The Emperor’s New Clothes

◎白佳文/譯

The Emperor’s New Clothes

◎白佳文/譯

Many years ago，there was an Emperor，who was so excessively fond of new clothes，that he spent all his money in dress．He did not trouble himself in the least about his soldiers；nor did he care to go either to the theatre or the chase，except for the opportunities then afforded him for displaying his new clothes．He had a different suit for each hour of the day；and as of any other king or emperor，one is accustomed to say，“he is sitting in council，”it was always said of him，“The Emperor is sitting in his wardrobe．”

Time passed merrily in the large town which was his capital；strangers arrived every day at the court．One day，two rogues，calling themselves weavers，made their appearance．They gave out that they knew how to weave stuffs of the most beautiful colors and elaborate patterns，the clothes manufactured from which should have the wonderful property of remaining invisible to everyone who was unfit for the office he held，or who was extraordinarily simple in character．

“These must，indeed，be splendid clothes！”thought the Emperor，“Had I such a suit，I might at once find out what men in my realms are unfit for their office，and also be able to distinguish the wise from the foolish！This stuff must be woven for me immediately．”And he caused large sums of money to be given to both the weavers in order that they might begin their work directly．

So the two pretended weavers set up two looms，and affected to work very busily，though in reality they did nothing at all．They asked for the most delicate silk and the purest gold thread；put both into their own knapsacks；and then continued their pretended work at the empty looms until late at night．

（To be continued…）

譯文

皇帝的新意

許多年以前有一位皇帝，他非常喜歡穿好看的新衣服。他為了穿得漂亮，把所有的錢都花到衣服上去了。他一點兒也不關心他的軍隊，也不喜歡去看戲，除非是為了炫耀一下新衣服。他也不喜歡乘著馬車逛公園。他每天每個鐘頭都要換一套新衣服。人們提到皇帝時總是說：“皇上在協商會議。”但是人們一提到他時，總是說：“皇上在更衣室里。”

在他住的那個大城市里，生活很輕松，很愉快。每天都有許多外國人到來。有一天來了兩個騙子，他們說自己是織工。他們還說能織出誰也想象不到的最美麗的布。這種布的色彩和圖案不僅非常好看，而且用它縫出來的衣服還有一種奇異的作用，那就是凡是不稱職的人或是愚蠢的人，都看不見這衣服。

“那正是我最喜歡的衣服！”皇帝心里想，“我穿了這樣的衣服，就可以看出我的王國里哪些人不稱職，也可以辨別出哪些人是聰明人，哪些人是傻子。是的，我要叫他們馬上織出這樣的布來！”他付了許多現款給這兩個騙子，叫他們馬上開始工作。

他們擺出兩架織機來，裝作是在工作的樣子，可是他們的織機上什么東西也沒有。他們接二連三地請求皇帝給他們一些最好的生絲和金子。他們把這些東西都裝進自己的腰包，卻假裝在那兩架空空的織機上忙碌地工作，一直忙到深夜。

（未完待續）

注釋

emperor皇帝，君主；

excessively過分地；過度地；極度地

chase奔跑；追趕

afford提供；給予

accustom使習慣

council協商會議

wardrobe衣櫥，衣柜

merrily歡樂地；愉快地

capital首都；資本

stranger外地人；新手

court法院；庭院

rogues流氓；調皮鬼；游手好閑

weave編織；組合

stuffs東西；原料

elaborate詳盡的；復雜的；精心的；精美的

pattern圖案；樣式；模式

manufacture制造；制造業

property財產；所有物；地產

remaining剩余的

invisible看不見的；無形的

extraordinarily非常（格外）

splendid極好的；輝煌的

realm領域

distinguish區別；辨認；使顯著

loom織布機

affect影響；感動；作用

delicate微妙的；精美的；纖細的

silk絲；絲綢

purest純的；純潔的；純粹的

thread線；思路；螺紋

knapsack背包

pretended假的；虛偽的