Inside the yurt(圓頂帳篷) was a tall man with a long mustache (鬢), seated on a reindeer hide (馴鹿皮). \"My name is White-Black Shaman,\" he said. \"Your name is Bold, is it not?\" Bold nodded in amazement(驚奇) \"Yes,\" he said. \"I have come to make requests.\" He repeated the requests of the three he had met in his travels.
\"As for Titan Snake,\" said the White-Black Shaman, \"inside him is a topaz gem(黃玉寶石). Have him spit out1 the gem. As for Wretched, help him dig under a single birch(白樺) tree. As for Ten-Thousand- Horse-Owner, his daughter will speak when she first sees the man who will one day become her husband.\"
\"I would like to make a request of my own,\" Bold said. \"No,\" said the shaman. \"Each person may make only three requests in a year.\" Bold hung2 his head.
\"It is admirable3 that you asked for the others before you asked for yourself,\" said the shaman. \"Continue to help others with a pure heart, and you will have your true reward.\"
Bold returned to Titan Snake and told him what the shaman had said. The snake spit out the gem. The gem flashed4 brightly. Suddenly Bold wore a precious silk robe(長袍), a velvet(天鵝絨) hat, and fine leather boots. The gem flashed again. Titan Snake became Rainbow Dragon. He soared(翱翔) through the sky, and a beautiful rainbow stretched behind him.
Bold returned to Wretched and helped him find the lone birch tree. Beneath5 the tree they found nine golden plates. \"My suffering and poverty have ended!\" shouted Wretched. He gave three of the plates to Bold, and thanked him warmly.
Bold went to the home of Ten-Thousand- Horse-Owner. He felt confident now, and his travels had made him wiser. His knock was answered by the beautiful daughter who had never spoken. \"Please tell your father that I have traveled to see the White-Black Shaman,\" Bold said. \"He told me you will speak when you first meet the man who will become your husband.\"
The daughter stepped from the home and smiled at Bold. \"How kind you are,\" she said. \"And how brave you must be to have made such a journey. What is your name?\" (The end )
注釋:
1.spit out 吐出
2.hung vt. hang的過去式,低垂
3.a(chǎn)dmirable adj.令人欽佩的
4.flash vi. 閃光,閃爍
5.beneath prep. 在…下面
在圓頂帳篷里,長長胡須的高大的法師就坐在馴鹿皮上。他說:“我就是薩滿黑白法師,你是不是叫博爾德?”博爾德詫異地點頭說:“是的,我是來祈求您的。”他重復(fù)了一遍在路上遇見的那三個人的祈求。
薩滿黑白法師說道:“至于巨蛇,他體內(nèi)有一塊黃晶寶玉,讓他把寶玉吐出來吧。至于那位可憐人,你在一棵孤單的白樺樹下面幫他挖掘吧。還有一萬匹馬的主人,當(dāng)他的女兒第一次遇見有一天會成為她丈夫的那個男人的時候,就會開口說話了?!?/p>
“我還有一個自己的愿望?!辈柕抡f?!安豢梢粤耍彼_滿法師說,“每個人一年只可以有三個請求?!辈柕麓瓜铝祟^。
“你考慮他人在先的行為是令人欽佩的,” 薩滿法師說道,“懷著真誠的心繼續(xù)幫助別人,你就會得到真正的回報?!?/p>
博爾德又來到巨蛇那里,告訴了它薩滿法師所說的話。巨蛇吐出了寶玉,寶玉光芒四射。頃刻之間,博爾德就披上了珍貴的絲綢長袍,戴上了天鵝絨帽子,還有精致的皮靴。寶玉再次發(fā)出閃爍的光芒,巨蛇變成了彩虹龍,他翱翔在天空中,身后劃過一道美麗的彩虹。
博爾德回到了可憐人那里,幫他找到了那棵孤單的白樺樹。在樹下他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了九個金盤子。 “我受的煎熬和貧苦終于過去了,”可憐人興奮地叫著。他把三個金盤子送給了博爾德,熱情地感謝他。
博爾德又來到了一萬匹馬擁有者的家?,F(xiàn)在的他感到自信了,通過這樣的旅行,他變得更加聰明。他敲了敲門,開門的竟是從不會說話的那個漂亮女兒?!罢堔D(zhuǎn)告您的父親,我已經(jīng)見到了薩滿黑白法師,”博爾德說,“他說當(dāng)你第一次遇見將來會成為你丈夫的那個男人的時候,你就會說話了?!?/p>
女孩踏出房門微笑地看著博爾德,“你真善良,”她說道,“做這樣的旅行,你一定非常勇敢。你叫什么名字?”
(全文完)