JACK THE DULLARD笨汉汉斯

Words: Joe

Translator:赵 衡

Art: 灵绘童工作室

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess in want of a husband; a husband who had a silver tongue. She sent out a message to all the free men, “Come down to my castle, and win my heart with your words.”Out in the country an old man heard the message. He smiled to himself and did a little jig, for the old man had three sons,and he would send two out to chase the princess.

从前，有一位非常美丽的公主，她想要找到一个口才出众的人来做自己的丈夫。于是她向所有的单身汉们发出消息：“到我的城堡来吧，用你的口才赢得我的心。”在遥远的乡下，一个老人得知了这个消息后，不由得暗自窃喜。原来，老人有三个儿子，他可以让其中两个儿子去追求公主。

These two were super smart and learned. As learned as one could be, they knew the dictionary by heart, and also knew all about law and business. Did I mention they were smart? But the third son...He knew very little. His father wouldn’t send him to the castle. His name was Jack the Dullard, and all the people in the village thought he was stupid, including his father.

老人的这两个儿子非常聪明，而且学识渊博。就像那些学识渊博的人一样，他们对词典烂熟于心，懂得所有的法律和商业知识。我刚才是不是说过他们很聪明？但是第三个儿子……却是个没有什么学问的人，他的父亲也不打算让他到城堡去。他叫笨汉汉斯，村里所有的人都认为他很蠢，包括他的父亲在内。

On the next day the father gave each of his learned sons a horse, because his sons were so smart. One got a black horse, and the other got a white one. They each rode off for the castle, and their father watched their balloon-shaped heads bounce slowly over the horizon. Jack the Dullard asked his father for a horse, but his father just pointed at him and laughed. “You?” He said while crossing his arms. But Jack did not give up. He rode out on his billy goat to run after his brothers.

第二天，老人给了有学问的两个儿子一人一匹马，因为他觉得两个儿子都很聪明。一个儿子得到一匹黑马，另一个儿子得到一匹白马。两人骑着马，匆匆朝城堡赶去，老人目送着他们，直到两人逐渐消失在地平线上。笨汉汉斯请求父亲也给他一匹马，但老人用手指着他哈哈大笑。“就你？”他抱着手臂说。但汉斯并没有气馁，他骑着自己的那只公山羊，去追赶两个哥哥。

Along the way to meet them, Jack the Dullard picked up a dead crow, an old wooden shoe, and a handful of clay. He smiled and hung them on his goat. When he finally caught up to his brothers, they asked him what he wanted to do with these silly things. Jack told them that he would give them to the princess as gifts. They looked at each other, and then burst into laughter. When they had finally finished, they rode ahead and continued to prepare their most wonderful learned speeches.

在赶路的过程中，笨汉汉斯捡到一只死乌鸦、一只旧木鞋和一把泥土，他开心地将这些东西挂在公山羊身上。他终于赶上了两个哥哥，哥哥们问他带着这些没用的东西干什么。汉斯告诉他们，他要将这些东西作为礼物送给公主。哥哥们对视一眼，忍不住放声大笑。后来他们终于止住笑声，骑马走在前面，一路上继续准备着他们那美妙无比的演讲。

After a long ride, all three brothers arrived at the castle. Many men had ridden there from all over the country. Each was busy practicing his speech, and each went into the hall one at a time. After a few men had gone in, it was the turn of the brother on the black horse. He rode in confidently, but upon seeing the princess, his tongue froze in his mouth. So he stood there with his mouth wide open, and his tongue hanging limp. The princess shuddered and told him to be gone.

经过长途跋涉，兄弟三人终于来到了城堡。城堡里已经聚集了很多从各地赶来的人们，每个人都忙着练习自己的演讲，而公主每次只在大厅会见一个人。在一些人进去之后，终于轮到了骑黑马来的哥哥。他自信满满地骑马进去，但一看到公主，便什么话都说不出来了，他张口结舌，呆立在那里。公主被他这幅样子吓坏了，赶紧打发他离开。

The other brother, the one on the white horse, rode in next, but when he saw the princess he just stammered, then steamed like a kettle, forgetting all his words. So the princess told him to get out as well. Finally Jack rode in on his goat.The princess asked him about the crow. Jack told her that he found it in a clay ditch next to a wooden shoe, which he then held up in his other hand. Jack the Dullard answered her questions fluently, the princess smiled and was impressed by the wit of his speech. So, Jack the Dullard became Jack the King, and nobody laughed at him ever again.

骑白马的哥哥接着进入大厅，但他一看到公主，马上变得结巴起来，整个人像烧开的水壶一样冒着热气，所有准备好的词句全忘光了。于是公主也打发他离开了。最后，汉斯骑着公山羊进来了。公主问那只乌鸦是怎么一回事，汉斯说自己是在一只木鞋旁边的土沟里面找到的，他又用另一只手把木鞋和泥土举了起来。汉斯的对答如流把公主逗乐了，她被汉斯机智的回答深深打动。于是，笨汉汉斯一跃成了国王汉斯，从此再也没有人嘲笑他了。