Sulfurous Veins, never again shall the Volcano Lord dare draw near the Children of Echoes.

而这，就是火山大王和「缝影针」的故事。

And this is the story of said Lord and the Shadow Pins.

至于敢于身当诱饵的陶奥鲁，石室的出口被火山大王的手塞住，他是怎么逃脱出来的？

As for Traore, who boldly used himself as bait, how did he escape the chamber, blocked as it now was by the Volcano Lord's arm?

想必那是他掌握了什么了不起的技巧吧，毕竟，在这之后，还有许多和陶奥鲁有关的传说呢。

Why, he must have mastered some marvelous skill, of course. After all, there are many more legends concerning him that take place after this one...